Why and When to Hire a MassNAELA Attorney?

Rather than being defined by technical and legal distinctions, elder law and special needs planning attorneys are defined by the clients they serve. In other words, the attorney who practices in these areas works primarily with people as they age and people with disabilities.

The Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (or MassNAELA for short), is an organization of 450 Massachusetts Attorneys that specialize in the practice of Elder and Special Needs law. MassNAELA member attorneys are committed to continuing their legal education and enhancing the quality of services they provide to their clients. MassNAELA member attorneys also hold themselves to high ethical standards. All Massachusetts attorneys are required to follow the Rules of Professional Conduct, but MassNAELA attorneys also strive to follow Aspirational Standards created by the state chapter and national organization. These standards have created a collaborative and supportive practice among the members.

Now that you know why to hire a MassNAELA attorney, here is a list of some of the things they can help you with:

Medicaid applications and appeals
Medicare claims and appeals
Social security and disability claims and appeals
Tax Planning
Estate Planning, including disability planning
Long-Term Care planning
Conservatorship and guardianship
Wills, Trusts, and Powers of Attorney
Health Care Proxies
Assisted Living, Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Nursing Home applications and issues
Probate and Trust Administration


From this list you can see that at some point in your life you may want to work with a MassNAELA, member whether it is for yourself or a loved one. Although MassNAELA members often help clients that are facing a crisis, they would love to be able to help you plan for the future to minimize the disruption that comes with a crisis in care. To find a MassNAELA member in your area please visit the website at www.MassNAELA.com and click on the Find An Elder Law Attorney tab. MassNAELA attorneys look forward to answering your questions and helping you at any age!

Editors Note: This article was submitted by Clarence Richardson. Clarence is the Chapter Director of MassNAELA and may be reached at 617-566-5640 or by email at Clarence@MassNAELA.com.