Search Articles

Find Attorneys

;

Joseph McHugh

LA Law Center, PC

Joseph McHugh

LA Law Center, PC

Joseph McHugh

LA Law Center, PC

Joseph (Joe) McHugh is a highly experienced and caring attorney that has earned an excellent reputation for representing clients in the areas of Asset Protection, Business Law, Estate Planning, Wills & Trusts, Elder Law, Conservatorships, Trust and Probate Administration, Contracts and Business Organization Formations. He is the founder and principal of the LA LAWCENTER, LLP, located in Glendale, California (www.la-lawcenter.com).

Joe has an undergraduate degree from California State University at Fullerton in Business Administration, with an emphasis on Finance and Accounting. He worked in the project finance division of Walt Disney's design group, Walt Disney Imagineering and spent many years with the Disney organization in the areas of project development and contract administration.

In 1986, Joe graduated from Whittier College School of Law, and became a member of the California State Bar. Joe spent several years helping clients plan businesses and projects, and has acted as in-house counsel raising equity funding, creating joint ventures and subsidiary companies, and various international business transactions.

Starting with the birth of his first child in 1987, Joe developed a special interest in Estate Planning and Elder Law. Personal knowledge of problems suffered by family and friends related to probate, elder and disability issues, estate taxes, family discord, and other situations that could have been planned for and avoided, focused Joe on the course of Estate Planning and Elder Law as his primary legal practice.

Joe is an active member of the State Bar of California, as well as the Bar's Business, Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Sections; the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys; California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform; Life Care Planning Law Firm Association; and several bar associations such as the Los Angeles County Bar, the Beverly Hills Bar, and the Irish-American Bar (with a name like McHugh, he just has to be a member).

Joe is a sought after attorney to speak at seminars and local gatherings to educate the community on asset protection and legal issues for the family and small businesses. He makes complex legal topics easy to understand in his informative educational speaking sessions.

Joe resides in Southern California with his wife, Kathy and their children, Shannon and Trevor, several dogs, horses, cats and a wild peacock. He is a Civilian Volunteer with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Mounted Posse, riding his Palomino Quarter Horse, Kali (Miss Kalifornia).

Firm Description

The LA Law Center, PC is an Estate Planning & Elder Law firm based in Southern California, Los Angeles, Glendale/Burbank & Pasadena areas.

We are highly experienced and caring attorneys that have earned an excellent reputation for being trusted Estate Planning and Elder Law Lawyers serving Los Angeles County in Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Probate, Wills, Living Trusts, Special Needs Trusts, Irrevocable Trusts, Charitable Remainder Trusts, Conservatorships, Guardianships, Long Term Care Planning, and Medi-Cal Planning,.

Hours

Day From To
Sunday By Appointment Only
Monday 8:30 AM 6:00 PM
Tuesday 8:30 AM 6:00 PM
Wednesday 8:30 AM 6:00 PM
Thursday 8:30 AM 6:00 PM
Friday 6:00 AM 6:00 PM
Saturday By Appointment Only

Cost

What Is an Elder Law Attorney?

Main Office

3100 W. Burbank Blvd.
Suite 201
Burbank, CA 91505

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.

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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
Medicare

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

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE