Katten & Benson is an established 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,
•      Statutory Durable Power of Attorney (financial power of attorney),
•      Medical Power of Attorney,
•      And a Directive to Physicians and Family (or Living Will.)

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 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.

Medicaid Planning

Sometimes the best care for a loved one is provided by a nursing home facility. Such care is expensive, and many clients look to Katten & Benson for help with applying for Medicaid benefits. The process can be confusing and complicated, so we assist our clients by identifying the method for qualification best suited to the client's needs, submitting the paperwork and associated documentation, and monitoring the case through certification by 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.