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John Laster

Law Offices of John L. Laster

John Laster

Law Offices of John L. Laster

John Laster

Law Offices of John L. Laster

John Laster is a lawyer licensed to practice in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. He limits his practice to wealth transfer planning, trusts, wills, powers of attorney, health care decision-making issues, estate administration and related tax, elder law and disability concerns.

Listed in The Best Lawyers in America and Virginia Super Lawyers, he is an adjunct professor in Aging and the Law at Georgetown University Law School. He is also a frequent speaker for both lay and professional groups. A member of the D.C. Estate Planning Council, he has lectured for many institutions, government agencies, civic organizations, and professional associations. He annually teaches lawyers about planning for incapacity at a D.C. Bar Continuing Legal Education program. In addition, he has served as chair of the Committee on Special Needs Trusts and Long Term Care of the American Bar Association Section on Real Property, Trust and Estate Law. He is a founding member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and a charter member of the Academy for Special Needs Planning.

For over twenty-five years, his clients have included seniors with grandchildren, "sandwich generation" care givers, young parents with newborns, couples whose adult child has significant disabilities, individuals in non-traditional relationships, and single people. Some of his clients possess great material wealth; others do not. Some are motivated to preserve assets in a challenging wealth transfer tax environment. Others are primarily concerned with safeguarding the well-being of their dependents. Still others focus their energy on improving life on this planet through charitable plans. All of his clients are united in having chosen to improve the future for someone other than themselves.

He participated in the 1994 Fordham University invitational conference to clarify ethical issues that arise in connection with representing seniors and the 2001 Stetson University invitational Wingspan conference to revisit issues of guardianship reform.

John was graduated from Oberlin College and Catholic University. He is married to Barbara Laster, a reading professor. Together, they live in Northern Virginia with assorted family members - some of whom live there and some of whom just come to visit! John serves on the board of directors of Community Living Alternatives, Inc., a Northern Virginia organization that serves the needs of persons with disabilities.

Firm Description

John Laster, an attorney specializing in wills, trusts, planning for special needs, healthcare decision-making tools, and estate administration, practices in Virginia, Washington and Maryland.

Hours

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Cost

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What Is an Elder Law Attorney?

Main Office

103 Rowell Court
Old Brickhouse Square
Falls Church, VA 22046

On the web

View Firm Website


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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