Webber Law PLLC

02/09/2026

Contact our office for tailored elder law solutions that meet your unique needs. Discover how our expert team can guide you through the complexities of aging and planning for the future.

04/07/2023

Here is an article on organ donation from our legal intern, Kayla Shellenhamer.

by: Kayla Shellenhamer

08/02/2022

This is a good article which explains capital gains and what role they play when inheriting property. The concept of "stepped-up basis" is important to understand and often not explained to clients properly.

As the article indicates it is often rare for individuals to pay capital gains tax on inherited property. However, it can happen with a poorly drafted trust.

If you are considering a trust remember to ask your attorney whether the trust assets retain a step-up in basis after you pass away.

Inheritance can make your taxes tricky. If you inherit property or assets, as opposed to cash, you generally don’t owe taxes until you sell those assets. These capital gains taxes are then calculated using what’s known as a stepped-up cost basis. … Continue reading → The post Capital Gains o...

07/28/2022

This article is a great resource in learning the basics of how a married couple can qualify for Medicaid without depleting their resources when one spouse enters a nursing facility. I often use these types of annuities to assist couples to preserve resources when one spouse enters a nursing home. If you or someone who know has a loved one entering a nursing home, they may be able to save significant sums using this strategy.

While some couples "spend down" their assets to qualify for Medicaid, another option may be an annuity that converts assets into income.

07/22/2022

This is an interesting article on how Russian oligarchs were evading western based sanctions at the start of the Ukrainian war. The use of irrevocable trusts can play a similar role when seeking to preserve assets from long-term care. I regularly create irrevocable trusts for clients who are seeking to protect their assets for their family in the event a long-term care issue arises. If the client understands the concept and is willing to give up control of the asset for the benefit of their beneficiaries, these trusts can be great tools.

Alisher Usmanov's spokesperson told Reuters his properties were transferred to irrevocable trusts in 2006 for estate-planning purposes.

07/21/2022

This article drives home a great point. You should not just create an estate plan and forget about it. You need to regularly review and update according to your specific circumstances. I recommend the "4 D's":

Divorce

Death

Disability

Every Decade

There are various life events that should spur a review of your will and other end-of-life planning documents.

07/19/2022

It is a good idea for everyone to have a Will. But sometimes even a Will is not enough. This article highlights some circumstances when a Will may not be enough.

The section regarding disinheriting a spouse is particularly relevant to my elder law clients due to Pennsylvania's elective share laws. But there are helpful strategies than can be utilized to meet estate planning goals.

A common way to bypass probate is to create a revocable living trust and then transfer ownership of your real estate, accounts and other property into the trust. You retain control, but upon your death, the person you name as your successor trustee can distribute your property without a court’s in...

07/15/2022

I work with a lot of business owners in my practice. Being a business owner can be chaotic and estate planning is probably the farthest thing from their mind when running a business. However, this article shows why it is still very important.

This may seem a bit bleak, but having an estate plan will put your mind at ease.

01/19/2022

Here is our most recent blog post. I wrote this article in response to a comment I received on LinkedIn. I hope it sheds some light on Pennsylvania's Estate Recovery program.

I recently posted an article on social media regarding Pennsylvania’s Estate Recovery Program and how to protect assets from Estate Recovery. I thought the article presented a good basic explanation of the Estate Recover...

01/17/2022

Have you ever wondered the difference between a nursing home and other types of care? Here is a good article that explains two different types of care. In Pennsylvania, we have both assisted living and personal care options with key difference between each.

If you have any questions about the different levels of care available for a loved one, give us a call.

What’s the difference between assisted living and nursing homes? Learn about services, costs, and benefits of assisted living vs. a nursing homes to choose for your relative.

01/14/2022

Clients often tell me that they think the nursing home is going to "take their house" if they or their spouse end up in a skilled nursing facility. That is not really how it works. Typically, the applicant has to meet certain asset and income requirements. The community spouse is able to keep a certain number of assets.

In Pennsylvania, when a recipient of Medical Assistance dies, their estate may be subject to the Estate Recovery program. Thus, it is important to understand what the program is and how to avoid your assets being subject to Estate Recovery.

Here is an article from a respected Florida attorney on how you can protect your assets from Medicaid Estate Recovery.

If you or a loved one have questions regarding Medical Assistance or the Estate Recovery program, please give us a call. We can help.

Understand how Medicaid estate recovery works - here is what you can do to plan for the future and protect your assets.