The Shea Law Firm - The Woodlands, TX

The Shea Law Firm - The Woodlands, TX The Shea Law Firm helps families in The Woodlands get nursing home Medicaid and protect assets.

Woodlands, TX law firm that helps families get through nursing home, probate and estate planning issues.

06/04/2026

How do you protect more assets from nursing home bills, by getting divorced or by staying married?

06/02/2026

Can you transfer exempt assets after getting approved for nursing home Medicaid?

05/27/2026

The asset limit for nursing home Medicaid in Texas is not $2,000 if there is a healthy spouse at home.

05/06/2026

🚨 Texas Nursing Home Medicaid Rule Most Families Miss
You cannot apply while your loved one is still at home.
You cannot get pre-approved before admission.
Texas requires 30 consecutive days in a Medicaid-certified nursing home before they’ll even process the application.

You can lose $300,000 in a single afternoon. All it takes is one bad decision. Mike’s father-in-law was in the hospital,...
05/01/2026

You can lose $300,000 in a single afternoon. All it takes is one bad decision.

Mike’s father-in-law was in the hospital, and the next stop was long-term care. He had worked his whole life to save $270k in a 401k and had another $25k in the bank.

The common take is you have to spend every dime before Medicaid helps. If Mike had followed that advice, his father-in-law would have lost $293,000 before qualifying for a cent of assistance.

Instead of watching a lifetime of work vanish, they looked into legal asset protection. By the time the paperwork was done, they protected over $280,000. He is now on track for Medicaid approval without being penniless.

Don't let a hospital discharge planner or a nursing home administrator tell you that going broke is the only way. There are legal paths to keep what you've earned.

Many Texas families assume that once their parents' savings are gone, Medicaid will simply kick in to cover their curren...
04/22/2026

Many Texas families assume that once their parents' savings are gone, Medicaid will simply kick in to cover their current facility. In Texas, it’s not that simple. Medicaid only pays for care in specific, Medicaid-licensed nursing homes.

If your loved one is in an assisted living facility or a private-pay-only home, they won't simply 'convert' to Medicaid when the bank account hits zero. You may be forced to move them to a new facility at the most vulnerable time.

Before you commit to a facility, ask two critical questions:

Is this a Medicaid-licensed nursing facility?
Do you have a Medicaid bed available if we need to transition in the future?

Your dad, Robert, finally got approved for Medicaid. The house was exempt. The retirement account was safe. You felt lik...
04/15/2026

Your dad, Robert, finally got approved for Medicaid. The house was exempt. The retirement account was safe. You felt like you won.

Then you transferred $28,000 from his IRA to your brother, David. Two months later, the nursing home sent a bill for $24,000.

Why? Because "exempt" does not mean "transferable."

The HHSC allows your parent to keep certain assets while still qualifying for nursing home Medicaid. But the moment those assets leave their name, the state treats it as a gift.

Gifts trigger penalties. Penalties mean Medicaid stops paying for care.

Do not move a dime or sign a deed just because the application was approved. Approval is just the start of the compliance phase.

A $40 raise just cost mom her health insurance.After David passed away, his wife, Mary, started receiving his higher So...
04/09/2026

A $40 raise just cost mom her health insurance.

After David passed away, his wife, Mary, started receiving his higher Social Security benefit. The family thought it would help cover her personal needs in the nursing home.

Then the letter arrived.

Medicaid was terminating her coverage because she was now $40 over the monthly income limit. The nursing home costs $9,000 a month. Mary’s check is only $3,200.

The family did not have to panic. They came to us and put a Qualified Income Trust in place.

It is a legal tool that reduces the extra income so it does not count against Medicaid's strict limits. If your parent is facing an income spike after a loss, do not give up. The QIT is your reset button.

Families lose $10,000 because they wait 30 days too long. David spent months paying for his mom's care out of his own po...
03/31/2026

Families lose $10,000 because they wait 30 days too long.

David spent months paying for his mom's care out of his own pocket. He figured once the Medicaid application was approved, he’d get a reimbursement check for those expenses.

He was wrong.

Medicaid is not a retroactive gift. If you pay for medical expenses while you are outside the eligibility window, you are never getting that money back.

You need to begin the process the exact moment your family member is within the financial limits, or even slightly before. Don't wait until the bank account is empty to look for help. By then, the money you've already spent is gone forever.

Mike and his sister Sarah thought they were in the clear. Their mother, Barbara, had finally been approved for Medicaid ...
03/24/2026

Mike and his sister Sarah thought they were in the clear. Their mother, Barbara, had finally been approved for Medicaid to cover her nursing home costs. The hard part was over, or so they thought.

Since Barbara was no longer driving, Sarah decided to transfer her mom's car to her son. It was just sitting there, and the family figured since the Medicaid application was already approved, it didn't matter.

They were wrong.

When the annual renewal notice arrived, the HHSC saw the transfer. Because it was an uncompensated gift, Medicaid issued a penalty period. Suddenly, the family was on the hook for a massive nursing home bill they couldn't afford.

If you have a parent on Medicaid, remember that the rules apply every day, not just during the application process. Moving assets after approval is one of the fastest ways to lose coverage.

Address

25700 I-45 North #4317
The Woodlands, TX
77386

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+18328564526

Website

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