Thank you all for your comments and suggestions...have found an attorney in Pa. and am now trying to compile a list of questions about the sale/proceeds/taxes etc. Hard to think of everything that might crop up in the transition. I know if she changes her Pa. residency she will lose her state assisted drug program that is funded through the Pa. lottery....Florida's lottery proceeds go to education.....

Similarly there are respite homes for elder people with a disability. Elder care homes aid and train disabled people in building skills needed for independent living. Disabled people are more comfortable in respite homes or in specially formed communities for the disabled. They respond better and are happier in an atmosphere where they find alike people. Such people are better off in respite homes rather than a home of their own. Here is a link that might be useful: Here is a link that might be useful: Eldery care

My brother and I moved swiftly and surely to isolate our mother's assets when it became clear her failing health would preclude her independent life style. That was 2 1/2 years ago. She has a revocable trust now. Assets are protected, we have powers of attorney, and the chaos that follows any death will be minimized. She has "gifted" every year since her health "crashed and burned". Her home has been emptied of its contents and her assets have been directed to its maintenance. I can only tell you, that having an elderly, frail, mentally failing parent in your home and in your care is no day at the beach. To be perfectly honest, I hate the encroachment on my personal freedom. But she is my mother, she needs my help, and who better than I to see she is well cared for, indulged, given mental stimulation on a daily basis? "Baby boomers" need to pay attention to this issue... , laws governing "look back" and estate planning change every month/year; you need to pay attention to politics! "Look back" for Mum had we tried to put our names on the deed to her home in 2003 was 3 years. With the trust it was reduced to 7 mos.. Get thee to a lawyer specializing in ELDER LAW and estate planning, ASAP. Loop holes on inheritance and the transfer of potentially valuable real estate are being closed routinely, even as we're being told that we should reduce our expectation of social security and Medicare. Smarten up! move now and isolate the assets. You'll be glad you did.

DH & I went to an attorney earlier this year to make sure we had our "affairs in order" in case of death of either or both of us. Our situation is not complicated @ present since we have only one child (DS). We already had the Living Will & Durable POA for Healthcare (FREE from the local hospital) and I had written our WILLS a few years ago from a Suze Orman CD package that cost like $40. The attorney reviewed both these documents & found no problems or changes. The only other document we needed was Financial POA, which she drew up for us. She also had our home deed retitled to TOD (Transfer on Death). The cost for all this was just under $200.00. We asked about Trusts. In our State (Ohio) there is currently an Estate Tax (so called "Death Tax") that kicks in when the estate reaches $338,333 (or so). A Trust would not avoid this tax. The Federal Estate Tax kicks in for estates > $5 million & is subject to change. So the upshot of this is that we don't need a Trust. Whether you do or not depends on your State's Estate Tax & the total value of your Estate. I think you can do some online research to get a handle on how your situation applies. One of the recommendations that our attorney gave us was that when we get older start giving our $ to our heir(s) which will avoid that Ohio Estate Tax. Of course the problem is we don't know how long we'll live & @ what age we should actually start this. Ohio legislature very well might do away with the Estate Tax this year. She also recommend having all our bank accounts, CD's, checking, etc POD (Payable on Death) to our son. All these things will work to avoid Probate & make things hopefully easier for DS to manage after we've died. I haven't read your Ameriprise link, but will. I've had experience with them... not good. I would NOT recommend going to these "FREE" seminars for asset protection or advice. They are most often a hard sell for annuities. Variable annuities have very high HIDDEN costs associated with them. Do a LOT of research before you ever consider purchasing one.. (then don't do it, imo). If your estate is worth millions then you can afford & should get high priced legal advice. If it is not a huge estate & is rather uncomplicated I would think your general attorney could advise you or at least recommend who you might see for more complex advice. Personally I think picking an attorney is much like picking a physician... a shot in the dark. And you don't know how "bad" they are until something goes wrong.