Legal Services
Life Care Plans
Looking for a more complete elder care package? Our custom Life Care Plans may be right for you.
Katten & Benson is an established elder care law firm serving the Fort Worth community and surrounding areas since 1994. The firm has a reputation for providing quality legal services to the area's aging residents.
Life Care Plans
Life Care Planning incorporates many of the services listed below into a comprehensive, prepaid package, which centers on providing for an individual and meeting that person's needs in the most beneficial manner. Please click on the link to the right to learn more about Life Care Plans.
Estate Planning
It is our belief that all adults should have estate planning in place to meet their needs. Estate planning can consist of:
- • Last Will and Testament,
- • A Trust, in some situations,
- • Powers of Attorney, including a
Medicaid Planning
With most issues in life, we tend to be more confident and better decision-makers when we have good information, and this is especially true of Medicaid planning. Katten & Benson can show you or a loved one how to qualify for Medicaid as quickly as possible, working within the rules.
Making the decision to enter a nursing home is a difficult one. Nursing home care is expensive, and applying for Medicaid benfits can be confusing and complicated. At Katten & Benson we assist our clients by identifying the method for qualification best suited to the client's needs. We then submit the paperwork and associated documentation, and we monitor the case until certification is received from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
Medicaid application and qualification is a lengthy process, and can influence or change many aspects of a person's life. Therefore, at Katten & Benson, one of our attorneys will always attend the initial meeting, as well as oversee the qualification process. We believe it is important to have an attorney fully engaged in the qualification process, as many legal issues can come up during qualification. Our attorneys can also provide you with many of the legal documents you may need, such as a Miller Trust, Lady Bird Deed, Mineral Deed, and Partition Agreements. Not sure what these are? Please call our office - we would be happy to explain how they may benefit you.
This process is highly individualized; therefore, it is difficult for us to give you a price quote without meeting with you first. If you are interested in having us assist you with Medicaid qualification, please call our office for a consultation.
Probate
Probate is the process of gathering assets, paying debts, distributing assets and changing title to property after a loved one passes away. Contrary to popular belief, the end goal of all estate planning is not necessarily to avoid probate! In some states, probate is an expensive and time-consuming process. In Texas, this is not always true. Most probate cases are relatively inexpensive and dealt with quickly. Again, every case is different, so if you have a question about planning to avoid probate or if you are in need of probate services, please call our office for a consultation.
Guardianship
Guardianship can occur in two contexts: guardianship of a minor child, and guardianship of an incapacitated adult. Our firm concentrates exclusively on the guardianship of incapacitated adults. Guardianship most often occurs when a person is incapacitated at some level, and either has no planning is in place to deal with the incapacitation, or there is a disagreement as to who is responsible for the care of that person. Our philosophy is one of inclusion. We believe in communicating with the family as a whole to try and avoid guardianship wherever possible, because guardianship is expensive and time-consuming. Sometimes, however, avoiding guardianship is not possible. Our firm can file an application with the Court and represent our client through the process of obtaining guardianship.
When Do I Need Help?
If you are not sure that you need help, here are a few things to think about:
--Have I been told that I need extra help at home?
--Is my gross income more than $2022.00 a month?
--Do I have more than $2000.00 in assets?
--I want to stay in my home as long as possible.
--I have limited family or community support.
--I have had a major life change (death of a loved one, marriage) that is not reflected in my current Estate Planning.
If you can answer "Yes" to any of these questions / statements, then you may benefit from some help with long term care planning. Give us a call today and let our professional team help you plan for your future.
Have more questions?
Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page, or go to our Katten & Benson Facebook page for articles, updated information and more.