Long Island Elder Law Attorneys

As we get older, families on Long Island have concerns about long-term care for their elderly loved ones. Elder law attorneys address the needs of seniors, as well as younger adults who have a disability. Whether you are designing an estate plan for yourself or exploring long-term care options for a relative or friend, it can be an overwhelming and difficult task when you handle it alone and don’t know where to begin.

Elder Law Explained

Elder law is a focused area of law that addresses the legal, financial, and health care planning needs that arise as we age or live with a disability. It sits at the intersection of several areas of law, including estate planning, public benefits, guardianship, real estate, tax, and long-term care – and aims to protect your autonomy, preserve assets, and ensure access to appropriate care. Long Island elder law attorneys help you navigate rules around Medicaid and other benefits, coordinate long-term care (at home, in assisted living, or a nursing home), and put the right documents in place to ensure your wishes are honored.

Unlike general legal services, elder law is holistic and family-centered. It looks beyond documents to the day‑to‑day realities of aging: Who will make decisions if you cannot? How will you pay for care without undermining a spouse’s security? What supports are available to a caregiver? By integrating legal planning with care coordination and financial strategy, elder law helps you protect what matters most—your health, dignity, family, and resources.

When Do You Need to Consult a Long Island Elder Law Attorney?

You may benefit from an elder law attorney at any life stage, but certain moments make professional guidance essential. Common triggers include: a new diagnosis (e.g., dementia, Parkinson’s, stroke); a sudden hospitalization or rehab stay; a transition to assisted living or a nursing home; the need to apply for Medicaid; or the realization that a spouse, parent, or adult child with disabilities needs a long-term plan. Proactive planning – before a crisis – usually preserves more choices and more assets.

You should also speak with a Long Island elder law attorney if your family is relying on informal caregiving, if you want to update powers of attorney or advance directives, if you’re worried about protecting a home or retirement savings, or if you are helping a loved one who may lack capacity. If you’re searching for an elder law attorney on Long Island to guide you through complex decisions, FRB is ready to help.

Who We Serve in Elder Law Matters on Long Island

FRB’s Elder Law Practice Group serves the needs of an aging population and those with disabilities to advocate for their rights. Our trusted Long Island elder law attorneys are dedicated to helping seniors, those with disabilities, and their families by providing answers and reassurance to each elder law matter, issue, and concern. We believe that everyone should have the information necessary to plan for their future, their children’s futures, and their parents’ futures.

We regularly assist older adults, spouses and partners, adult children and other caregivers, individuals with special needs, and fiduciaries (agents, trustees, and executors). Whether you are planning ahead or facing a care crisis, we meet you where you are and build a plan that respects your goals and values.

How Our Long Island Elder Law Attorney Can Help

Our Long Island elder law attorneys use asset protection planning and long-term care planning strategies to help clients plan effectively for the future. We take a holistic and collaborative approach to maximize the quality of life for seniors and those with disabilities and create peace of mind for their families and caregivers. In addition, we have close relationships with care providers and other professionals in the long-term care industry, such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and home care providers, and can help clients find the care available and most suited for them.

We coordinate closely with care managers, physicians, and financial advisors to design practical, step‑by‑step solutions. From establishing the right power of attorney to structuring trusts, from Medicaid planning to care coordination, FRB delivers integrated legal services that make complicated systems manageable.

FRB’s Elder Law Practice Group provides representation for senior clients on matters related to:

Medicaid Planning and Applications 

Qualifying for Medicaid can be the key to affording home care or nursing home care, but the rules are complex and often confusing. FRB helps our clients evaluate Medicaid eligibility, organize documentation, navigate look‑back periods and transfer-of-assets rules, and prepare applications that minimize delays in securing care services for seniors. We also advise on spousal protections, income budgeting, and the use of trusts or exemptions to preserve family resources while maintaining access to needed health care and long-term care benefits.

Guardianships 

When an adult no longer has the capacity to manage personal or financial affairs – and no valid power of attorney or health care proxy is in place – a guardianship may be necessary to protect the individual from potential harm. FRB petitions the court, gathers evidence, and represents families in contested and uncontested guardianship proceedings for adults. Our experience allows us to guide clients through the process of seeking guardianship for loved ones, focusing on the least‑restrictive means of intervention through the courts, and securing positive outcomes for clients through guardianship that safeguards the person while respecting their independence and dignity.

Long-Term Care Planning 

We help Long Island families explore and understand different care plan options to determine whether home care, assisted living, and nursing home is best for them, and develop strategies to pay for care through private resources, long‑term care insurance, veterans’ benefits, or Medicaid. Our team coordinates provider referrals, care management resources, and legal structures that support safe living at home whenever possible, and smooth transitions when a higher level of health care is required. Our planning strategies build in the flexibility that allows for your legal plan to adapt to your future care needs as they evolve over time.

Estate Administration and Probate

Losing a loved one is difficult; settling an estate shouldn’t add unnecessary stress. FRB guides executors and administrators through probate and administration – from filing petitions and marshaling assets to paying debts, addressing tax issues, and distributing inheritances. If disputes arise, our Long Island attorneys advocate for efficient, fair resolutions so families can move forward with confidence.

Asset Protection Planning 

Thoughtful planning can protect a lifetime of savings. We design personalized asset protection strategies that may include irrevocable trusts, gifting plans, beneficiary designations, and homestead or spousal protections to help shield assets against future long-term care costs and creditor claims – without sacrificing flexibility or compromising access to care. Our goal is to preserve what you have so you can use it to enjoy your life, and to support your care, your family, and your legacy.

Estate Planning 

Elder law and estate planning go hand‑in‑hand. We build personalized and comprehensive estate plans that align powers of attorney, advance directives, wills, and trusts with tax‑savvy gifting and beneficiary strategies. The result is a coordinated plan that provides for your health care and long-term care, protects loved ones, and preserves your legacy with minimal delay and expense.

Wills 

Creating a will allows you to decide who receives your property, who serves as executor, and who will act as guardian for minor or dependent family members upon your passing. We ensure your will is properly drafted and executed, and coordinated with beneficiary designations and titling of your assets to ensure your estate plan works as intended. While having a will is essential, for many clients, a will is part of a larger elder law strategy that addresses both lifetime care and legacy goals.

Trusts 

Trusts can streamline management of assets during your lifetime and simplify transfers of assets at death. FRB establishes and funds revocable living trusts for probate avoidance and privacy, as well as irrevocable trusts for asset protection and Medicaid planning. For beneficiaries with disabilities, we create first‑party and third‑party supplemental needs trusts to preserve eligibility for means‑tested benefits while enhancing the quality of life for disabled individuals.

Advance Directives

Clear instructions spare your family from guesswork and potential conflict in a crisis. We prepare health care proxies, living wills, HIPAA authorizations, and other advance directives that reflect your values about treatment, pain management, and end‑of‑life care. With these documents in place – and conversations with your decision‑makers – your care team can honor your wishes with clarity and compassion.

Powers of Attorney

A durable power of attorney lets you designate a trusted person handle financial and legal matters on your behalf if you become incapacitated, or otherwise unable to make your own decisions. We work with our clients to create clear, comprehensive, and up-to-date documents tailored to your circumstances – ensuring your power of attorney addresses needs such as banking, real estate, tax filings, business interests, digital assets, and more. We also counsel agents on their fiduciary duties so they can act effectively and ethically on your behalf.

Plan For the Future With Help From a Long Island Elder Law Attorney

When the stakes involve your health, home, and family, experience matters. FRB’s Long Island elder law attorneys bring practical problem‑solving and deep knowledge of areas of law that affect seniors and individuals with disabilities. We guide you from uncertainty to a clear plan, so you can focus on living well today.

Planning for the future is essential for securing financial stability and ensuring quality care in later years. FRB’s Elder Law Practice Group provides experienced legal guidance to help Long Island seniors and their families navigate complex elder law issues. Contact us today to discuss your needs and find peace of mind in your legal planning.