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David Carlson

David G. Carlson, Attorney at Law

David Carlson

David G. Carlson, Attorney at Law

David Carlson

David G. Carlson, Attorney at Law

Dave concentrates his practice in elder law, estate planning, probate of estates, real estate, business law, and guardianships. His membership affiliations include: National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, American Bar Association, Hampden County Estate Planning Council, Massachusetts Bar Association, Connecticut Bar Association, Hampden County Bar Association, and the Massachusetts Real Estate Bar Association. He was born and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts, graduating from Classical High School in 1977. In 1981 he received a B.A. in Economics from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois and, in 1984, earned his Juris Doctor degree from Albany Law School of Union University in Albany, New York. He was admitted to practice in Massachusetts and Connecticut in 1985 and in Illinois in 1986. Dave has been practicing over 25 years, including the last twenty years as a sole practitioner. In 2005 the office relocated from downtown Springfield to East Longmeadow, where he is conveniently located near the intersection of North Main Street and Westwood/Mapleshade Avenues. Dave and his wife Arva have four daughters and reside in Wilbraham. He is a past member of the Board of Editors of the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and has previously served on the Board of Directors of the following non-profit organizations: The ECC Board of Benevolence (a nationwide board overseeing fourteen retirement communities, two hospitals, and a childrens residential treatment facility), the Childrens Home of Cromwell CT, the Management Advisory Committee of Covenant Village of Cromwell, New Hope Community Health Clinic, and Straight Ahead Ministries. He was also a founder and long time board member of Action Centered Tutoring Services (an urban tutoring program in Springfield).

Firm Description

Dave was born and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts, graduating from Classical High School in 1977. In 1981 he received a B.A. in Economics from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois and, in 1984, earned his Juris Doctor degree from Albany Law School of Union University in Albany, New York. He was admitted to practice in Massachusetts and Connecticut in 1985 and in Illinois in 1986. He currently concentrates his practice in estate planning, elder law, probate of estates, real estate, business law, and guardianships. His membership affiliations include: National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (national, MA, and CT) American Bar Association Massachusetts Real Estate Bar Association Massachusetts Bar Association Connecticut Bar Association Hampden County Bar Association Hampden County Estate Planning Council After practicing with two firms in Springfield for the first six years of his practice, he began his solo venture in 1991. In 2005 the office relocated from downtown Springfield to East Longmeadow, where he is conveniently located near the intersection of North Main Street and Westwood/Mapleshade Avenues. Dave and his wife Arva have four daughters and reside in Wilbraham. He is a past member of the Board of Editors of the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and has previously served on the Board of Directors of the following non-profit organizations: The ECC Board of Benevolence (a nationwide board overseeing fourteen retirement communities, two hospitals, and a childrens residential treatment facility), the Childrens Home of Cromwell CT, the Management Advisory Committee of Covenant Village of Cromwell, New Hope Community Health Clinic, and Straight Ahead Ministries. He was also a founder and long time board member of Action Centered Tutoring Services (an urban tutoring program in Springfield).

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What Is an Elder Law Attorney?

Main Office

200 North Main Street
Suite 6
East Longmeadow, MA 01028

On the web

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Medicaid 101
What Medicaid Covers

In addition to nursing home care, Medicaid may cover home care and some care in an assisted living facility. Coverage in your state may depend on waivers of federal rules.

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How to Qualify for Medicaid

To be eligible for Medicaid long-term care, recipients must have limited incomes and no more than $2,000 (in most states). Special rules apply for the home and other assets.

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Medicaid’s Protections for Spouses

Spouses of Medicaid nursing home residents have special protections to keep them from becoming impoverished.

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What Medicaid Covers

In addition to nursing home care, Medicaid may cover home care and some care in an assisted living facility. Coverage in your state may depend on waivers of federal rules.

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How to Qualify for Medicaid

To be eligible for Medicaid long-term care, recipients must have limited incomes and no more than $2,000 (in most states). Special rules apply for the home and other assets.

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Medicaid’s Protections for Spouses

Spouses of Medicaid nursing home residents have special protections to keep them from becoming impoverished.

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Medicaid Planning Strategies

Careful planning for potentially devastating long-term care costs can help protect your estate, whether for your spouse or for your children.

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Estate Recovery: Can Medicaid Take My House After I’m Gone?

If steps aren't taken to protect the Medicaid recipient's house from the state’s attempts to recover benefits paid, the house may need to be sold.

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Help Qualifying and Paying for Medicaid, Or Avoiding Nursing Home Care

There are ways to handle excess income or assets and still qualify for Medicaid long-term care, and programs that deliver care at home rather than in a nursing home.

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Are Adult Children Responsible for Their Parents’ Care?

Most states have laws on the books making adult children responsible if their parents can't afford to take care of themselves.

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Applying for Medicaid

Applying for Medicaid is a highly technical and complex process, and bad advice can actually make it more difficult to qualify for benefits.

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Alternatives to Medicaid

Medicare's coverage of nursing home care is quite limited. For those who can afford it and who can qualify for coverage, long-term care insurance is the best alternative to Medicaid.

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ElderLaw 101
Estate Planning

Distinguish the key concepts in estate planning, including the will, the trust, probate, the power of attorney, and how to avoid estate taxes.

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Grandchildren

Learn about grandparents’ visitation rights and how to avoid tax and public benefit issues when making gifts to grandchildren.

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Guardianship/Conservatorship

Understand when and how a court appoints a guardian or conservator for an adult who becomes incapacitated, and how to avoid guardianship.

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Health Care Decisions

We need to plan for the possibility that we will become unable to make our own medical decisions. This may take the form of a health care proxy, a medical directive, a living will, or a combination of these.

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Estate Planning

Distinguish the key concepts in estate planning, including the will, the trust, probate, the power of attorney, and how to avoid estate taxes.

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Grandchildren

Learn about grandparents’ visitation rights and how to avoid tax and public benefit issues when making gifts to grandchildren.

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Guardianship/Conservatorship

Understand when and how a court appoints a guardian or conservator for an adult who becomes incapacitated, and how to avoid guardianship.

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Health Care Decisions

We need to plan for the possibility that we will become unable to make our own medical decisions. This may take the form of a health care proxy, a medical directive, a living will, or a combination of these.

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Long-Term Care Insurance

Understand the ins and outs of insurance to cover the high cost of nursing home care, including when to buy it, how much to buy, and which spouse should get the coverage.

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Medicare

Learn who qualifies for Medicare, what the program covers, all about Medicare Advantage, and how to supplement Medicare’s coverage.

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Retirement Planning

We explain the five phases of retirement planning, the difference between a 401(k) and an IRA, types of investments, asset diversification, the required minimum distribution rules, and more.

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Senior Living

Find out how to choose a nursing home or assisted living facility, when to fight a discharge, the rights of nursing home residents, all about reverse mortgages, and more.

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Social Security

Get a solid grounding in Social Security, including who is eligible, how to apply, spousal benefits, the taxation of benefits, how work affects payments, and SSDI and SSI.

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Special Needs Planning

Learn how a special needs trust can preserve assets for a person with disabilities without jeopardizing Medicaid and SSI, and how to plan for when caregivers are gone.

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Veterans Benefits

Explore benefits for older veterans, including the VA’s disability pension benefit, aid and attendance, and long-term care coverage for veterans and surviving spouses.

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