Estate Planning

A good estate plan that is properly implemented can be a great benefit to your family and loved ones. No estate plan or improper estate planning can cause numerous problems such as disputes among your family members, destruction of family relationships, unwanted or unexpected distributions of your property, and unnecessary costs and death taxes.

Everyone, including seniors and young adults, should have an up-to-date estate plan that is properly implemented. Just call our office and schedule an appointment for estate planning, and we will send you our confidential estate planning information form to be completed. This form is also available on our website.

We will discuss the best estate planning options for you and your family, and we will prepare the necessary documents to implement your estate plan. You will also be advised as to how you should own your assets and how you should designate beneficiaries of your annuities, retirement plans and accounts, and life insurance. Our office will make sure that all of your legal documents are properly executed and witnessed.

It is also important to have your estate plan and legal documents reviewed from time-to-time. We generally recommend every five years.

Elder Law

All of our attorneys are elder law attorneys, who are well-versed on a variety of legal matters affecting seniors, including health care options, Medicaid, VA Aid and Attendance Pension benefits, and long term care insurance.

Disability Planning

Disability Planning
Disability and health care issues can happen suddenly and without warning.

You should decide whether you want to sign a living will, and you should sign appropriate legal documents such as an appointment of health care representative, HIPAA release authority, and financial power of attorney while you are healthy and thinking clearly.

There are a variety of provisions to consider including in your financial power of attorney, and we will customize the provisions in your financial power of attorney to apply to your individual situation.

Estate and Trust Settlement

Settling an estate or a trust can be very difficult and time-consuming. A personal representative of an estate or a trustee of a trust that is being settled after a death should hire an attorney to provide the necessary help and guidance so that the estate or trust is settled properly. We can serve as the attorney, and we can provide the necessary legal advice and help to properly settle the estate or trust in a timely fashion.

Long Term Care Asset Protection Planning

Our attorneys are familiar with the various options that are available to protect assets in the event expensive nursing home care is needed. We may be able to develop an effective plan that will protect some or all of your assets in the event you need to have care in an assisted living facility or nursing home.

It is very important to make an appointment with our office at the onset of any health issue that may result in the need for assisted living or nursing home care so that there will be sufficient time to develop and implement an asset protection plan.

Medicaid Qualification Planning

We help develop Medicaid qualification plans. Approximately two-thirds (2/3) of Indiana residents who are now residing in a nursing home are having their care paid for by Medicaid benefits.

Our attorneys and Medicaid paralegal are well-versed in Medicaid law and can provide accurate advice about what can and cannot be done in order to qualify for Medicaid benefits.

VA Aid and Attendance Pension Benefits Planning

We provide advice and help to Veterans who have served on active duty during wartime and who have health issues requiring help in the home, assisted living, or nursing home care.

The VA Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit is an income supplement that can help pay for certain expenses. We can provide advice regarding this benefit and how to qualify for this benefit.

Nursing Home and Facility Information

Our office has a great deal of information regarding senior residential facilities, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes in Bartholomew, Jackson, Scott, Jefferson, Brown, Johnson Decatur, and Jennings Counties.

We can provide help as to the various care options that are available.