New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 8 - SOCIAL SERVICES
Chapter 281 - MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY - INSTITUTIONAL CARE (CATEGORIES 081, 083 AND 084)
Part 510 - TRUST STANDARDS
Section 8.281.510.9 - MEDICAID QUALIFYING TRUSTS (MQT)
Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024
An MQT is a trust created prior to August 11, 1993. An MQT is a trust, or similar legal device, established (other than by will) by an applicant/recipient or an applicant/recipient's spouse, under which the applicant/recipient may be the beneficiary of all or part of the distributions from the trust and such distributions are determined by one or more trustees who are permitted to exercise any discretion with respect to distributions to the applicant/recipient. A trust established by an applicant/recipient or an applicant/recipient's spouse includes trusts created or approved by a representative of the applicant/recipient (parent, guardian or person holding power of attorney) or the court where the property placed in trust is intended to satisfy or settle a claim made by or on behalf of the applicant/recipient or the applicant/recipient's spouse. This includes trust accounts or similar devices established for a minor child. In addition, a trust established jointly by at least one of the applicant/recipients who can establish an MQT and another party or parties (who do not qualify as one of these applicant/recipients) is an MQT as long as it meets the other MQT criteria. The provisions regarding MQTs apply even though an MQT is irrevocable or is established for purposes other than enabling an applicant/recipient to qualify for medicaid; and, whether or not discretion is actually exercised.
A. Similar legal device: MQT rules listed in this subsection also apply to "similar legal devices" or arrangements having all the characteristics of an MQT except that there is no actual trust document. The determination whether a given document or arrangement constitutes a "similar legal device" shall be made by the department.
B. MQT resource treatment: For revocable MQTs, the entire principal is an available resource to the applicant/recipient. For irrevocable MQTs, the countable amount of the principal is the maximum amount the trustee can disburse to (or for the benefit of) the applicant/recipient, using his/her full discretionary powers under the terms of the trust. If the trustee has unrestricted access to the principal and has discretionary power to disburse the entire principal to the applicant/recipient (or to use it for the applicant/recipient's benefit), the entire principal is an available resource to the applicant/recipient. Placement of an asset excluded by 8.281.500.13 NMAC, resource exclusions, into a trust does not change the nature of the asset. The asset remains excluded, except for the home of an institutionalized individual. If the home of an institutionalized individual is placed in a trust, it becomes a countable resource. The value of the property is included in the value of the principal. If the MQT permits a specified amount of trust income to be distributed periodically to the applicant/recipient (or to be used for his/her benefit), but those distributions are not made, the applicant/recipient's countable resources increase cumulatively by the undistributed amount.
C. Income treatment: Amounts of MQT income distributed to the applicant/recipient or to third parties for the applicant/recipient's benefit are countable income when distributed.
D. Transfer of resources: If the MQT is irrevocable, a transfer of resources has occurred to the extent that the applicant/ recipient or grantor's access to the principal is restricted (e.g., if the trust states that the trustee cannot access the principal, but must distribute the income produced by that principal to the applicant/recipient, the principal is not an available resource and has, therefore, been transferred). See 8.281.500.14 NMAC.
E. Beneficiary of trust lives in an ICF-MR: If the beneficiary of a trust is an applicant/recipient who is mentally retarded and resides in an intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded (ICF-MR), that applicant/recipient's trust is not considered an MQT if the trust or trust decree was established prior to April 7, 1986, and is solely for the benefit of that applicant/recipient.
F. Treatment of SSI or social security lump sum payments: SSI or social security lump sum payments for retroactive periods which are placed in an MQT do not qualify for the 9-month exclusion from countable resources. The trust is evaluated as an MQT for purposes of medicaid eligibility.
G. Trust records shall be open at all reasonable times to inspection by the department and copies shall be provided upon the request of an authorized representative of the department.
