Located on the fifth floor at 28 Vernon Street in downtown Brattleboro
Estate Planning
A good estate plan protects and preserves assets, creates tax and administrative efficiencies and provides comfort and ease for loved ones. It can even ensure that aging and death will not cause financial hardship and conflict. Traditionally, estate planning means updating an older Will. Good planning includes Powers of Attorney and Advance Directives for healthcare as well. Our services go beyond these basics.
Our approach to estate planning involves a thorough review of asset titling and family relationships. We help our clients understand the difference between probate and non-probate assets, and learn how to pass assets to beneficiaries and charities by non-probate means. We address tax implications, losses to creditors or fraud and other important concerns. This may involve the drafting of deeds, trusts, beneficiary designations and assignments of business interests. Our planning process can help anticipate and head off serious issues that can arise with advanced aging and health events.
Our planning process develops a dynamic and elegant estate plan that can anticipate various outcomes, even when we can’t know what may be coming. With this approach, we do our best work. We believe that good planning can help make aging and death a time of grace and dignity.
Long Term Care Medicaid Planning
Long term care is very expensive, whether at home or in a residential facility. Anyone who cannot care for themselves independently, will need help. Help can come in many forms: skilled nursing, personal care services, occupational and physical therapy, adult day care, transportation and housekeeping. These services are costly and can deplete savings. We help clients plan for and apply for Long Term Care Medicaid to cover these costs.
Long Term Care Medicaid is a federal program that is implemented state by state. It is different than Medicaid health insurance. LTC Medicaid is for individuals who are aged, blind or disabled and are unable to live independently. They must qualify financially. If eligible, the state will pay for most of the needed care. Eligibility is determined by the state after a lengthy application and verification process. We help with this process.
Our services focus on asset preservation instead of spend-down in order to qualify for the state assistance. Our attorneys are members of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and its Vermont Chapter. We are very knowledgeable about the financial eligibility rules and experienced with the application process. We provide comprehensive consultation and planning, application preparation and support through the verification process.
Fiduciary Counseling
We serve as counsel to trustees of family or individual trusts. On a limited basis, we also provide fiduciary services for executors, agents under power of attorney and trustees. We work closely with other professionals in this arena, taking a team approach to the needs of families and individuals with higher net worth assets and property.
Probate Administration
After the death of a family member, we provide representation in probate court to assist executors and administrators in filing to open a probate estate, obtain necessary consents and public notices, filing inventories and other required documents, seeking licenses from the court for the sale of property, dealing with creditors and filing motions for proposed orders and decrees. Our experienced paralegals work closely with families to navigate the court requirements and financial complexities of settling an estate.