Fair Deal Advice Blog

Are you or your Relative overpaying for your Nursing Home care?

Due to lack of advice when entering the Fair Deal/Nursing Home Support Scheme I estimate that over 90% of all applicants end up overpaying for their long- term care under the Fair Deal Scheme.

These overpayments usually occur in three areas:

• • Not completing the application form correctly and not claiming for deductions that the applicant is entitled to and assuming the HSE assessment is correct.
• • Having submitted the application and gaining approval and funding forgetting about it and not seeking an annual review for reductions in cash assets from funding the contribution to care and other costs that the applicant or their spouse will have incurred.
• • Not availing of taxation savings on the Care fees incurred on an annual basis.

When you hear people say that the Fair Deal took all my Parents/ Relatives money, failure to do the above certainly will not have helped the situation. The Fair Deal is fair. It is not designed to take all the Applicants funds and Assets but the HSE and the Fair Deal Scheme are not telepathic and do not have visibility of your assets reducing. Remember if you do not ask you do not get.

Do not underestimate the complexity of the Fair Deal. When you take out a pension or a mortgage you would normally get advice before taking on the commitment. Nursing Home care regardless of whether you are in or not in the Fair Deal is expensive and is a financial commitment often exceeding that of a pension or mortgage payment each month. Therefore, I strongly recommend that you contact www.fairdealadvice.ie before entering the scheme or if you are planning long term care for yourself or a relative. The advice will save you money from day 1 as you will know how to manage the scheme with our expert advice for the duration of the Applicant’s time in the scheme and long- term care.

If you or your relative are already in the Fair Deal and not doing the above, contact Tom Murray @ advice@fairdealadvice.ie or phone 096 601 5042 or visit www.fairdealadvice.ie today and let us help you save money on yours or your Relatives long term care.

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