Who We Help
Our clients are the responsible people. They are the ones who know that it is up to them to make a plan to protect themselves and their loved ones from harsh realities that life can bring.
It is on them to be certain that they retire in peace and security. They have to make sure that their parents get to age in place with dignity and independence despite the high probability of a long-term care need.
Our clients are the ones who worry about protecting a hard-won life savings from sudden and rapid loss to the care required by Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. They struggle over how to protect the future inheritances of children and grandchildren when necessary long-term care can cost $10,000 to $15,000 per month, or even more.
They are the ones who face the tough choice of either quitting a job to become a care giver or spending their own retirement money to take care of a parent on a journey of physical or mental decline.
Our clients are the parents and grandparents who lie awake at night worrying about how to give a child or grandchild with a special need a fighting chance in a world where the playing field is far from fair.
They are the clients who feel that they should do what they can to make sure one-half of their child’s inheritance does not walk off in the hands of that child future ex-spouse.
Our clients know that it is just not fair that someone could save for a lifetime only to become impoverished in the blink of an eye because of a disability or a special need.
They know they need an extraordinary guide to show them how to solve these momentous problems.
How We Help
We have the plan and experience to help. We do almost all of our planning on a fixed-price basis so that you will have the peace of mind that comes from knowing exactly what it will take for you to get the best-customized plan to help you protect your family and life savings with no worries about “hidden charges” or surprise bills.
Long-Term Care And Asset Protection
Recent statistics from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services indicate that a 65-year-old American has a 70 percent chance of needing long-term care service during their remaining lifetime. At least 20 percent of those Americans will need it for longer than 5 years. The high cost of long-term care presents a threat to the savings and personal assets of all but the most affluent Americans.
Medicaid Application
Have you ever heard the phrase “pennywise and pound foolish?” It means being extremely careful about relatively small amounts of money at the expense of much larger amounts of money. Many seniors and their families don’t use a lawyer to plan for long-term care or ABD Medicaid, often because they’re afraid of the cost.
Veterans Affairs
In addition to other more well-known Veteran’s benefit programs, like service-connected disability payments and health care benefits, the Department of Veterans Affairs (the “VA”) administers a program that pays tax-free cash benefits to older, wartime vets and their surviving spouses who need assistance because of the natural disabilities associated with aging.
Estate And Trust Planning
Who better to prepare your traditional estate planning documents than the firm that is nationally known for its work on behalf of those who want to retire with dignity and independence? Firm Founder, Rory Clark, Esq., literally wrote the book, The Family Estate Planning and Elder Law Guide (2019).
Estate Administration
Whether you have been designated to handle the affairs of an individual who has died, or you are managing the assets of a trust for the benefit of certain individuals or charities, the laws of every state require you to fulfill your duties as a “fiduciary.” A fiduciary is bound to faithfully administer the trust placed in him or her and failure to do so can result in personal liability to estate or trust beneficiaries or even the court.
Estate Planning For Young Adults
Our kids grow up so quickly that we forget the laws that protect the privacy of adults automatically kick into place when our children turn 18. Young adults need a simple, yet thoughtful, plan that allows those they trust most to have access to important information and make critical decisions in medical and/or financial emergencies.
Guardianships & Conservatorships
Guardianship and conservatorship claims are fraught with emotion, confusion and detail. The courts attempt to safeguard the rights of the child, adult, or senior who is involved, while being respectful of the desires of the parents, spouse, children, or other individuals seeking the appointment.
Special Needs Planning
Supplemental Needs Trusts (SNTs) are a type of special needs trust. They are specially crafted to comply with American state and federal law and are designed to provide benefits to, and protect the assets of, individuals with physical, psychiatric, or intellectual disabilities and still allow such persons to be qualified for and receive governmental support and health care benefits, including long-term ABD Medicaid benefits.
Litigation & Fiduciary Duties
It is sad to say it, but sometimes people are unable or unwilling to faithfully exercise the trust placed in them by others. Attorneys-in-fact, trustees, and personal representatives are fiduciaries of the highest order. They owe a duty of more than just good faith. They cannot put their personal interests ahead of the individuals they are serving.
Pet Trust
Priscilla was a mom and a grandmother, but after her husband died, she was lonely. She wanted companionship but didn’t want to burden her family with her loneliness. Her friend Ellen, who loved exotic birds, suggested Priscilla get a pet, perhaps a bird. With Ellen’s help, Priscilla soon became the proud owner of a beautiful scarlet macaw named Rosie.
Rosie was a mere 20 years old, full of personality, conversation, and antics.
Standby Guardian
You have made all the necessary arrangements for your minor children, including selecting a guardian for when you are gone. But what happens if you don’t die and have a traumatic injury or become incapacitated and unable to care for your minor children?
Special Property Trust
Having a Firearms Trust provides for an orderly, legal transfer of your firearms to a family member or heir in the event of an owner’s death. Our Firearms Trust is a valuable tool for any owner, particularly collectors and Type II weapon owners.
