If you are in long term care and a medicaid patient, do you need to file?

[dldomsic]

Mother is in a nursing home and is now medicaid but she also recieves money from 4 annuities.  All her money goes to her care costs.  Is she required to file taxes?

[BobB7 · Accepted solution]

If she is 65 or older, she is required to file if her income, not counting Social Security exceeds $11,850.  If she files, she will not owe any taxes.  If she doesn't she will get a letter from the IRS requiring either that she pay their estimate of taxes due or else file a return. During February-April, you could probably get it prepared for free at an AARP/TCE site (you could take her papers in to them if you have a power of attorney form).  Maybe  she won't get that letter until then.