Kristen Matthews Law

Kristen Matthews Law Kristen Matthews Law is an Estate Planning and Elder Law Firm located in Downingtown, PA. We help families navigate the complex issues life brings with age.

Kristen R. Matthews's law career has been exclusively devoted to helping clients with estate planning and elder law issues. She works closely with individuals and their families on all aspects of estate and trust planning and administration, by implementing necessary legal documents, such as a Will, Living Will, and General Durable and Healthcare Powers of Attorney. Kristen counsels families throu

gh the emotional and often daunting process of qualifying for government benefits such as Medicaid, Veterans Benefits, and Social Security. Through strategic planning, Kristen helps individuals and families facing the high costs of long-term care to safeguard their lifetime savings. Kristen also assists families with disabled loved ones through establishing and administering special needs trusts, as well as obtaining permission from the Pennsylvania Orphans Court to appoint a guardian. Kristen assists veterans and their surviving spouse with qualifying for the Aid & Attendance benefit, a monthly cash payment that can be used to offset escalating medical expenses. Kristen has achieved the designation of Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) from the National Elder Law Foundation. The CELA designation is recognized and authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and is only awarded to attorneys who have demonstrated extensive experience in practicing in the areas of estate planning and elder law, passed a day-long exam, and received recommendations from other attorneys who hold the CELA designation. Since 2015, Kristen has been recognized as a “Top Lawyer” in Elder Law by Main Line Today magazine and the Daily Local News. In 2016 and 2019, Main Line Today named Kristen #1 Top Lawyer in the Elder Law category. Since 2017 Kristen has earned the title of Pennsylvania Rising Star, an award given to less than 3% of Pennsylvania attorneys. Prior to founding Kristen Matthews Law, Kristen was one of the first female associate attorneys promoted to partner at the oldest and largest law firm based in Chester County. The first attorney in a family of teachers, Kristen connects with her clients on a meaningful level, equipping them with the requisite knowledge to gain confidence and control over their affairs. A lifelong resident of Downingtown, Kristen and her husband Lee are the proud parents of 3 active boys.

If spending time with your grandchildren leaves you feeling both worn out and somehow more alive, science may finally ha...
05/29/2026

If spending time with your grandchildren leaves you feeling both worn out and somehow more alive, science may finally have an explanation for that second part.

A new study published in the journal Psychology and Aging found that grandparents who care for their grandchildren score higher on tests of memory and verbal skills than those who do not. For grandmothers especially, that involvement may actually slow cognitive decline over time.

As we head into Mother's Day weekend, I find that research genuinely moving. The grandmothers I work with are often the quiet center of their families, managing schedules, holding memories, keeping everyone connected. It turns out those grandchildren may be doing as much for them as they are doing for the grandchildren.

The study found that what mattered most was not how often grandparents helped, but what they did together. Helping with homework, playing games, and doing activities that actively engage the mind showed the strongest benefits.

Read more about what the research found and what it means for older adults and their families:
https://kmatthewslaw.com/caring-for-grandkids-a-way-to-slow-cognitive-decline/

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and one of the mental health challenges that comes up most often in my work is one...
05/22/2026

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and one of the mental health challenges that comes up most often in my work is one that does not always get named directly: the anxiety and loss of dignity that can come with aging without a plan.

Isolation is one of the most significant mental health risks for older adults. It can accelerate cognitive decline, increase depression, and leave people feeling invisible at exactly the stage of life when they most deserve to feel secure and valued. We saw it in the research on grandparents and cognitive health: engagement, connection, and a sense of purpose are not extras. They are essential.

Legal planning is part of how we protect that. A power of attorney ensures that a trusted person, not a court, makes decisions if someone loses capacity. An advance directive means medical decisions reflect real values, not default protocols. Medicaid planning means that the cost of care does not force a move somewhere unfamiliar and frightening before it is truly necessary.

Planning for the future is an act of self-respect. It is also an act of love for the people who will be there when it matters most.

484-874-2987 | kmatthewslaw.com

The families who come to me after a crisis almost always say the same thing: we wish we had done this sooner.Not because...
05/21/2026

The families who come to me after a crisis almost always say the same thing: we wish we had done this sooner.

Not because it is too late. It is rarely too late. But because earlier planning means more options, more protection, and far less stress for everyone involved.

When a loved one enters a nursing home without a Medicaid plan in place, the family scrambles to figure out how to pay for care that can cost $10,000 to $15,000 a month or more. When there is no power of attorney and someone becomes incapacitated, the family may need to go to court to establish guardianship, a process that takes time, money, and emotional energy no one has to spare in that moment.

These situations are not inevitable. They are what planning is designed to prevent.
As a Certified Elder Law Attorney, I have spent my entire career helping Chester County families put the right structures in place before they need them. The conversation is easier than most people expect. The peace of mind it brings is real.

484-874-2987 | kmatthewslaw.com

May is Older Americans Month, and it is also National Elder Law Month. The two go together in a way that feels right to ...
05/19/2026

May is Older Americans Month, and it is also National Elder Law Month. The two go together in a way that feels right to me.

Older Americans Month has been observed every May since 1963. This year’s theme is Champion Your Health, a call to take an active role in managing well-being, accessing care, and making informed decisions. National Elder Law Month, supported by the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, runs alongside it as a reminder that legal planning is one of the most important things an older adult and their family can do.

Championing your health is not only about doctor’s appointments and exercise. It is about making sure the right people are authorized to make decisions if you cannot. It is about knowing how long-term care will be funded. It is about having a plan that reflects your values, not a crisis that makes those decisions for you.

That is the work I do every day as a Certified Elder Law Attorney. If May is the month that finally prompts that conversation in your family, I am glad to be a resource.

484-874-2987 | kmatthewslaw.com

A recent survey of nearly 20,000 Americans found that roughly one third have had to cut back on at least one daily expen...
05/18/2026

A recent survey of nearly 20,000 Americans found that roughly one third have had to cut back on at least one daily expense to cover health care costs. For older adults on fixed incomes, the trade-offs can be especially painful: skipping meals, rationing prescriptions, borrowing money, cutting back on utilities.

These are not hypothetical choices. They are daily realities for millions of families.
What strikes me about this research, as a Certified Elder Law Attorney, is how many of these situations could look different with earlier planning. Medicaid, when accessed correctly and in advance, can cover long-term care costs that would otherwise consume a family's entire savings. Proper planning around Medicare coverage, supplemental insurance, and benefit programs can reduce the financial pressure that drives these impossible trade-offs.

No one should have to choose between dinner and a prescription. And while policy change is part of the solution, so is knowing what is available and planning for it before a crisis arrives.

Read the full post for practical steps older adults can take right now:
https://kmatthewslaw.com/older-adults-skipping-meals-to-cover-health-care-costs/

Not all elder law attorneys are the same, and there is a credential that reflects that difference.The Certified Elder La...
04/29/2026

Not all elder law attorneys are the same, and there is a credential that reflects that difference.

The Certified Elder Law Attorney designation, or CELA, is the only nationally recognized certification in elder law. It is granted by the National Elder Law Foundation, the only organization accredited by the American Bar Association to certify attorneys in this specialty. In Pennsylvania, it is also recognized and authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Earning it is not easy. Fewer than 30% of attorneys who sit for the exam pass it. There are only approximately 500 CELAs in the entire country, and roughly 75 in Pennsylvania. I am one of only three with a primary office in Chester County.

My entire legal career has been devoted to elder law and estate planning. I have been recognized as a Top Lawyer in Elder Law by Main Line Today every year since 2015, including twice as the number one ranked elder law attorney in that category.

When your family is navigating Medicaid planning, long-term care decisions, or the full range of elder law issues, you deserve an attorney who has dedicated her career to knowing this area of law inside and out.

484-874-2987 | kmatthewslaw.com

Most older adults want to stay in their own homes for as long as possible. And most adult children want to support that,...
04/27/2026

Most older adults want to stay in their own homes for as long as possible. And most adult children want to support that, while also worrying about what could go wrong.

That tension is real, and it comes up in my office regularly. The good news is that aging in place and safety are not mutually exclusive. With the right planning, both are possible.

A recent news story about an older adult who went missing from her Arizona home brought this conversation into sharp focus for many families. In our latest blog post, we look at practical steps families can take, from home safety upgrades to scam protection to establishing a check-in routine, along with how honest, respectful communication between adult children and aging parents can make all the difference.

Legal planning is part of that picture too. Powers of attorney, updated estate documents, and Medicaid planning all work together to protect an older adult’s independence and security.

Read the full post here: https://kmatthewslaw.com/nancy-guthries-disappearance-keeping-older-adults-safe/

April is Stress Awareness Month, and if you are caring for an aging parent or navigating a loved one’s long-term care ne...
04/24/2026

April is Stress Awareness Month, and if you are caring for an aging parent or navigating a loved one’s long-term care needs, you already know what that stress feels like.

The calls from the nursing home. The questions about Medicaid you do not know how to answer. The worry that you are missing something important. The feeling that you are making decisions you are not qualified to make.

One of the things I hear most often from clients is that they wish they had called sooner. Not because it was too late, but because they had been carrying a burden they did not have to carry alone.

That is what I am here for. As a Certified Elder Law Attorney, I have spent my entire career helping families in Chester County navigate exactly these situations, with clear information, a steady presence, and a plan that actually fits your family’s needs.

You do not have to have it all figured out before you call.
484-874-2987 | kmatthewslaw.com

Technology is changing what it means to age at home, and some of the changes are genuinely moving.A recent article in Th...
04/20/2026

Technology is changing what it means to age at home, and some of the changes are genuinely moving.

A recent article in The New York Times followed an 85-year-old woman in Washington state whose daily companion is an AI-powered robot called ElliQ. The two share morning coffee, do gentle chair yoga together, and talk about family and memories. ElliQ initiates conversations, offers reminders, and provides the kind of consistent social interaction that can be hard to come by for older adults who live alone.

As an elder law attorney, I find this kind of technology meaningful not just because it supports well-being, but because staying home longer is something so many of my clients deeply want. Legal and financial planning, including Medicaid planning and powers of attorney, is one part of that picture. Technology like this is becoming another.

Planning ahead, in all its forms, is what makes aging in place truly possible.

Read more on the ElliQ project and what it means for older adults and their families: https://kmatthewslaw.com/can-ai-robots-help-older-adults-live-in-their-homes-longer/

Today is National Healthcare Decisions Day, and it is one of the most important dates on my calendar.A healthcare power ...
04/16/2026

Today is National Healthcare Decisions Day, and it is one of the most important dates on my calendar.

A healthcare power of attorney and an advance directive are two of the most meaningful documents a person can have in place. They answer the question: if I can no longer speak for myself, who will speak for me, and what will they say?

Without these documents, those decisions may fall to a court, or to family members who are left guessing under enormous stress. With them, your wishes are on record and the people you trust are empowered to act.

This is something I help families with every day. As a Certified Elder Law Attorney, I take the time to make sure every client understands not just what they are signing, but why it matters and how it fits into their larger plan.

Today is a good day to ask yourself: do you have these documents? Are they current? Does your family know where they are?

If you have questions, call us. 484-874-2987 | kmatthewslaw.com

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14 E Welsh Pool Road
Exton, PA
19341

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