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SI Elder Law

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Marion, IL
SI Elder Law

We help seniors in Southern Illinois protect their assets from long-term care expenses and Probate.

We can help with Estate Planning, Medicaid and VA benefits, Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probates, Guardianships, Special Needs Planning Personal Injury and Probates.

08/25/2026

A trust isn’t just for the wealthy. It can be a valuable estate planning tool for families who own a home, have savings or investments, want to avoid probate, or simply want more control over how their assets are handled.

A trust is a legal arrangement that holds and manages assets for the people you choose. You create the trust, decide who will benefit, and establish instructions for how those assets should be managed and distributed. Depending on the type of trust and your goals, it may help:

• Avoid probate
• Protect and manage assets
• Provide for a spouse, children, or grandchildren
• Plan for incapacity
• Make the transfer of assets at death easier and more private
• Protect assets from the cost of long-term care when proper advance planning is used

The right trust depends on your family, your assets, and what you want your estate plan to accomplish.

Call SI Elder Law at 618-997-3500 to schedule a free consultation and find out whether a trust makes sense for your family.

08/24/2026

Not All Estate Planning Is Created Equal.

Having a will, powers of attorney, and beneficiary designations is important. But basic estate planning is generally designed to answer questions like: Who receives my assets when I die? Who makes decisions if I can't?

It does not necessarily answer another important question:

What happens to my assets if I need long-term care?

A traditional estate plan may help organize your affairs and distribute your property, but it generally does not protect your assets from the cost of nursing home care.

Asset protection requires a different type of planning. Depending on your circumstances, that may involve specialized trusts, Medicaid planning strategies, and careful decisions about how your assets are owned.

If protecting what you've worked a lifetime to build is one of your goals, make sure your estate plan is actually designed to accomplish it.

Having an estate plan is important. Having the right estate plan is what matters.

Call SI Elder Law at 618-997-3500 to schedule a free consultation with Elder Law Attorney Tiffanny H. Sievers.

08/21/2026

You have a will. But will your family still go through probate?

One of the biggest misconceptions we hear is, "I have a will, so my family won't have to go through probate."

Unfortunately, that's not how a will works.

A will tells the court who should receive your assets and who you want to handle your estate. It does not, by itself, keep your estate out of probate.

In fact, certain assets passing under your will may require the probate process before they can be distributed to your family.

Avoiding probate requires planning beyond simply signing a will. Depending on your circumstances, that may include a trust, beneficiary designations, transfer-on-death planning, or properly titling your assets.

A will may be an important part of your estate plan. It just shouldn't be confused with a probate avoidance plan.

Want to make things easier for your family? Plan now.

Call SI Elder Law at 618-997-3500 to schedule a free consultation.

08/11/2026

Estate planning is about more than deciding who receives your property someday. As you get older, your plan should also address who can help you during your lifetime, how your assets are managed, and what happens if you need long-term care.

Here are some important documents and strategies to consider:

• Last Will and Testament – Directs how certain assets are distributed and names the person responsible for handling your estate.

• Revocable or Irrevocable Trust – Depending on your goals, a trust may help avoid probate, simplify the administration of your estate, and provide a plan for managing assets if you become incapacitated.

• Power of Attorney for Property – Allows someone you trust to handle financial and legal matters if you are unable to do so yourself.

• Power of Attorney for Healthcare – Names the person you want making healthcare decisions when you cannot make them yourself.

• Living Will – Provides direction concerning end-of-life medical care in certain circumstances.

• Beneficiary and Asset Review – Your estate plan should work together with your bank accounts, investments, retirement accounts, life insurance, real estate, and beneficiary designations.

• Long-Term Care Planning – Nursing home and assisted living costs can dramatically affect a family's finances. Planning ahead may provide more options for protecting assets while preparing for future care needs.

• Probate-Avoidance Planning – Properly structured trusts, beneficiary designations, and other planning tools can help keep assets out of probate.

The biggest mistake may be assuming that having a will means your estate plan is complete. A good estate plan should address death, incapacity, long-term care, asset protection, and the efficient transfer of your property to the people you choose.

If you are in your 60s, 70s, 80s or beyond, now is a good time to review your estate plan and make sure it still accomplishes what you want it to accomplish.

SI Elder Law can help you put a plan in place for today and for whatever tomorrow may bring. Call 618-997-3500 to schedule a free consultation with Elder Law Attorney Tiffanny H. Sievers.

07/30/2026

One of the most common things we hear is:

"We wish we had called sooner."

Families often assume they must spend nearly everything before Medicaid will help pay for nursing home care.

That isn't always true.

Elder law attorney Tiffanny H. Sievers can evaluate your specific circumstances and identify legal planning strategies that may help:

Protect assets.
Preserve a spouse's financial security.
Navigate the Medicaid application process.
Reduce unnecessary out-of-pocket nursing home costs.
Coordinate estate planning with long-term care planning.

No two families are alike, and neither are their planning options.

If someone you love is paying privately for nursing home care, don't wait until the savings are gone. Understanding your options today could make a meaningful financial difference for your family tomorrow. Call 618-997-3500 to schedule a free consultation.

07/29/2026

Most people spend decades working hard to build financial security.

Unfortunately, a lengthy nursing home stay can consume those savings much faster than most families expect.

Proper estate and long-term care planning is designed to help families legally navigate long-term care benefit eligibility while protecting assets whenever possible under the law.

Whether you're planning years in advance or responding to an unexpected health crisis, having the right legal strategy can make a tremendous difference.

Planning today may mean preserving more tomorrow.

If your family is facing long-term care decisions, now is the time to understand your options. Call 618-997-3500 to schedule a free consultation with Elder Law Attorney Tiffanny H. Sievers.

07/28/2026

Has your loved one recently moved into assisted living or a nursing home?

Many families immediately begin paying the monthly bill out of savings because they believe that's their only choice.

It often isn't.

Depending on the circumstances, there may be legal strategies available that can help preserve a home, savings, retirement assets, or other property while working toward long-term care benefit eligibility.

Every month of delay can significantly reduce the assets available to protect.

Before spending another month's nursing home bill, schedule a free consultation with Elder Law Attorney Tiffanny H. Sievers to understand what planning opportunities may still exist.

To schedule, call 618-997-3500.

07/27/2026

Most people think estate planning is about deciding who receives their assets after they pass away.

In reality, one of the biggest benefits of estate planning is protecting you while you're still living.

A well-designed estate plan can:

• Prepare for incapacity.
• Give trusted individuals authority to act on your behalf.
• Help avoid guardianship.
• Coordinate with Medicaid planning.
• Protect assets from unnecessary long-term care expenses when appropriate.

Without a plan, your family may be left making difficult decisions during an already stressful time.

The best time to create an estate plan is before you need it; however, even if health concerns have already begun, there may still be planning opportunities available.

Call 618-997-3500 to schedule a free consultation.

07/26/2026

Many families don't think about the cost of long-term care until a loved one is already in a nursing home. By then, they are often paying thousands of dollars each month out of pocket and watching a lifetime of savings disappear.

The good news is that it is not always too late.

Even if your loved one is already paying privately for nursing home care, there may still be legal strategies available to help protect assets, qualify for long-term care benefits sooner, and preserve more of their assets earned over a lifetime.

Every situation is different, which is why proper legal guidance matters.

If your family is facing the cost of long-term care, don't assume you have to spend everything before asking for help. Elder Law Attorney Tiffanny H. Sievers can explain your options and develop a plan that fits your circumstances.

Call 618-997-3500 to schedule a free consultation.

06/09/2026

Many parents and grandparents want to help their children and grandchildren by giving an early inheritance. While generosity comes from a good place, making large gifts without proper planning can create serious problems if you later need assisted living or nursing home care in Illinois.

Illinois Medicaid has a five-year look-back period. Gifts made during that time can result in a penalty period, meaning Medicaid may refuse to pay for your long-term care when you need it most. Unfortunately, we often meet families who gave away assets with the best of intentions, only to discover they unintentionally limited their options for care.

The good news is that gifting is not the only strategy available. Depending on your circumstances, there may be other planning tools that can help protect assets while preserving eligibility for long-term care benefits. The right approach depends on your health, family situation, and how far in advance you are planning.

Before transferring your home, adding children to bank accounts, or making substantial gifts, speak with an experienced elder law attorney. A little planning today can help preserve the assets you've worked a lifetime to build while ensuring you have access to the care you may need tomorrow.

If you have questions about long-term care planning in Illinois, our team is here to help. Call 618-997-3500 to schedule a free consultation.

Address

201 W. Main Street
Marion, IL
62959

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 3pm

Telephone

(618) 997-3500

Website

http://www.sielderlaw.com/

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