Shober & Rock, P.C is a Bucks County law firm devoted to the legal issues affecting the elderly and disabled. These legal services are often referred to as “elder law.” Elder law practice encompasses various legal issues and specialties that are particularly important to the elderly and infirm. As elder law attorneys, these groups can risk losing assets and independence due to medical conditions requiring some continuing and significant medical care. We employ legal knowledge and experience to meet our client’s needs, goals, and objectives.
At Shober & Rock, we bring more to our practice than legal expertise. We bring practical knowledge of working with thousands of families facing elder law and disability issues. We tailor our approach and seek legal solutions that avoid difficulty and solve the problems our clients and their families and caretakers may face. This “custom” approach means better results and more satisfied clients. We are tied into a system of social workers, psychologists, geriatric care managers, and other elder care professionals who can assist our clients.
The attorneys of Shober & Rock assist clients in planning for possible long-term care events. These include nursing home care, assisted living, and at-home care. We assist physicians in determining capacity and acuity levels. We coordinate private and public resources to finance appropriate care. Working to ensure our client’s rights to quality care is an integral part of our elder law practice. Providing clients with flexibility and choices in care is an integral part of our practice. Protecting family members and children from liabilities of the parent or loved ones’ care is also vitally important in this era of “shared liability.”
The elderly are growing in number, and so is the complexity of their legal problems. The recent changes to federal laws have created a situation where actions taken by older people with regard to a single matter may have unintended legal effects. We bring a broad understanding of the laws that may impact a given situation to avoid future problems.
Shober & Rock provides comprehensive case management services for families facing long-term care issues, giving them time to focus on what is important to them.
Our elder law attorneys review nursing home applications, address liability issues and prepare and file applications for Medical Assistance (“MA” is a form of Medicaid made available as an entitlement under the Social Security Act).
Shober & Rock’s fees are structured so we can act as a true support system for families. We are able to spend more time with our clients on the phone and in person. During this “extra” time, some of the most important information is gained about the case. Our clients know ahead of time exactly what it will cost for our services. This is factored into the planning. Additionally, legal fees paid by the elder are deductible against the amount of assets that may be lost in the event of confinement to a nursing home. Using potentially lost assets to obtain help makes good financial sense. Working with an experienced elder law firm is an investment that may save our clients and their families both time and money.
Shober & Rock attorneys investigate all clients’ assets and personally administer transfers and spend-down payments (“spend-down” is the Medicaid term for lowering your assets enough to qualify for assistance). It only takes one missed life insurance policy or savings bond for an individual to be considered ineligible for assistance. This discovery of unknown or unreported assets can lead to gaps in coverage. Our attorneys and paralegals work with families to ensure that innocent transfers do not cause ineligibility for Medical Assistance. If this happens and the applicant is out of money, his or her children are liable for the medical bills under Pennsylvania law. In this era of long-term care, the protection of assets is sometimes about the assets of the caretakers and not their parents!
If you have questions for our elder law attorneys, please call us today. We’re here to help.
