Delaware Disability Planning Lawyers   

Elder Law and Disability Planning in Pennsylvania

For dependable advice and prompt client service on disability issues, contact an estate planning lawyer at the law firm of Berman & Asbel in Media. We work with individuals and families throughout Greater Philadelphia to protect their access to benefit programs while planning for future needs.

The best time to seek disability planning advice is while you're healthy

People smart enough to anticipate the possibility of disability in future years have a lot of options. Disability insurance is most affordable when you're healthy and working. Asset transfers and trust instruments designed to protect your Medicaid eligibility work best when they're in place years before you need them.

Our attorneys also help older people make the most of what they have when the need for in-home assistance or nursing care becomes an immediate concern rather than an abstract possibility. Most people want to know about alternatives to residential nursing home placements, and our experience can help you find better ways to assure the safety and care of people who will need extra help.

We also help plan for the care of people with long-term disabilities

If a member of your family is developmentally disabled or has other special needs to consider in your broader estate planning, it's not enough to make a generous provision for that person in your last will and testament. For some families, an option is to set up a special needs trust that will not only provide the resources your loved one will need over an indefinite period, but it will also protect the beneficiary's eligibility for such benefits as Supplemental Security Income or Medicaid.

Special needs trusts can provide similar benefits for you as well as for third parties. If you're on any form of means-tested government assistance, but have an expectation of an inheritance or other nonexempt assets, we can show you how to protect your own eligibility while enjoying the benefit of these personal or family resources.

We also advise clients about guardianship, powers of attorney that can anticipate and avoid the need for guardianship proceedings, and other elder law issues. For specific advice about disability planning for your specific circumstances and goals, contact an experienced lawyer at Berman & Asbel in Media.