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Donald Hawbaker

Law Office of Donald F. Hawbaker

Donald Hawbaker

Law Office of Donald F. Hawbaker

Donald Hawbaker

Law Office of Donald F. Hawbaker

Personal service is the hallmark of the Law Office of Donald F. Hawbaker. Attorney Donald F. Hawbaker brings a level of personal, responsive attention that is rare in the practice of law today. He is known as "the lawyer who still makes house calls," primarily covering elder law and estate planning matters, as well as probate and estate administration. He offers evening and weekend appointments, and is available for consultations in a setting that is convenient to you.

Firm Description

The Law Office of Donald F. Hawbaker provides affordable and effective legal services to individuals and businesses in Griffin, Georgia, and other communities in the south metro Atlanta area.

With more than 35 years of legal experience, attorney Donald F. Hawbaker has the ability to counsel you on a broad range of legal issues, including:

  • Estate planning, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney and living wills
  • Elder law services, including planning to protect your nest egg from the high cost of nursing home and long-term care
  • Probate and guardianship proceedings

While most legal issues can be resolved through negotiation, it's important to select an attorney who can represent you in court if needed. Don Hawbaker is a trial lawyer who can take your case as far as it needs to go to obtain a positive outcome. He is an experienced probate litigator who can represent you as a plaintiff or defendant in probate litigation. He is a former Chief Circuit Mediator for two U.S. Courts of Appeals - the First Circuit Court in Boston and the Eleventh Circuit Court in Atlanta.

Hours

Day From To
Sunday 12:00 PM 6:00 PM
Monday 7:30 AM 6:00 PM
Tuesday 7:00 AM 6:00 PM
Wednesday 7:30 AM 6:00 PM
Thursday 7:30 AM 6:00 PM
Friday 7:30 AM 6:00 PM
Saturday 10:00 AM 4:00 PM

Cost

What Is an Elder Law Attorney?

Main Office

1121 Satilla Court
Griffin, GA 30223

On the web

View Firm Website

Social Media


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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
Grandchildren

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

READ MORE
Guardianship/Conservatorship

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

READ MORE
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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