You can sell them or give them away. Personal items are noncountable for purposes of Medicaid eligibility. But there’s a difference between buying items you plan to use and those you’re only buying for the purpose of giving away. The first is permitted; the second is a subterfuge that may be deemed a transfer of assets.
Harry S. Margolis practices elder law, estate, and special needs planning in Boston and Wellesley, Massachusetts. He is the founder of ElderLawAnswers.com and answers consumer questions about estate planning issues here and at AskHarry.info.
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