The cost of entering a nursing home in **France** is considerable, with a single room in an elderly housing facility, known as an Ehpad, typically costing between 2,000 and 3,000 euros per month. This often exceeds the average monthly pension of 1,705 euros gross received by many residents. Families are encouraged to compare different facilities to save hundreds of euros each month, as prices can vary significantly. According to the Direction of Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics (Drees), a place in an Ehpad not authorized for housing social aid (ASH) costs on average 97.60 euros per day, compared to 62.30 euros for a place that is authorized, a difference of nearly 1,000 euros per month. In public facilities, the daily rate is around 60 euros. Prices are often displayed as daily rates, which can be confusing for those unfamiliar with the total cost. To calculate the monthly bill, the accommodation rate (including room, meals, maintenance, and activities) must be multiplied by 30 or 31, and then the dependency rate (help with dressing, toilet, etc.) is added, which can reach more than 600 euros per month before possible deduction of the personalized autonomy allowance (APA). Additional services, such as telephone, television, laundry, outings, and manicure, may also incur extra charges. Families should also be cautious of placement agencies, which may recommend certain establishments that pay them. One financial aid families may not be aware of is the care grant, which is paid directly by health insurance to the facility. This grant varies depending on the resident's profile, care needs, and the characteristics of the Ehpad. In some Ehpad in Essonne, the care grant exceeds 75 euros per day for a permanent resident. Another form of financial support is the APA in the establishment, which is paid by the department to residents over 60 years old who are in a state of dependency. This aid funds part of the dependency rate and can reach up to 500 euros per month for the least autonomous people with low resources. Until December 31, 2026, 23 departments are experimenting with a new funding model for care and dependency via a single global allowance, mainly charged to the health insurance. The APA in the establishment is abolished and, in exchange, a contribution of 6.16 euros per day is requested from the resident in 2026. This allowance could be generalized to all departments starting in 2027. A third form of support is a housing aid paid by the Family Allowance Fund (CAF) or the Agricultural Social Mutual (MSA), usually limited to a few dozen euros per month. The fourth and most significant aid is the ASH, which allows the funding of the stay in the facility when a person's resources are no longer sufficient to cover their accommodation costs. If the resident's resources and those of their relatives subject to the alimentary obligation, as well as other aids, are not sufficient, the ASH, covered by the departments, can intervene. At the end of 2022, 114,600 elderly people benefited from it, about 15% of the residents in the facility. The application for ASH must be submitted within two months of the entry into the facility to a municipal action center (CCAS) or a town hall, which will forward it to the departmental council. However, an application submitted when the person still has sufficient savings to fund their stay can be rejected. The majority of the resident's income (up to 90%) will be used to fund the stay, with a minimum amount left to their disposal, set at 125 euros per month in 2026. The department can request contributions from people subject to the alimentary obligation, such as the spouse, children, and in some cases, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law. Since the Bien vieillir law of April 8, 2024, grandchildren are no longer concerned by this obligation in the context of an ASH request for an elderly person. Some children may be exempted if their parent has seriously failed in their obligations towards them. The department assesses the contribution that may be requested from each alimentary obligor according to its own scale. In case of disagreement or refusal, the family affairs judge can be seized to fix the alimentary obligation. The bill is not automatically divided equally among the children, as the income, the charges, and the composition of the household are taken into account. The department responsible for paying the APA and ASH is that of the place of residence where the person has lived for at least three months before entering the establishment, not that of the Ehpad where they reside. The ASH constitutes a recoverable advance by the department, either while the beneficiary is alive, if their situation improves, or after their death, on their inheritance. The department recovers its claim on the net assets of the inheritance, after deduction of other debts. If the estate amounts to 100,000 euros and the claim reaches 40,000 euros, this amount is deducted before the distribution; the remaining 60,000 euros go to the heirs. The ASH can therefore reduce, or even absorb, the expected inheritance. However, it cannot come to deduct the personal savings of the children or grandchildren. If the inheritance threatens to be insolvent, the heirs can renounce it or accept it up to the net assets to avoid paying the debts on their personal property. It is better to consult a professional in succession law before performing acts that may constitute acceptance.