The Long-Term Care Legal Survival Guide
What California Families Need to Know the Moment a Loved One Enters a Nursing Home
When a loved one enters a skilled nursing facility, families are asked to make financial and legal decisions they were never prepared for. The wrong move — even one made with good intentions — can block Medi-Cal benefits, trigger costly penalties, or put the family home at risk. This free guide explains what is actually at stake and what California families can still do about it.
This Guide Is For You If…
- A parent or spouse has just entered — or is about to enter — a skilled nursing facility
- You are worried about how the family will pay for long-term care
- You have heard about Medi-Cal but are not sure how it works or whether your family qualifies
- You own a home and want to know whether it could be taken to pay for nursing home care
- A loved one entered a nursing home without a living trust or power of attorney
- You want to understand the legal options before taking any action
What the Guide Covers
- 1 The Cost of a Skilled Nursing Facility — The four ways to pay, what Medicare actually covers, and what Medi-Cal planning is.
- 2 Medi-Cal Qualification — The asset test, the 2027 warning, the income rules for singles and married couples, and the name on the check rule.
- 3 Estate Recovery — How the state can claim the family home after death, how SB 833 changed the law, and how trusts protect against recovery.
- 4 The Living Trust Estate Plan — Why it is the foundation of every Medi-Cal plan, what it must include, the Irrevocable Income Only Trust, and why giving assets to children is not the answer.
- 5 What If It Is Too Late to Get an Estate Plan? — Conservatorship, what can still be done, and why it is still worth the effort.
- 6 What Not To Do — And What To Do Instead — A plain-English worksheet showing the most common mistakes families make and the right move in each situation.
- 7 Your Next Step — How to reach Miller Home Protection Law for a consultation.
Download the Guide — It Is Free
No sign-up. No email required. Just click the button and the PDF downloads immediately to your device. Read it before you make any decisions.
Or schedule a consultation with Russell C. Miller, Esq. →This guide is provided for general educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every family's situation is different. Consult a qualified attorney for advice specific to your circumstances. This page may be considered attorney advertising. © 2026 Miller Home Protection Law.