Cleveland Elder Law

08/11/2026

- "We'll have to sell the house."

- "Medicaid will take our home"

- "The 5-year look-back means it's too late."

We hear these in almost every first consultation — and most of the time, they're wrong.

Our post breaks down six of the most common Medicaid myths, including why your home is typically exempt, how spousal protections keep the healthy spouse from being impoverished, and why gifts don't automatically disqualify you.

Before you make a decision based on something you heard at a family dinner, get the facts. Click Below👇

As an elder law attorney who has served Ohio families for more than 30 years, I have witnessed countless individuals struggle to navigate the devastating costs of long-term care. Concerns about complex Medicaid rules, extensive paperwork, and the possibility of losing hard-earned savings often deter

07/28/2026

If your parents have a basic will, it's natural to assume things are handled. But in Ohio, a will alone means probate — often 6 to 9 months of waiting, plus court costs and legal fees that chip away at what they worked so hard to build.

A will is instructions to probate court on how you want your estate divided - it is your ticket to probate court. What it can't do is keep your family out of court, plan for a moment when a parent can no longer make decisions, or prepare for the cost of long-term care.

None of this is urgent until suddenly it is. If it's been a few years since anyone looked at your parents' plan, a conversation now is one of the kindest things you can do for them — and for yourself.

Curious to learn more about how to protect your family’s legacy? Check out the blog link in the comments.

07/15/2026

When people imagine estate planning, they usually picture paperwork — a stack of documents you sign once and tuck away in a drawer.

What it really looks like is a conversation that keeps going.

It starts with your story. What you've built over a lifetime, the people you love, what you hope stays in the family. The plan grows out of that — shaped to hold up under Ohio law, ready for the real cost of long-term care, and organized so everything works together and your family stays out of probate court.

And because life keeps moving — new grandchildren, new health chapters, new laws — the plan moves with it. You're not handed documents and sent on your way. Someone stays in it with you.

Swipe through to see what each step looks like. →

06/23/2026

Caregiver tip: If you and your siblings don't see eye to eye on Mom or Dad's care, you're not failing — you're normal. Most families don't start on the same page.

What helps: one conversation centered on what your parent wants, before debating what each of you thinks is right. Sometimes the most useful thing a neutral third party does is give everyone the same facts.

06/18/2026

Seeing Dad this Father's Day? You'll notice things a phone call doesn't show — how the house looks, how he's moving, what's piling up on the counter.

If something feels different, you don't have to fix it this weekend. Just start the conversation: "How are you feeling about managing things here?"

Listening is the plan, for now.

And when that conversation leads to questions, we're here for you.