Assets

For the purpose of 108 CMR 6.02, the term “assets” shall include, but not be limited to, bank deposits and accounts, corporate stocks, bonds, and other negotiable instruments. Assets shall not include life insurance policies in amounts which are not excessive for the applicant’s needs. The proceeds from the sale of the home in which the applicant resides shall not be considered assets if they are used, within six months of the sale date, to purchase another home in which the applicant will reside. The value of bank accounts held in more than one name, one of which is the applicant’s name, shall be apportioned equally amongthe co-holders ofthe accounts. Assets, upon application, are permissible up to the limits pursuant to the Secretary’s Budget Amounts directive. (1) Divestiture of Income or Assets. If an applicant transfers or assigns income or assets for less than fair market value three years prior to coming on veteran’s benefits, the presumption is that the transfer or assignment was made for the purpose of obtaining benefits. The presumption can be rebutted by evidence establishing that the transfer or assignment was made for other reasons. (2) Irrevocable Trust and Life Estate. An exception will be made whenthe applicant transfers his or her home into an irrevocable trust and retains a life estate. In that case, the presumption is that the applicant has no shelter expenses, and, therefore, a shelter allowance will not be allowed. This presumption may be rebutted by documentary evidence to the contrary. (3) Education Trust Funds. In all cases, the veterans’ agent shall conduct an investigation to determine whether an educational trust fund is being used exclusively for that purpose. Among the factors which the veterans’ agent shall consider are the original creator of the fund, the date the trust was created, whether the fund has been used for other than the stated purpose, whether the trust is an irrevocable trust, and whether the beneficiary is aware of the trust fund in his or her name. If the veterans’ agent determines that the fund is a valid educational trust fund, it shall not be considered an asset. (4) Asset Liquidity. In determiningwhether anapplicant possesses sufficient assets to disqualify him or her from receiving veterans’ benefits, the veterans’ agent shall take into account the liquidity of the assets, that is, the ease with which they may be converted to cash. Generally, the less liquid the asset, the less it shall be considered as available to meet the applicant’s immediate financial needs and, therefore, the less it shall be considered as a disqualifying factor. As soon as an asset has been converted to cash, it shall immediatelybe offset against the applicant’s financial needs. The applicant shall be expected to take available steps to convert all assets which exceed the prescribedlimits to cash in the most prompt and advantageous manner. (5) Maximum Asset Allowances. The veterans’ agent shall not grant benefits to an applicant who possesses assets that exceed the limits for various categories ofapplicants set forthin the Secretary’s Budget Amounts directive of maximum asset allowances. If an applicant’s assets exceed his or her allowance, the veterans’ agent shall disqualify the applicant fromreceivingany benefits payments until the assets are spent down below the allowance limit, at which time the applicant may reapply for benefits. Verification of the spend-down is required by the veterans’ agent.