Victoria had always prided herself on being prepared. A retired teacher with a sharp mind and a warm heart, she had built a modest life in her cozy Arkansas home. But when her health started to decline and she needed nursing home care, she faced an unexpected challenge: she earned too much income to qualify for Arkansas Long-Term Care Medicaid.

It started with a phone call from the nursing home administrator. They explained that her $2,900 monthly pension exceeded the Medicaid income limit of $2,742. Victoria felt a knot form in her stomach. She knew her savings wouldn’t last long with the high cost of nursing home care—over $7,000 a month.

Determined not to burden her children, Victoria dove into research. She discovered that while her income was too high to qualify outright, there might still be a way to get the help she needed. That’s when her daughter suggested reaching out to a Medicaid Planner.

Victoria hesitated at first. She had always managed her finances independently, and the idea of asking for help felt foreign. But with mounting medical bills and dwindling savings, she made the call.

When Victoria met with a Medicaid Planner, she was pleasantly surprised. They explained how an Income Trust, also known as a Miller Trust, could help her qualify for Medicaid despite being over the income limit.

The concept was simple yet powerful:

The planner also helped Victoria review her other assets and provided guidance on protecting them from being spent down unnecessarily.