What are your areas of practice?
We focus our practice on the following areas:
- Estate Planning (Wills, Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, and Trusts)
- Estate and Trust Administration (Handling estate assets and taxes)
- Elder Law / Nursing Home Medicaid Planning (Asset preservation planning and Medicaid applications)
How do you charge for your services?
Estate planning:
Our fee is typically based on the documents that we prepare for you (Will, Trust, Durable Power of Attorney, etc.) and can depend on the complexity of the documents and time spent. Typically, the cost of the first office conference is included in the fee for the documents we prepare. The fee is payable at the time of signing these documents. If no new documents are needed, we charge an hourly fee for the time you spent with the attorney.
Estate and trust administration:
Our fee for handling an estate is typically based on the time and expertise required to complete the administration of the estate. Each estate is unique, but we are generally able to provide an estimate of our fee during the initial consultation. The fee is payable near the end of the estate administration. If after meeting we determine that a probate estate is not necessary or you prefer not to have us assist with the estate, we will simply charge hourly for the consultation and advice.
Nursing home Medicaid planning:
For Medicaid planning in advance, we bill on an hourly basis. If we are preparing and funding a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT) a flat fee usually applies. For a Medicaid gifting plan or a Medicaid application, we generally charge a flat fee which is based on the complexity of the case. This fee does not cover the cost of any appeals.
Why should you choose us over our competitors?
At Niehaus Law Office, we practice exclusively in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, and nursing home Medicaid planning, and have encountered a wide variety of individual client circumstances in those fields. Our experience, practicality, and personal service are attractive to many clients.