Elder Law

Elder law encompasses a full range of legal considerations faced by people as they age. The Law Offices of George B. Handelsman, P.A. has the resources to effectively assist your family with the many issues of growing older. Elder law issues include financial concerns, health care and long term care issues, and planning for the uncertainties and eventualities of life.  Our firm offers comprehensive elder law services designed to address issues facing the elderly related to health care, financial matters and planning for the future.  Since 1982, our firm has offered comprehensive elder law services to address the concerns of growing older.  At the Law Offices of George B. Handelsman, P.A.,  you have a law firm committed to the care of the elderly and we can help you in the following legal areas:

• Nursing Home Care
• Long Term Care Planning
• Medicaid Planning
• Estate Planning
• Probate and Trust Administration

If either you or a loved one is a senior citizen, nearing retirement age, the caregiver or family member of someone growing older, or just wants some guidance concerning legal issues for the elderly, we can help you. Call the Law Offices of George B. Handelsman, P.A. to arrange for your consultation.

Long Term Care and Nursing Care

Nursing home care or long term care is a concern for many people. The cost of long term care and in-home care is beyond what many people can afford. If you, your spouse, your parents, or other loved one would need long term care, either in a nursing home, personal care home or in your own residence, could you afford it?  We can assist you with long term care and nursing home planning, as well as providing advice and legal services designed to fit your needs.  Nursing homes can cost more than $7,000.00 per month and in-home care can cost even more.  We can assist you in planning for you long term or nursing care needs.

Our firm has the resources and knowledge to successfully help you and your family with the various legal issues that come with aging. If you are concerned about paying for long term care, we can help. We thoroughly analyze your income, assets, insurance, and other monetary factors. It is possible to protect your assets from the high cost of nursing home care. Protecting assets enables the spouse remaining at home to maintain his or her standard of living. Our firm is knowledgeable as to the methods available to protect assets. Included among these methods are the following:

• Irrevocable Trusts
• Immediate Annuities
• Long Term Care Insurance
• Converting Countable Resources into Exempt Resources
• Spend Downs
• Gifting

Our firm interacts regularly with local hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities.  We understand you may have unique needs and concerns and we can assist you in paying for long term care.

Medicaid Eligibility

Medicaid eligibility can be a daunting task for people not familiar with the program.  At the Law Offices of George B. Handelsman, P.A., we can find the solution you need.  Medicaid is a need based program operated through the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare using funding from the federal government.  Are you familiar with the need to spend down your assets in order to become eligible for Medicaid?  We can assist you in preparing a specific plan that suits your family and allows you and your spouse to maintain financial independence while still qualifying for medical assistance.  Our firm can help you protect your assets and still become eligible for medical assistance.

Our long term care planning services include helping you prepare a Medicaid plan that is specific to your personal situation. A plan for an individual with modest assets can be quite different from a plan for a person with substantial assets. We thoroughly evaluate your entire situation--including income, savings, and assets. We are highly skilled in helping individuals protect assets and qualify for Medical Assistance.