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Michael C. Rudolph Esq.

Michael C. Rudolph, Esq. P.A.

Michael C. Rudolph Esq.

Michael C. Rudolph, Esq. P.A.

Michael C. Rudolph Esq.

Michael C. Rudolph, Esq. P.A.

At the law office of Michael C. Rudolph, Esq., P.A., in Kinnelon, New Jersey, I help clients of all generations with their estate planning needs. My Elder Law clients include senior citizens and their families who need asset protection, Medicaid planning and Medicaid applications (including Qualified Income Trusts).  I also represent families with adult children and grandchildren who need advice on how to minimize estate and inheritance taxes and asset protection.  In addition, families with young children look to me for guidance in making plans for the financial protection of their children in case of an unforeseen disaster, as well as the proper designation of guardians for minor children.  My clients also include individuals and couples who have no children but who, nevertheless, have planning issues that must be addressed. I am equally comfortable handling the needs of civil union couples. Frequently, the adult children of my senior citizen clients ask me to help them with estate planning to avoid some of the problems their parents have experienced.

I continue to represent individuals and small businesses in selected corporate and real estate transactions. Although I no longer accept new traditional divorce cases, I do represent clients in Medicaid divorces as one of the tools to assist couples who face the potentially devastating financial consequences that can occur when one spouse enters a nursing home, and I draft pre-nuptial agreements for clients who are about to enter into second marriages or who marry for the first time later in life. I have been a lawyer for 50 years and have handled just about every type of case imaginable. My diverse background has given me the experience necessary to represent my clients zealously and efficiently. Combined with the patience to get the job done for my clients, I provide the personal attention clients expect and need. I take the time to understand the goals and concerns of my clients and develop customized solutions designed specifically to accommodate their needs. I respond promptly to all inquiries and typically return phone calls and emails within one business day. When a client calls needs representation in an area of law I do not handle, I usually can make a referral to someone who can help.

Firm Description

As people enter their Golden Years, it is important for them to plan properly for a time when they may not be able to care for themselves and, eventually, when they die. It's not a subject people like to think about, but it is a fact of life that needs to be treated seriously. As a Senior Citizen myself, I understand not only the laws affecting Seniors but the family issues as well.

Elder Law is all about being prepared.  My philosophy can be summed up in six words:  THINK AHEAD. PLAN AHEAD. ACT NOW!  It applies to all aspects of life, but especially to estate and asset protection planning.  If you wait for a crisis to happen before taking action, your options can be severely limited. In my firm, we customize plans for our clients to include wills, financial powers of attorney, medical directives and living wills. Where appropriate, we include trust provisions in wills or draft separate revocable or irrevocable living trusts. When a guardianship is necessary, we can handle the court proceedings necessary to achieve the desired result.  And when clients die, we can help with probate and estate administration.

Elder Law planning should be done with a view toward asset preservation, Medicaid qualification if the client needs public assistance to finance long term care and protection of the well spouse if he or she is able to remain in the community. The Medicaid laws are complicated and confusing, and the Medicaid application process can be intimidating and frustrating. We are experienced in processing those applications and can help to facilitate the process.

My primary office is in Kinnelon, where I see clients from Passaic, Morris Sussex and Essex coun ties.  I have a satellite office in Oakland at 195 Ramapo Valley Road (same telephone number:  973-838-3636) where I see clients from Bergen County and parts of Passaic County. Both offices are handicap accessible.

For more information visit my website www.michaelrudolph.com.

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What Is an Elder Law Attorney?

Main Office

154 Boonton Avenue
Kinnelon, NJ 07405

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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