Practice areas
Eight kinds of help for older adults and the families beside them, grouped by where you are right now.
Our attorneys and staff work together so a family only has to tell its story once.
Most families come to us with more than one worry: how to pay for care, who can sign for a parent, and what happens to the house. You do not need to know which practice area fits. Tell us what is going on, and we will put the right people on it.
Fees on this page are example flat fees and ranges for a sample firm. Every real fee is written down before work starts.
Paying for care
Nursing homes, assisted living and care at home cost more than most families expect. These areas help you plan for the bills and apply for help.
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Medicaid planning
Help paying for nursing home care without guessing at the rules. We explain the look-back and spend-down in plain words, then prepare and file the application with you.
- Reviewing eligibility and the five-year look-back
- Protecting the spouse who stays at home
- Spend-down choices the rules allow
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Long-term care planning
Plan for care at home, in assisted living or in a nursing home before anyone needs it, while there is still time to choose.
- Paying for care at home, in assisted living or a nursing home
- Planning that respects the look-back
- Trusts, only when they truly fit
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Veterans Aid and Attendance
Wartime veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily care may qualify for extra money through a VA pension. We explain the rules and help you apply.
- Reviewing service, income and assets
- The medical forms the VA needs
- Preparing the application
Decisions and protection
Who can sign, decide and protect a parent when they cannot do it alone. Papers signed early, court help when they were not, and action when someone takes advantage.
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Powers of attorney and health care directives
The papers that let someone you trust help with money and medical decisions if you cannot, so your family may never need to go to court.
- Durable financial power of attorney
- Advance medical directive
- Medical privacy (HIPAA) release
Read more about Powers of attorney and health care directives
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Guardianship
When a parent can no longer make safe decisions and there are no powers of attorney, a court can name a guardian. We guide families through every step.
- Checking less restrictive options first
- Preparing the petition
- Working with the guardian ad litem
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Conservatorship
When a parent can no longer manage money safely, a conservator can pay bills, protect savings and keep careful records under the court's eye.
- The conservatorship petition
- Bond and inventory filings
- Yearly accountings
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Elder abuse and financial exploitation
If someone is taking advantage of an older adult's money, property or safety, we help families act: stop the harm, protect what is left, and work with Adult Protective Services and the courts.
- Revoking or challenging a power of attorney
- Emergency conservatorship
- Recovering money or property
After a death
Settling a parent's estate, answering a Medicaid estate recovery letter, and closing the last accounts, at a pace that respects grief.
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Estate administration
After a parent dies, we help the family settle the estate step by step: court filings, bills, the house and the final accounts.
- Qualifying as executor
- Inventory and accountings
- Estate recovery claims
Fees at a glance
One example line for each practice area. Court costs and fees the court sets are extra. See the fees page for every line.
| Practice area and service | Example fee |
|---|---|
| Medicaid planning Medicaid application only, when no planning is needed | $2,500 to $3,500 |
| Long-term care planning Plan for one person, including powers of attorney and a health care directive | $3,500 to $5,000 |
| VA Aid and Attendance Help preparing an initial VA pension application | No fee |
| Powers of attorney Power of attorney, medical directive and HIPAA release for one person | $950 |
| Guardianship Uncontested guardianship petition | $3,500 to $5,500 |
| Conservatorship Uncontested conservatorship petition | $3,500 to $5,500 |
| Elder abuse Revoking a power of attorney and notifying banks | $750 to $1,500 |
| Estate administration Small estate, when full probate is not needed | $1,500 to $2,500 |
Not sure which of these fits?
Most families aren't. Tell us what is happening in five short steps, or call, and we will point you to the right help.