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Let us be your elder law expert. Legal professionals seek our expertise about preserving settlement proceeds and inheritances through special needs trusts, guardianship, probate, estate planning and other elder law issues. Legal professionals counsel with us about:

  • Advancing a lawsuit by initiating a guardianship proceeding for a client who is a minor or, an incapacitated adult who does not have a Durable Power of Attorney in order to file and settle a lawsuit or divorce proceeding.
  • Preserving assets through a Special Needs Trust so settlement proceeds can be used to supplement government assistance and enhance the client's quality of life.
  • Maintaining their ethical obligation to the client and their duty to report the settlement to the Medicaid collection agency and the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
  • Avoiding malpractice when representing a client receiving public assistance or Medicare by being aware of the liens, using the Ahlborn decision to reduce the Medicaid lien and address Medicare Set-aside issues.
  • Knowing what legal documents a plaintiff should have in place to avoid guardianship in the event of their mental incapacity during the lawsuit.
  • Deciphering the myths and facts about Medicaid and asset protection planning.
  • Understanding how allocating settlement proceeds to a spouse or minor child's derivative claim presents unique issues for those receiving public assistance benefits and the solutions for preserving their government eligibility.
  • Facilitating the settlement and mediation process by providing you and your client with strategic planning options along with the benefits and drawbacks of each.
  • Educating themselves and their staff through a Florida Bar approved CLE course that explains the Medicaid Third Party Liability Act, the Medicaid Estate Recovery Lien and how to preserve settlement proceeds. We offer a Florida Bar approved advanced level continuing legal education program entitled "Preserving the Personal Injury Settlement for the Aged and Disabled Client" at your office or bar association for CLE or certification credits.

We would be pleased to provide you with a reference list of professionals who have retained our services.

Trial Attorneys

Download our Trial Attorney Desk Reference Guide
"Stephanie L. Schneider's Paradigm for Evaluating Personal Injury Settlements and Inheritances" or call us and we will send you the laminated desk reference guide.

Family Law Attorneys

Please download our Family Law Attorney Desk Reference Guide
"Identifying the Top 10 Elder Law Issues in a Dissolution Proceeding"or call us and we will send you the laminated desk reference guide.

Certified Public Accountant, Financial Planner, Trust Officer & Financial Professional

Our office supports financial advisors, trust officers and financial professionals, and their clients by serving as
an information resource about preserving assets, guardianship, probate, estate planning and other elder law issues. Financial professionals consult with us regarding:

  • Educating them and their staff about legal documents clients should have in place in order to avoid guardianship, should the client become incapacitated.
  • Understanding the fundamentals of trusts (revocable, irrevocable, special needs) and their administration in order to successfully protect a client's assets.
  • Recognizing the necessity for and benefits of placing assets for a disabled child or adult in a Special Needs Trust.
  • Deciphering the myths and truths about Medicaid and long term care planning.
  • Understanding the role Medicare and long term care insurance play in long term care planning.
  • Educating their clients about options for avoiding probate and the advantages of doing so.
  • Discovering ways to provide value added service to clients, their children, and their legal representatives.
  • Navigating the maze of public assistance.

* We offer an approved continuing education credits program at your office or professional association.

We would be pleased to provide you with a reference list of professionals who have retained our services.

Health Care Professional (Social Worker, Geriatric Care Manager, Case Manager, Nurse, Discharge Planner, Hospital).

Our office supports health care professional and their patients by serving as a resource of specialized knowledge about elder law issues. Health care professional consult with us regarding:

  • Receiving legal updates about advance directives.
  • Understanding the guidelines for when and how to implement advance directives for a patient who is terminal, in a persistent vegetative state, or end-stage condition.
  • Learning when a health care proxy should be pursued before requiring a family to petition for guardianship in order to make medical decisions for an incapacitated patient.
  • Developing an awareness of legal proceedings (i.e.: Emergency Guardianships ) available to assist incapacitated or disabled people with their medical and financial decision-making.
  • Meeting their legal responsibility to the patient under the Patient Self Determination Act.
  • Understanding how the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects patients' privacy rights.
  • Recognizing the myths and facts concerning Medicaid eligibility and asset protection.
  • *Educating health care professionals and earning Continuing Educational Units (CEU's) to maintain their professional licenses.

*We provide: written materials; an outline of the goals and objectives; and Ms. Schneider's Curriculum Vitae in order for your staff to obtain CEUs. In-Services can be scheduled to accommodate your staff's busy schedule such as a breakfast program or lunch-n-learn.

We would be pleased to provide you with references and letters of recommendations from health care professional and facilities that have hosted our educational programs.

We would be pleased to provide you with a reference list of professionals who have retained our services.

Corporate and Municipal Human Resources Professional
(City Managers, Employee Assistance Programs)

Today, more employees are involved in the care of their aging parents and elders. Unfortunately, many people are not prepared to handle the many issues that may arise in the aging process. Nor are people aware of community resources that can assist them. This may result in the employee missing work or, declined productivity. Employers can support their employees and potentially reduce absenteeism through education.

Our office supports the Human Resources professional and their employees by serving as a resource of specialized knowledge about elder law issues. Corporate and Municipal HR professionals look to us for their staff's educational needs regarding:

  • Advance directives and end of life planning issues.
  • The importance of wills and trusts and the advantages of planning your estate.
  • Available long term care planning options for incapacitated adults and minors.
  • Legal proceedings (i.e.: Emergency Guardianships ) available to assist incapacitated or disabled people with their medical and financial decision-making.
  • Avoiding a guardianship with a Durable Power of Attorney and Designation of Healthcare Surrogate and Living Will
  • The use of special needs trusts for individuals receiving government assistance (Social Security, Medicaid).
  • The myths and truths about Medicaid eligibility and asset protection.
  • The role of financial planning and the purchase of long term care insurance.
  • How to designate a pre-need guardian for minor children or incapacitated adults.
  • Planning for employees in a domestic partner relationship (heterosexual or LGBT partners).

Onsite presentations can be scheduled to accommodate your staff's busy schedule such as a breakfast program or lunch-n-learn.

We would be pleased to provide you with references from organizations that have hosted our educational programs.

The Florida Bar Board Certified Elder Law
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
South Florida Legal Guide
Super Lawyers
NELF National Elder Law Foundation