Selling house hope to buy a car without disqualifying SS disability payments?

Question

We have an appointment next week with our case worker but wanted to see if anyone had an answer on this.

Wife lives in a nursing home.

Community spouse lives at home has no car. Gets wifes disability payments since he doesn't work (he has a personality disorder and she has always been the breadwinner)

Community spouse sells house. Wants to buy a car with profits from house sale and buy a smaller, cheaper house.

Will they allow this or does 100% of the money from the sale of the house have to go into the purchase of the new house?

Answer 1

Your situation is a little confusing. He should be getting his own disability payments,hers should be going to the nursing home to help pay for her care.

As far as the house sale,this is my understanding,and I may be wrong.

If one spouse is in a nursing home,the house cannot be touched to pay for care as long as the other spouse is living in it.

However,if the house is sold,then that money from the sale will be considered an asset and could be a factor in denying government assistance of any kind. I don't think buying another house with the money or a car will help. The protected house has been sold,so in their eyes,the couple now have enough cash to support themselves without assistance.

You might be opening yourself up for alot of problems by selling the house. Your caseworker could tell you much better than I can. I just know what I've heard from working in nursing homes for many years.