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Connecticut Long-Term Care Planning

Medicaid Asset Protection Trust in Connecticut

The sooner you move assets in, the sooner they are protected.

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Plain-English Estate Planning

What Is a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust?

A Medicaid asset protection trust is a specific kind of irrevocable trust built to hold your assets, most often your home, outside of your personal ownership. Think of it as a protective bucket. Once your home or savings are inside it, they belong to the trust, not to you personally.

That distinction is the whole point. Medicaid decides whether you qualify for long-term care help by looking at the assets you own personally. Assets sitting inside the trust are no longer counted against you, so they do not have to be spent down before you can get help with the cost of care.

The trade-off is right there in the word irrevocable. Once you transfer assets into this trust, you cannot easily pull them back out. That permanence is exactly why the setup matters, and why it helps to have a lawyer who does this work walk you through it before you commit.

Holds your home and chosen assets outside your personal ownership

Keeps those assets from counting against your Medicaid eligibility

Preserves what you have built for your family instead of spending it down on care

Set up once, carefully, because it is meant to be permanent

A Common Question

Does a Trust Protect Your Assets From Medicaid?

Yes, the right trust does, when it is in place early enough. But not every trust works this way, and the difference is the whole ballgame.

A Revocable Trust Does Not

Because you keep the power to change or undo it, the law still treats everything inside as yours, so it counts against you. A revocable trust is a wonderful tool for avoiding probate and staying in control, but shielding assets from long-term care costs is not what it does.

An Irrevocable Medicaid Trust Does

Because you give up control of the assets inside it, they are no longer counted as yours. They are protected once Connecticut's five-year look-back period has passed. The key word is early. The clock only starts when the assets go in.

What the Trust Covers

Protecting Assets From Medicaid: What the Trust Covers

Every family's situation is different, and we look at your full picture before recommending anything. That said, a few assets come up again and again.

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Your Connecticut Home

The family home is the asset most often placed in a Medicaid trust. Once transferred, it no longer counts as a personal asset for eligibility, and you can typically keep living in it. Connecticut has its own rules around the primary residence, so local guidance matters here.

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Savings and Investment Accounts

Certain savings and investment accounts can go into the trust too, depending on your situation. Some asset types make sense to transfer and others are better left out. We evaluate the full picture before moving anything.

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Family Wealth Across Generations

More than a Medicaid strategy, this trust preserves what you have built for your children and grandchildren rather than watching it drain away on care. It is a legacy protection tool for the people in your inner circle.

How It Works

How to Protect Assets From Medicaid in Connecticut

The structure can sound complicated, but the path is straightforward once you see it laid out. Here is the plain-English version.

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Decide what to protect

You work with an attorney to determine which assets to transfer and which to keep in your own name.

Create the trust

You set up the irrevocable trust and name a trustee to manage it for your beneficiaries.

Transfer the assets

You move the chosen assets into the trust, which starts the five-year clock.

Reach the finish line

Once five years have passed, those assets are protected from Medicaid spend-down.

Starting early is the single most important decision in this whole process. Connecticut has specific rules around exempt assets and eligibility, which is why local guidance is essential rather than optional. Work with a connecticut trust attorney who handles this planning every day.

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Why Timing Matters

Why an Irrevocable Medicaid Asset Protection Trust Needs to Start Early

Connecticut uses a five-year look-back. When you apply for Medicaid, the state reviews the last five years of transfers, and assets moved into the trust are only fully protected once that window has passed.

The message is simple. Every day you wait is a day the clock has not started. There is no way to speed it up later, so the best time to plan is before you need care, not after.

We work with families at every stage, from those planning years ahead to those facing a sudden diagnosis or a crisis already underway. Even when the timing is tight, there are often still options worth exploring. The worst move is to assume it is too late and do nothing.

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Real Families, Real Peace of Mind

Why Connecticut Families Trust Inner Circle

I have worked with Bryan Etter for the past four years on probate and estate planning matters, and I highly recommend him. He takes the time to thoroughly explain my options, making sure I feel confident and informed in every decision.

Robert Nichols Estate Planning Client

I have had the pleasure of working with Bryan for the past few months. He very quickly put an Estate Plan in place for my mother when we were in crisis. When she passed, he came to my home immediately, explained what comes next, and put my mind at ease.

Lisa Hammersley Estate Planning Client

Recently, I contacted Bryan Etter to consider a living trust. He was very thorough in explaining options. I felt very comfortable with his presentation. We went on to complete a trust. I'd definitely recommend him for any Estate Planning.

Charles Leigus Estate Planning Client

Inner Circle Legal Planning, PLLC exceeded my expectations in every way. Their professionalism and organization are outstanding. Bryan Etter, in particular, stands out for his knowledge, responsiveness, and genuine kindness.

Deborah Lombardi Estate Planning Client

Estate Planning is never easy, but thankfully, I came across Bryan Etter online in early Fall, who came highly recommended by his many positive reviews. Bryan immediately put my mother and I at ease during our initial consultation.

John Vairo Estate Planning Client

I feel compelled to share the wonderful experience I had working with Bryan Etter in my Estate Planning. I had thought that I only needed a will, but Bryan explained several other aspects of this process, such as needing a Health Care Proxy, etc.

Barbara Coppola Estate Planning Client

I've had the fortunate opportunity to work with Bryan and his team on multiple occasions, and each time has been better than the last. He's extremely patient, detail-oriented and always very responsive, regardless of how simple my questions may be.

Matthew Gunn Estate Planning Client

Working with Bryan was a very good experience for me. I wanted to be sure all of my affairs were in order, to make life easier for my children when the inevitable occurs. Bryan was very professional and clear about every aspect of making a trust.

Virginia Metaxas Estate Planning Client

Just recently my wife and I were looking for a law firm that handles Estate Planning and the process we would need to complete this task. We chose Bryan's team and couldn't be more satisfied with the knowledge and professionalism his team provided.

Bill Valintas Estate Planning Client

Throughout the process, Bryan patiently explained each step to me. He was always professional yet friendly, responsive, and conscientious. I'd highly recommend Bryan to anyone looking for an estate planning attorney.

Marion Coleman Estate Planning Client

A note from Bryan

How I Approach Medicaid Planning

I built Inner Circle around a simple idea: estate planning should make sense to the people living it.

Protecting your home and your savings from long-term care costs is personal, and it usually comes with worry attached. Sometimes there is a diagnosis in the picture. Sometimes it is just the quiet fear of losing what you spent a lifetime building. Either way, I sit down with you, learn your family's situation, and build the plan around you rather than handing you a template.

You will know the cost before we begin. No surprises, no meter running, no guessing what the bill will be. And if a Medicaid trust is not the right move for your family, I will tell you that too.

Read our estate planning FAQs to see how the pieces fit together.

Bryan Etter
Licensed in CT & NY | Member of WealthCounsel

Read Bryan's Story
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Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts

Why not just put my house in my children's names instead?

It feels simpler, but it can backfire. Giving the home directly to your children still triggers the five-year look-back, and it exposes the house to their creditors, divorces, and taxes. It can also create a large capital gains bill for them later. A Medicaid asset protection trust protects the home while sidestepping most of those problems, which is why we usually recommend the trust over an outright gift.

How much does a Medicaid asset protection trust cost in Connecticut?

Cost depends on your situation, which assets you are protecting, and how your plan is structured. We work on a flat-fee, transparent basis, so you will know the full price before you commit, with no surprise billing. The clearest way to get a real number is a free consultation where we look at your specific picture.

Can I still live in my home after transferring it to the trust?

Yes. In most cases you can continue living in your home for the rest of your life after it is placed in the trust. The trust holds legal ownership, but your right to keep living there is written into how it is set up. We make sure that is handled correctly from the start.

What assets are exempt from Medicaid in Connecticut?

Connecticut treats certain assets as exempt, meaning they do not count toward eligibility, and these rules can shift over time. Your primary residence up to a limit, one vehicle, and some personal belongings are commonly exempt. Because the details are specific and change, we review your exact assets against current Connecticut rules rather than relying on general lists.

How long does it take to set up a Medicaid asset protection trust?

Setting up the trust itself usually takes a few weeks from your first strategy session to signing. The longer timeline is the five-year look-back that starts once assets are transferred in. That is exactly why starting early matters so much, and we map out a clear timeline for you at the beginning.

Start the Clock Today

The Best Time to Protect Your Home Was Yesterday. The Next Best Time Is Now.

You worked your whole life for your home and your savings. A Medicaid asset protection trust helps keep them from being spent down on the cost of care, and it protects what you leave for the people you love. Sit down with a Connecticut trust attorney who explains everything in plain English and gets the details right. Your consultation is free.

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