• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • About Our Firm
    • Attorney and Staff Profiles
  • Services
    • Asset & Business Planning
    • Dental Practice Law
    • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
    • Estate Planning Services
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Financial Planning Assistance
    • Incapacity Planning
    • IRA & Retirement Planning
    • Legacy Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Medicaid and Elder Law
    • SECURE Act
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration
  • Elder Law
    • Coping With Alzheimer’s
    • Emergency Medicaid & Nursing Home Planning
    • Guardianship & Conservatorship
    • Hospice Care
    • Medicaid Planning
    • Veteran’s Benefits
  • Resources
    • DocuBank
    • Elder Law
      • Elder Law & Medicaid Definitions
      • Elder Law Reports
      • Elder Law Resources
        • Carmel, Indiana Elder Resources
        • Fishers Indiana Elder Law Resources
        • Greenfield, Indiana Elder Law Resources
        • Greenwood Elder Resources
        • Indianapolis Elder Law Resources
        • Lawrence Elder Law Resources
        • Plainfield Elder Resources
        • Zionsville Elder Law Resources
    • Estate Planning
      • Estate Planning Checkup
      • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
      • Estate Planning Definitions
      • Estate Planning Reports
        • Advanced Estate Planning
        • Basic Estate Planning
        • Estate Planning for Niches
        • Trust Administration
      • Incapacity Planning Definitions
      • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
      • Top 10 Estate and Legacy Planning Techniques
    • Free Estate Planning Worksheet
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Asset Protection Planning
        • Business Succession Planning
      • Elder Abuse
      • Elder Law
        • Medicaid
        • Medicaid Planning
        • Planning for Long-Term Care
      • Estate Planning
        • Avoiding Estate Taxes
        • Frequently Asked Questions for Families Without an Estate Plan
        • LGBTQ Estate Planning
        • Women and the Need for Estate Planning
      • Financial Planning
      • Incapacity Planning
      • Legacy Wealth Planning
      • Pet Planning
      • Philanthropy in Your Estate Plan
      • Probate
      • Power of Attorney
      • Small Estate Administration
      • Trusts
        • Trust Administration
        • Trust Administration
        • Serving as Executor
      • Understanding Your Social Security Retirement Benefits
      • Wills
        • Contesting a Will
    • Newsletter
    • Pre Consultation Form
    • Probate and Trust Administration
      • Bereavement Resources
      • How to Know if You Need Extra Help With Your Grieving
      • Loss Of A Loved One
      • Probate Resources
        • Carmel, Indiana Probate Resources
        • Greenfield Probate
        • Greenwood Probate
        • Indianapolis Probate
        • Plainfield Probate
        • Indiana Probate
        • Zionsville Probate
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Trust
      • The Mourner’s Bill of Rights
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Will
      • Trust Administration & Probate Definitions
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review Us
  • Areas We Serve
    • Boone County
      • Lebanon
      • Zionsville
    • Hamilton County
      • Carmel
      • Fishers
    • Hancock County
      • Greenfield
    • Hendricks County
      • Brownsburg
      • Plainfield
    • Johnson County
      • Franklin, Indiana
      • Greenwood
    • Marion County
      • Central Indiana
      • Indianapolis
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

Frank & Kraft, Attorneys at Law

Indianapolis Estate Planning Attorneys

CONNECT WITH US TODAY(317) 684-1100

Attend a Free Workshop
Home » How Do You Find the Right Elder Law Attorney?

How Do You Find the Right Elder Law Attorney?

August 5, 2014Elder Law

17

Elder law is the legal specialty that is focused on the needs of senior citizens.  If you are concerned about the eventualities of aging, you should definitely discuss the future with a licensed elder law attorney.

There are a number of different relevant elder law issues that you should be aware of, but the matter of long-term care is at the top of the list.

According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, 70 percent of senior citizens will someday need help with their activities of daily living.  Long-term care is extremely expensive, so it is difficult for most people to pay out-of-pocket.

Most seniors will eventually qualify for Medicare, but Medicare is not set up to handle long-term care costs.  This presents a challenge for many elders.  Elder law attorneys help seniors who are concerned about long-term care costs.

Medicaid Planning

You are probably aware of the Medicaid program, but you may not feel as though it is relevant because you are not financially needy.

Medicaid is a government health insurance program that will pay for long-term care.  As a result, many people who were never poor throughout their lives ultimately seek Medicaid coverage.  In fact, most of the long-term care that is received by elders in the United States is paid for by Medicaid.

How could you qualify for Medicaid if you have significant resources?  People typically qualify for Medicaid through a measured divestiture of assets.  This process is often referred to as a Medicaid spend down.

You could in effect give your children their inheritances in advance so that you can qualify for Medicaid to pay for long-term care.  However, this is easier said than done, because there is a five-year Medicaid look-back.  If you give away assets within five years of applying, your application will be denied while you serve a penalty.

Because of the look-back, Medicaid planning can be challenging.  Elder law attorneys help clients who want to plan ahead effectively with future Medicaid eligibility in mind.

Locating an Elder Law Attorney

If you are trying to locate an elder law attorney, you would do well to look for affiliations with highly respected professional organizations.  One of these bodies is the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys.

The Academy has been devoted to estate planning and elder law issues for over 20 years.  They have a database on their website that can direct you to a member in good standing in your area.

Our firm works closely with the Academy, and we would be glad to assist you if you live in the greater Indianapolis area.  We can answer any questions that you may have about long-term care and Medicaid planning. You can request an appointment through our contact page.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Paul A. Kraft, Estate Planning Attorney
Paul A. Kraft, Estate Planning Attorney
Paul Kraft is Co-Founder and the senior Principal of Frank & Kraft, one of the leading law firms in Indiana in the area of estate planning as well as business and tax planning.

Mr. Kraft assists clients primarily in the areas of estate planning and administration, Medicaid planning, federal and state taxation, real estate and corporate law, bringing the added perspective of an accounting background to his work.
Paul A. Kraft, Estate Planning Attorney
Latest posts by Paul A. Kraft, Estate Planning Attorney (see all)
  • Updated Federal Gift and Estate Tax Figures for 2023 - January 26, 2023
  • Why Estate Planning Is Important for Multi-National Couples - January 24, 2023
  • When Do I Need to Update a Trust Agreement? - January 19, 2023

Other Articles You May Find Useful

caregiver
What You Need to Know If You Are a Caregiver
Alzheimer’s Awareness Month
November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month
Indianapolis elder law attorneys
A Pre-Paid Funeral Plan Might Not Be a Wise Choice
Indianapolis elder law attorney
How to Find the Right Caregiver for a Parent
Indianapolis elder law attorneys
What You Need to Know about Elder Financial Exploitation
Indianapolis elder law attorneys
What Options Are Available for Elder Care?

Primary Sidebar

Frank & Kraft, Attorneys at Law

Download our free Estate Planning Worksheet

There's a lot that goes into setting up a comprehensive estate plan, but with our FREE worksheet, you'll be one step closer to getting yourself and your family on the path to a secure and happy future.

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkdin
  • Youtube

Blog Subscription

Where We Are

Frank & Kraft Attorneys at Law
135 N. Pennsylvania Street Suite 1100
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2485
Phone: (317) 684-1100
Fax: (317) 684-6111

See Larger MapGet directions

Office Hours

Monday8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Map

frankkraft_sidbr_map

Footer

  • Advantages of Working With Our Firm
  • About The American Academy
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkdin
  • Youtube
footer-logo

Frank & Kraft Attorneys at Law
Attorney Advertisement

© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.

© 2023 · American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc. | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Sitemap | Contact Us