The primary purpose of Medicaid asset protection is to protect your lifestyle. Protected assets can be used to preserve your independence longer. Let’s say you require home care or assisted living. If you pay for it out-of-pocket, your money will last only so long. But, if you protect assets and accelerate your eligibility for Medicaid home care, the State will pay for home care (even a live-in!), and your assets can be used only for your other expenses and will last longer. Likewise, if you need assisted living, you can protect assets and qualify for the State of Connecticut Assisted Living Pilot Program, which will pay a portion of assisted living charges and extend your assets. In other words, you leverage your resources with Medicaid benefits to support home care or assisted living longer. Even if you are in a nursing home, you could benefit from certain individualized services or non-essential purchases, and protected assets can be used toward those non-Medicaid costs. Of course, protected assets have a better chance of being left upon your death, and then benefit your loved ones as you would wish.