Elder Law & Long-Term Care Planning

$350 | Specialized Consultation — Up to 60 Minutes

For families who need legal guidance before making important decisions about Medicaid eligibility, nursing home costs, aging parents, or protecting family assets.

Includes:

• Attorney consultation of up to 60 minutes.

• Discussion of immediate concerns and planning goals.

• Preliminary identification of legal issues.

• Recommendations concerning appropriate next steps.

Additional document review or written planning recommendations require a separate engagement.

Individual: Starting at $5,850 | Couple: Starting at $8,500

For older adults and families seeking comprehensive legal planning to protect their assets, preserve independence, prepare for potential incapacity, and ensure their wishes are honored.

This package combines essential incapacity planning documents with a customized revocable living trust to address asset management, estate administration, and the transfer of property to loved ones.

Includes:

• Customized Revocable Living Trust.

• Pour-Over Last Will and Testament.

• Illinois Power of Attorney for Property.

• Illinois Power of Attorney for Health Care.

• Living Will.

• HIPAA Authorization.

• Comprehensive attorney planning consultation.

• Review of assets, beneficiaries, and estate planning objectives.

• Trust funding instructions and beneficiary coordination guidance.

• Attorney document review and final planning session.

• Coordinated document signing appointment.

For couples, the package includes individualized wills, powers of attorney, and advance directives for each spouse. Trust arrangements are structured according to the couple's circumstances and planning objectives.

Additional Information:

This package includes a revocable living trust designed for estate and incapacity planning. It does not include an irrevocable Medicaid Asset Protection Trust or specialized Medicaid eligibility planning.

Real estate deed preparation, recording fees, complex asset transfers, and additional legal services are billed separately unless expressly included in the engagement agreement.

Final fees may vary for complex estates, blended families, specialized trust provisions, or other circumstances requiring additional planning.

$1,500 | Flat Fee

For individuals and families who want to understand how future long-term care needs could affect their assets, income, home, and financial security.

Includes:

• Review of relevant financial and estate planning information supplied by the client.

• Analysis of potential Medicaid eligibility issues.

• Discussion of available spousal protections, where applicable.

• Review of relevant asset transfers and planning considerations.

• Written summary of recommended planning steps.

• Follow-up attorney meeting of up to 30 minutes.

This assessment does not include preparing trusts, transferring property, submitting a Medicaid application, or representing clients in an eligibility appeal.

Starting at $8,500 | Customized Legal Planning

For individuals and families interested in planning ahead for potential nursing home and long-term care expenses.

Where appropriate, an irrevocable Medicaid Asset Protection Trust may be considered as part of a comprehensive long-term care strategy.

The proposed package includes:

• Comprehensive attorney planning consultation.

• Review of relevant assets, ownership, and long-term care goals.

• Assessment of whether an irrevocable trust is appropriate.

• Customized Medicaid Asset Protection Trust drafting.

• Trustee and beneficiary planning.

• Review of potential Medicaid transfer and look-back implications.

• Real estate deed preparation, when appropriate, may be included as specified in the engagement agreement. Additional deeds and recording costs may involve separate fees.

• Trust signing coordination.

• Written funding instructions and implementation guidance.

Important: Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts are not appropriate for everyone. Trust terms, asset ownership, transfers, and timing can affect Medicaid eligibility. No particular asset-protection or eligibility result can be guaranteed.

Final fees are confirmed after attorney review.

Starting at $5,000 | Fee Determined After Assessment

For families facing immediate nursing home placement, substantial long-term care expenses, or an upcoming Medicaid application.

Services may include:

• Financial and eligibility analysis.

• Review of assets, income, and prior transfers.

• Evaluation of legally available spousal protections.

• Guidance concerning permissible spend-down strategies.

• Medicaid application preparation and submission.

• Assistance responding to routine requests for supporting documentation within the agreed scope.

Complex asset transfers, contested eligibility determinations, appeals, hearings, and extensive agency disputes are not included unless expressly agreed upon.

Because urgent cases vary significantly, the firm determines the final fee after reviewing the family's circumstances.

$3,500 Evergreen Retainer | $285/Hour

For families seeking court-appointed authority to make personal, medical, or financial decisions for an adult who is unable to manage certain affairs independently.

Our firm assists with uncontested adult guardianship proceedings, including limited and plenary guardianship of the person or estate, as appropriate.

Services may include:

• Attorney consultation and assessment of guardianship needs.

• Review of existing powers of attorney and alternatives to guardianship.

• Preparation and filing of the guardianship petition and required court documents.

• Coordination of required notices and procedural requirements.

• Representation at routine uncontested guardianship hearings.

• Preparation of proposed guardianship orders.

Fees & Representation:

An initial $3,500 evergreen retainer is required. Attorney services are billed at $285 per hour against the retainer, which must be replenished as provided in the engagement agreement.

The retainer is not a flat fee or a cap on total legal fees. Court filing fees, service expenses, guardian ad litem fees, and other case-related costs are additional.

Representation is limited to uncontested proceedings unless otherwise agreed in writing. Post-appointment guardianship administration, annual reporting, contested proceedings, and appeals are not included unless separately agreed upon.

All guardianship appointments are subject to court approval.