Practice Areas

Elder Law

Estate Planning

Estate plans can include documents such as wills, revocable living trusts, trusts for tax planning purposes, trusts for minors, education trusts for grandchildren, durable powers of attorney, and advance health directives.

To begin the estate planning process, contact our office. We will respond with intake and asset information forms for you to complete prior to a consultation.

End-of-Life Planning

Margaret guides clients through making crucial end-of-life care decisions. She prepares durable powers of attorney, which authorize others to make decisions in the event the client is incapacitated. She also drafts advance health directives, often referred to as "Living Wills."

Fiduciaries

In your will, you will appoint a personal representative, also known as an executor, who will responsible for carrying out your wishes for your estate. In your durable powers of attorney, you will appoint an agent — someone to make decisions about your health care and your finances. Margaret asks clients to identify a primary personal representative and agent and at least one alternate. Many clients choose their spouse as the primary person and their children as alternates. Some clients choose close friends, trusted neighbors, nieces, or nephews. Margaret also refers clients to professional fiduciary agencies, if desired.

Special Needs Trusts

Margaret has extensive experience drafting Special Needs Trusts. These trusts are created in a variety of circumstances, often to preserve assets while allowing a person with a disability to qualify for public assistance for health care or other long-term care. Assets in a Special Needs Trust are considered exempt and do not disqualify a person from receiving public benefits.

Estate Settlements and Probate

Margaret also assists families in settling the estates of their loved ones through a court process called a probate or through other “non-probate” procedures.

Long-term Care Planning and Medicaid Eligibility

Margaret advises clients on the requirements to qualify for public assistance for long-term care. She works with clients and their families to implement a financial strategy to pay for care and to qualify for Medicaid benefits.

General Practice Areas

• Contracts
• Business law
• Non-profit formation and governance
• Legal name and gender designation change