Practice Areas
Estate planning is about much more than just who receives your property when you die. We do not do “simple” wills, because no person or family is “simple.” Each of our estate planning packages is tailored to the specific needs of you and your particular situation. In addition to careful planning for your property, good planning should address family dynamics, the possibility of incapacity from serious illness or accident, and many other issues besides. For example:
- How might you provide for loved ones who are not reasonably capable of managing money, have special needs, receive government assistance, or have experienced drug abuse?
- Who should be named as guardian to look after your minor child or children if they found themselves without parents? Who would manage property or money left to a minor child or grandchild?
- How might you protect yourself and your family if you are incapacitated by illness or accident, whether temporarily or permanently? If you were incapacitated, who would look after you or your family?
- Who should make decisions about your healthcare if you are incapacitated? What are your wishes as to life-prolonging care if you develop terminal illness or severe and irreversible dementia?
- Who is able and willing to serve as Executor of your Will, as Trustee for minor children or grandchildren, or as Trustee of your living trust if you a become incapacitated?
- Do you need to consider and attempt to avoid potential disputes among family members?
- What is the most tax-efficient distribution of taxable retirement funds and other assets? Do you need to worry about estate taxes?
- Should you consider a living trust or other options so that your loved ones can avoid the necessity for estate administration through the courts?
- How do the beneficiary designations on your retirement and other investment accounts work as part of your estate plan?
MEDICAID PLANNING & ASSET PROTECTION
Medicaid can help with the cost of long term care in a skilled nursing facility (nursing home). Low-income elders who need assisted living level of care may also qualify for a program called “Special Assistance.” Both programs have strict requirements for the amount of “countable assets” that a person can have to be eligible. Generally an individual cannot have more than $2,000.00 ($3,000 if part of a married couple) in certain assets to be eligible for most benefits. However, that does NOT mean that you or your loved one necessarily must be impoverished to be eligible for help with the cost of care. In many cases the family home can be saved and other property as well. In addition, a so-called “community spouse” who still lives independently has the right to retain a certain amount of the couple’s assets and income, and a variety of legal techniques can be used to maximize the assets that can be retained for the community spouse.
Unfortunately, many people give away their homes or money believing that such actions will save the home or money for a spouse or for children. These efforts can backfire and result in unnecessary delays in eligibility for medical assistance and large, unnecessary losses of funds for a spouse or family. If you or a loved one has recently been admitted into a nursing home or assisted living facility for long-term care, or is likely to need long-term care in the future, consider consulting with us or another elder law attorney without delay. In most cases, the sooner you come see us the more we can help.
SPECIAL NEEDS PLANNING
We assist the parents of disabled children with appropriate estate planning, which generally includes one or more special needs trusts. In addition, we can help parents seek guardianship for disabled children as they reach 18 years of age, and we can help families achieve financial eligibility for their children to qualify them for disability assistance.
We also can help disabled adults maintain or re-establish financial eligibility for Medicaid and SSI despite receiving financial payouts such as inheritances or personal injury settlements.
We handle many types of business matters, including: business formation and start-up; annual corporate record-keeping; supply & vendor contracts; and employment agreements, non-competes, and NDAs.
We also work with a number of local property owners associations (or “homeowners associations”) to handle a variety of matters, including management company issues and dues collection.
Allison regular mediates Superior Court and other matters. As a mediator, she is a neutral who does not take sides and works to help the parties achieve a mutually-agreeable settlement. Not all cases can settle, but the vast majority can and do settle. Settlement is always a compromise that leaves both sides at least a little disappointed, but it also allows the parties to control their own destinies and move past the expense, time, and emotional toll of a lawsuit.
Contact Us
Have a question or wish to make an appointment? Use the contact form below, or call us at (828) 865-5555.
Experience. Professionalism. Integrity
(828) 865-5555
admin@meade-law.com
Mail: PO Box 292, Boone NC 28607
Offices: 184 N. Water St., Suite 20
Boone, NC
© Copyright 2020 Meade Law, PLLC