The Dallas Elder Lawyer

Michael B. Cohen, Attorney and Counselor at Law, located in Dallas, Texas, concentrates in elder law with a particular emphasis on obtaining and/or retaining public benefits (especially Medicaid) for the elderly and disabled.

In the practice of elder law and estate planning, we often see people in a medical, financial and emotional crisis. It is common that a family member has a chronic or an extended illness or disability resulting from a stroke, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, or other illness resulting in a need for long term care, which jeopardizes the financial security that the family has worked all of their lives to obtain. It is our goal to lift that financial burden from the shoulders of our clients - often by helping them plan to either obtain and/or keep public benefits such as Medicaid planning.

So, for example, when someone needs to be admitted into a nursing home and they do not have long term care insurance or they have inadequate long-term care insurance, we often help them with Medicaid planning to shift the burden of the cost of care to prevent financial devastation and to preserve as much, if not all, of their resources - all pursuant to the laws, rules and regulations. Sometimes this requires the discussion of the use of trusts (such as Miller Trusts/Qualified Income Trust, Supplemental/Special Needs Trusts, etc.), transfers of both income and resources, changing the nature of resources or just simply keeping resources in the exact same condition but simply increasing the amount of resources that otherwise could be protected for public benefits. Tax issues, such as gift taxes, capital gains taxes, estate taxes and income taxes and various deductions also should be considered when planning in addition to other estate planning issues.

At the present time in Texas, it is not unusual to protect $500,000, and sometimes much more, and obtain long-term care Medicaid in situations where one spouse needs to go into a nursing home and one spouse lives at home or in the community. We try to achieve the goal of the client - whether it be simply assets how to make assets last longer or preserving assets in its present condition and obtaining public benefits such as long-term care Medicaid, or simply planning in the event of disability or death by the use of wills, trusts, powers of attorneys and other legal documents.

Data contained in this web site answers legal questions offered by Seniors in Texas. The answers refer to Texas law, but may give readers in other states a basis for discussion with their own attorneys. Laws change, and you should consult with your own attorney before taking action on a legal issue. Often if the law has changed concerning long-term care Medicaid, it will be addressed in our newsletter which is posted monthly (click on the newsletter section).
No designation has been made by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for a Certificate of Special Competence in this area. Not Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Counties Served:
Dallas County, Collin County, Rockwall County, Kaufman County, Denton County, Tarrant County, Hunt County, Van Zant County, Navarro County, Ellis County, Johnson County

Cities Served:
Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Mesquite, Garland, Irving, Desoto, Duncanville, Rockwall, Carrollton, Coppell, Arlington, Bedford, Hurst, Flower Mound, Lewisville, Terrell, Corsicana, Richardson, McKinney, Allen, Seagoville, Midlothian, Grand Prairie, Ennis, Richardson, Wills Point, Euless, Waxahachie, Carrollton, Cedar Hill and Cleburne.