When most people think of going to an estate planning attorney, they think of getting a power of attorney and maybe a will or a trust and possibly attempting to lessen the amount of estate taxes their heirs will pay.    

Unfortunately, most people never consider the idea of spending months to years in a nursing home.  Americans are living longer lives.  Nursing home care can cost up to $6,500 a month, and can quickly diminish even the most affluent person's assets. 

Spending your entire life's savings to pay for nursing home care is seldom necessary.  Unfortunately, many estate planning attorneys fail to offer their clients information regarding long term care insurance, and government benefits which are available to provide long term care.  Our attorneys are well versed in long term care insurance and can provide information about costs and policy provisions.  For those who do not qualify for long term care insurance, or who cannot or choose not to acquire insurance, our firm routinely drafts estate planning documents which will allow our clients to take the actions that are necessary to qualify for government benefits (such as Medicaid or Veterans benefits) someday.

So, if the well being of your heirs is important to you, and avoiding unnecessary estate taxes and not paying all your money to a nursing home matters to you, then please do not go to just any estate planning attorney.  Go to an attorney who understands not only estate planning, but also elder law and government benefits planning.