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Sergio White

Family First Estate Planning Law Center

Sergio White

Family First Estate Planning Law Center

Sergio White

Family First Estate Planning Law Center

Sergio White is the Owner and Principal Attorney of Family First Estate Planning Law Center.  Mr. White is a Califonia native who graduated from The University of Southern California in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Sciene.  He received his Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles in 1989 and was admitted to the California Bar in June of 1990.  As a general practitioner, Mr. White has extensive experience in the areas of Family Law, Bankruptcy, Civil Litigation and Personal Injury.  In recent years, however, he has focused his attention and energies on the area of Estate planning and Elder Care because of the difficulties that his family experienced when his wife's father became unexpectedly ill, and the family learned first hand about the issues surrounding long term illness, Medicaid, insurance and the high cost associated with long term care.  His goal is ensure that families get the help that they need during such difficult times and to preserve for the family the legacy and wealth that they worked so hard to create. 

Firm Description

Family First Estate Planning Law Center advises businesses, senior citizens, and their families about the legal challenges facing them today. For seniors and their families facing the issues of aging, we counsel clients and provide solutions on:  Wills, Trusts, Asset Protection, Specials Needs Trusts, Guardianships, Medi-Cal (Medicaid) and Estate Planning, Nursing Home Matters & Estate Administration.  Our business clients rely on us as their trusted advisors and legal counsel, and they look to us to assist them with succession planning for their business. 

The mission of our firm is to provide our clients with professional service, designed to help you preserve the legacy, which you have worked so hard to build, for your family.  At Family First, we strive to maintain a high level of service and keeping costs reasonable through effective management of your estate by working with you, your financial planner and/or other related professionals to help you achieve your financial and estate planning goals.  Our staff realizes that our clients are entrusting us with the matters that are most important to them, and we never lose sight of your goals or your focus.

Hours

Day From To
Monday 9:00 AM 5:30 PM
Tuesday 9:00 AM 5:30 PM
Wednesday 9:00 AM 5:30 PM
Thursday 9:00 AM 5:30 PM
Friday 9:00 AM 5:30 PM
Saturday By Appointment Only

Cost

What Is an Elder Law Attorney?

Main Office

505 N. Tustin Ave., Suite 235
Santa Ana, CA 92705

517 N. Mountain Avenue, #219
Upland, CA 91786

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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