Public charge for parents

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

1 hour ago, kamrankhan said:

Different news. Apart from these, parents with half a million assets are being denied. 

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article232951852.html

Half a million in assets for a retired couple with no Medicaid access may very well lead to public charge issues.  Just the poverty line for a couple is $17k, let’s say that couple has another 20-25 years to live, that’s $340-$425k before inflation.... at the poverty line. Apart from that being miserable, it doesn’t take the typical cost of elderly healthcare which can run to hundreds of thousands - see for example https://journalistsresource.org/studies/government/health-care/elderly-medical-spending-medicare/, where they mention per person over 65 typically runs $18k a year - so double that for a couple - up to $25k a year ($50k for the couple) if they make it to their 90s.  That half a million in assets is going to be long gone by then.

Edited August 10, 2019 by SusieQQQ

[geowrian 22,335]

$500k in assets - without access to recurring income - is not enough to live on. The amount of assets should (IMO) generate enough income to live on if that is the plan. That would easily mean over double that amount being necessary.

Whereas if one was to have other sources of income (i.e. SS, pensions, etc.) to supplement the assets, then that's a different calculation.

[kamrankhan 9]

Again, question is not for parents to support them. I am asking in cases where children need to support their parents. I believe those children will have recurring incomes.

[Boiler 43,428]

Nobody is going to bring over an aged parent without thinking through how much it will cost Somebody approaching retirement age particularly. How realistic is it for them to work if they are retired in their home country? They would need to do 40 quarters to get Medicare without paying to buy into it.

 

However situations vary and there would obviously be situations where there are transferable skills, people with significant pension pots etc etc so there is no one rule fits all circumstances, each case would be assessed accordingly.  Somebody I know has a parent now in a Care Home, $70,000 a year and that is out of pocket. 

 

 

[Highmystic 234]

2 hours ago, kamrankhan said:

@Paul&mary. It is for my family. 

So if age is the criteria then parent who is 45 year old, he or she will also be a public charge 20 years down the road. Its ridiculous

Is a 45 year old not able to work, ever?   They can work and qualify for SS after 40 quarters.  A 45 year old can work 80 or more quarters before retirement.  Now, granted, SS is not enough to support one person, it is supplemental as I see people in their 70's working at Walmart and such places, and many part time work to bring in a few bucks.  I wish I were 45! LOL

[Boiler 43,428]

27 minutes ago, Highmystic said:

Is a 45 year old not able to work, ever?   They can work and qualify for SS after 40 quarters.  A 45 year old can work 80 or more quarters before retirement.  Now, granted, SS is not enough to support one person, it is supplemental as I see people in their 70's working at Walmart and such places, and many part time work to bring in a few bucks.  I wish I were 45! LOL

45 was just given as an example, pretty rare to see a Parent sponsored at that age. More common is 60 plus. I believe Wal Mart have got rid of their greeters, shelf stacking etc is not really for the elderly.

[databit 328]

4 hours ago, kamrankhan said:

My mom is 59, healthy and recently retired in her home country . But she intends to work if she comes to USA. 

But does she speak English? Have any salable job skills to get a  full-time job? 

 

Including the time to immigrate, she would have to work a 40-hour week for 10 years, until she is well into her 70's, to qualify for full free Medicare and to receive Social Security income.

 

Don't deny reality. Assets and your household income, even if it were $500k, would not cover a serious surgery. Even one hospital admission could bankrupt you.

 

 

[kamrankhan 9]

Everyone is acting like a philosopher here. @databit If she will take a 1000 dollar per month insurance, do you think I will become bankrupt?lol

[SalishSea 16,769]

7 minutes ago, kamrankhan said:

Everyone is acting like a philosopher here. @databit If she will take a 1000 dollar per month insurance, do you think I will become bankrupt?lol

Do you know the true costs of health care?  Whatever plan you can purchase for your parents will not cover everything, should they need a surgery, skilled nursing, radiation therapy, chemo, ER visit, hospital admission etc.  

[kamrankhan 9]

Well. If a doctor can not afford that then I do not think anyone can,

[Lemonslice 4,553]

1 hour ago, databit said:

But does she speak English? Have any salable job skills to get a  full-time job? 

 

Including the time to immigrate, she would have to work a 40-hour week for 10 years, until she is well into her 70's, to qualify for full free Medicare and to receive Social Security income.

 

Don't deny reality. Assets and your household income, even if it were $500k, would not cover a serious surgery. Even one hospital admission could bankrupt you.

 

 

Qualifying quarters do not require full time employment. Many full time employees have schedules with less than 40 hours a week anyway.

 

Threshold is very, very, low:

https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/COLA/QC.html

 

 

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

My doctor friends generally have excellent health insurance plans, and obviously the vast majority of them have worked long enough that they will get Medicare when they need it. You live in Washington, did you read about that elderly couple’s murder-suicide that just took place because they couldn’t afford medical bills?

 

Being a trainee doctor, and watching an elderly parent rapidly deteriorate (after many years of being just fine) and seeing every medical professional they meet ask about insurance coverage, are apparently very different things. I’m going through the latter experience at the moment and I have thought time and again how thankful I am that my parent has full medicare. I guess you didn’t read the link I posted earlier, which noted that the vast majority of elderly medical bills are covered by Medicare. But sure, if you have a few hundred grand spare to spend on medical bills, it’s no problem, especially if your kids’ college plans don’t have to make way for that. 

 

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

8 minutes ago, Lemonslice said:

Qualifying quarters do not require full time employment. Many full time employees have schedules with less than 40 hours a week anyway.

 

Threshold is very, very, low:

https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/COLA/QC.html

 

 

That’s social security, the payout you get relative to your income. So if you contribute at a very, very low threshold, that’s what you get out. 

 

 

[Lemonslice 4,553]

2 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

That’s social security, the payout you get relative to your income. So if you contribute at a very, very low threshold, that’s what you get out. 

 

 

I was thinking about Medicare eligibility.

 

I understand that the social security with minimal years and income would be tiny.

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

23 minutes ago, Lemonslice said:

I was thinking about Medicare eligibility.

 

I understand that the social security with minimal years and income would be tiny.

Medicare does not fully cover everything  (as I’m sure you are aware).  Between part A and part B and more... My parent also has top up insurance which is being very heavily used, and we are fortunate that we would be able to cover anything else if necessary. Many people don’t have that option.  Between what I’m seeing with my parent (the US has fabulous care, but boy it costs) and the story about the WA couple today, I’m just wary at how complacent many people are. Even assuming already retired mom wants to work for 10 years to pay SS and Medicare taxes.