Estate Planning & Medicaid Planning

Many clients come for us looking for help in establishing estate plans for their elderly parents, and in the end realize they can benefit from our estate planning services as well.  At Duggan Law Offices, we help people secure the financial well-being of their loved ones and provide directives for caregivers in the event of disability or death.
We encourage clients to consider the benefits of estate planning to both them and their families.  We offer comprehensive estate planning services, including:

Powers of Attorney:  Appointing a trusted person as your durable power of attorney designates him or her to make decisions for you in the event you become disabled either physically or mentally.

Health Care Proxies:  This document appoints a trusted person to make health care decisions for you when you cannot make them for yourself due to physical or mental incapacity.

Wills:   A will enables you to direct how your property and assets will be distributed upon your death.  A well-drafted will ensures your property and assets are passed down to your intended beneficiaries.

Medicaid Planning:  Duggan Law Offices works with people who are interested in protecting their assets from the rising cost of nursing home care.  We encourage clients to address the “what-ifs” of life by taking steps toward planning for a debilitating physical or mental condition that prompts a stay or permanent residence in a nursing home or other care facility.  Effective planning also provides for the spouse who continues to live in the marital home.   We provide you with effective asset management services, with the end goal of preserving your assets for future generations.

Caregiver contracts: Caregiver contracts allow children to provide care for their elderly or ailing parents without paying for a nursing home or assisted living facility.  The parent pays a child for providing care, rather than paying for a nursing home or in-home care.

Trusts:    A trust can be set up to provide for loved ones while you are living or after your death.

Probate:  We also represent clients whose loved ones have passed away whether they appointed an executor or are beneficiaries of the estate.  We assist executors through the probate court system.  If you have been designated the executor of a will, you want to ensure your loved one’s wishes are carried out.  You are also the only person legally authorized to handle the estate’s assets and the estate’s administration.  This often involves more work than you realized, as well as potential legal liability.  Contact Duggan Law Offices to schedule an appointment to discuss your responsibilities and how to accomplish those duties in an effective and time efficient manner.