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Robert C. Gerhard III, CELA*, Elder Law Attorney

Robert C. Gerhard III,Certified Elder Law Attorney

Robert C. Gerhard III, CELA*, Elder Law Attorney

Robert C. Gerhard III,Certified Elder Law Attorney

Robert C. Gerhard III, CELA*, Elder Law Attorney

Robert C. Gerhard III,Certified Elder Law Attorney

Mr. Gerhard is an elder law specialist with the law firm of Gerhard & Gerhard, P.C. located in Jenkintown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania where he has practiced elder law for 20 years. He limits his practice to elder law matters, and helps clients to protect assets from long-term care costs by qualifying them for Medical Assistance (Medicaid) long-term care benefits and navigating the Medicaid application process. Mr. Gerhard is certified as an elder law attorney (CELA) by the National Elder Law Foundation.

Mr. Gerhard is author of the law treatise Pennsylvania Medicaid Long-Term Care 2018 (currently in its 14th Edition) and the Pennsylvania Medicaid Long-term Care Lawsource, both published by the George T. Bisel Company. He devotes his practice exclusively to elder law matters.

He has served as the Chair of the Montgomery Bar Association's Elder Law Committee for over 15 years, and is a past Chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Elder Law Section. 

Mr. Gerhard is a member of the Montgomery County and Philadelphia Estate Planning Councils, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and is President-elect of the Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys (PAELA.)  

Mr. Gerhard received his law degree (J.D.) from the Dickinson School of Law and earned his tax law degree (LL.M. Taxation) from the Villanova University School of Law. Mr. Gerhard served as law clerk to the Honorable Theodore S. Gutowicz in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Orphans' Court Division. 

He has been honored with Martindale Hubbell's highest lawyer rating of "AV Preeminent" for legal ability and ethics, and has been selected for inclusion in 2005 - 2018 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers® and Philadelphia's Best Lawyers® 2018 Edition in the field of elder law. 

Mr. Gerhard is co-author and editor of the most recent edition of the Montgomery County Elder Law Handbook, and is the long-time editor of the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Elder Law Section Newsletter. 

Mr. Gerhard teaches numerous continuing education courses for attorneys and long-term care professionals, including Representing an Individual Entering a Nursing Home, Medicaid Spousal Protection Rules for Long-term Care, and The Do's and Don'ts of the Medicaid Application Process.

Robert C. Gerhard III received the Excellence in Elder Law Award from the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Elder Law Section. This award recognized Gerhard for "superior professional efforts in the field of elder law, significant contributions to the legal profession and noteworthy service to the elderly." The award was presented during the 17th Annual Elder Law Institute at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA.

*Certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Firm Description

Robert C. Gerhard, III is a partner with the Montgomery County elder law firm of Gerhard & Gerhard, P.C. He devotes his practice exclusively to elder law matters, emphasizing Medicaid law and asset protection planning for families facing nursing home situations.

Hours

Day From To
Monday 9:00 AM 5:00 PM
Tuesday 9:00 AM 5:00 PM
Wednesday 9:00 AM 5:00 PM
Thursday 9:00 AM 5:00 PM
Friday 9:00 AM 5:00 PM

Cost

Fixed fee or hourly, depending on nature of work involved. We prefer to set fixed fees when possible.

What Is an Elder Law Attorney?

Main Office

815 Greenwood Avenue
Suite 8
Jenkintown, PA 19046

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.

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.

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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.

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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