Estate & Medicaid Planning Is Simpler Than You Think – Paul Moskowitz, Esq. of Moskowitz Legal Group

Estate & Medicaid Planning Is Simpler Than You Think | Episode 11

Most people know they should have a will or some kind of estate plan.

But they put it off because it sounds complicated, expensive, or like something they only need to think about when they’re older.

What happens if you die without a will?
What does a trust actually do?
What’s the difference between Medicare and Medicaid?
How can families protect assets from the enormous cost of long-term care?
And why can putting your house in your child’s name create major problems?

In Episode 11 of The Middle Class Podcast, Moshe Alpert, CFP®, sits down with Paul Moskowitz, Esq. of Moskowitz Legal Group to break down estate and Medicaid planning in plain English.

They cover wills, executors, healthcare proxies, powers of attorney, probate, trusts, Medicaid planning, long-term care, life insurance, step-up in basis, and halachic estate planning.

This episode is about understanding the basic decisions that can protect your family, preserve assets, and prevent expensive problems later.

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⏱️ Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 — Why putting your house in your child’s name can be a major mistake
00:49 — Introducing estate & Medicaid planning
04:25 — What happens if you die without a will?
08:28 — What does a will actually do?
10:13 — How to choose an executor
14:05 — Healthcare proxies & financial powers of attorney
17:10 — What happens when you don’t plan ahead
20:04 — What is probate?
21:02 — How trusts can help avoid probate
22:43 — What exactly is a trust?
24:49 — Revocable trusts explained
28:51 — Estate taxes & higher-net-worth planning
33:13 — Medicaid planning explained
34:29 — Medicare vs. Medicaid
35:13 — The cost of long-term care
36:34 — What Medicare does and does not cover
37:00 — Medicaid lookback periods
38:21 — Medicaid asset protection trusts
42:11 — Medicaid home care & family caregivers
42:56 — Medicaid planning vs. long-term care insurance
44:13 — What happens to assets inside a Medicaid trust?
46:41 — Can you still live in your house after putting it in a trust?
46:55 — Why transferring your house to your children can backfire
48:48 — Step-up in basis explained
51:18 — Why small planning decisions can have a major financial impact
52:31 — Why life insurance matters in an estate plan
56:30 — Halachic wills & estate planning
59:19 — “I’ll never qualify for Medicaid” and other misconceptions

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📌 In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• What happens when someone dies without a will
• Why healthcare proxies and powers of attorney matter
• What probate is and why families may want to avoid it
• How revocable and irrevocable trusts work
• The difference between Medicare and Medicaid
• How Medicaid asset protection planning works
• Why transferring a house directly to your children can create tax and creditor problems
• How step-up in basis affects inherited assets
• Why life insurance can be an important part of an estate plan
• How halachic considerations may affect Jewish estate planning

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🧠 Quote from the Episode

“It’s really about getting educated, getting knowledgeable, meeting the right person, getting the right information, and seeing how it applies to your situation.”

— Paul Moskowitz, Esq.

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👤 About the Guest

Paul Moskowitz, Esq. is an attorney with Moskowitz Legal Group, a firm focused on elder law, Medicaid planning, estate planning, guardianship, and probate.

The firm helps families plan for long-term care, protect assets, and make the estate process easier for the next generation.

Phone: (212) 419-0118
Email: [contact@moskowitzlegalgroup.com](mailto:contact@moskowitzlegalgroup.com)
Website: https://www.moskowitzlegalgroup.com/

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💼 About the Host

Moshe Alpert, CLU®, CFP®, ChFC®, RICP®, AEP®
Founder & CEO of Ceremian Financial

Moshe helps families and professionals make clear, values-based financial decisions around income, protection, taxes, investing, and long-term stability.

Website: https://www.ceremian.com

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/moshe-alpert-clu%C2%AE-cfp%C2%AE-chfc%C2%AE-ricp%C2%AE-aep%C2%AE-b40401156

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🔔 Subscribe & Connect

👍 Like this video if it helped make estate planning easier to understand.

💬 Comment below: What part of estate or Medicaid planning surprised you most?

📧 Email: [middleclassalpert@gmail.com](mailto:middleclassalpert@gmail.com)

🎧 Listen on [WordFiltered] & [WordFiltered]

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🎛️ Production Credits

Produced & Edited by: BIG Productions – Gidon Orman
Contact: [gi@bigprod.net](mailto:gi@bigprod.net)

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#TheMiddleClassPodcast
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#ElderLaw
#WillsAndTrusts
#FinancialPlanning
#LongTermCare
#LifeInsurance
#Probate
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#PersonalFinance
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