Following a stroke, she needed the care of a nursing home. Her eldest son, Jeremy, held his mothers Lasting Power of Attorney and approached Care Fees Planning on her behalf. Doris was about to move into a care home where she could retain her independence and dignity. But she also wanted her children to benefit from the inheritance she and her husband had always planned to leave.

Her son’s question to us was:
Is the care home affordable and how best can we pay the fees while making the most of our mother’s money?

Our solution was to arrange a care fees plan for Doris that used just part of her capital and guaranteed to pay the shortfall in her care fees, for the rest of her life. This meant she could be happy in the home of her choice while her family would have peace of mind, knowing that the fees would always be paid.

The report from our specialists at Care Fees Planning also proposed ways in which Jeremy could invest the remaining capital on his mother’s behalf. Three years on, Doris is contented and well cared for in her new home.

The protected capital continues to grow well and ultimately will give her family the bequest she intended them to have.

We first met them when Mrs Sullivan’s health suddenly deteriorated and she needed a level of nursing that her husband was unable to provide. The couple wished to remain together and so the decision was taken to arrange private nursing care at home, with the carer living in full-time.

Worried about the cost of such high volume domiciliary care, the Sullivans together with their children approached Care Fees Planning. Although the parents had reasonable savings, and owned a substantial property, there was anxiety that this money would be eroded and might eventually disappear altogether. Following a detailed, no obligation consultation with the Sullivans, we prepared a report that offered a choice of solutions to help them review their options and make the right choice.

We were able to reassure the couple that only part of their savings would be used to pay for this ongoing care, preserving a percentage of the capital for inheritance. We also explained how Rosemary qualified for an Attendance Allowance from the State, which reduced the shortfall in her care fees.

Two years later, it was Henry Sullivan who sadly suffered a heart attack and died. At this stage, it was felt best for his widow to move into a nursing home. The benefits of her care fees plan, which had previously paid the domiciliary care fees, were now transferred and paid direct to this home. Because of the additional nursing Rosemary Sullivan received, she was able to claim the Registered Nursing Care Contribution, plus an increase in the Attendance Allowance.

Together, this covered the higher fees charged by the nursing home. The Sullivans property was then sold. As part of our initial consultation two years earlier, we had recommended that the Sullivans consult a solicitor specialising in inheritance tax savings through wills. As a result, in his will Henry Sullivan left money directly to the children, which otherwise would have increased the inheritance tax liability on his wife’s estate.

Rosemary Sullivan lived for a further nine years, enjoying excellent care in the nursing home of her choice thanks to the continuing care fees plan. When she died, she was still able to leave her children a substantial capital sum remaining in the estate. They accepted our recommendation to purchase a care fees plan, which guaranteed to pay a proportion of Rosemary Sullivan’s fees for life.