The Law Office of Michael Robinson, P.C. is located within the Rochester, NY area and provides legal representation to clients within this region.  The firm is an elder law and estate planning firm, which means that people of all ages can get help with creating financial plans as well as with issues related to end-of-life, incapacity, and inheritances.

Getting help to plan ahead in case you get sick or injured is essential, as is making a plan for what happens to your money and property when you pass away. Elder law and estate planning attorneys can help you to create your plan for these important issues and can also do much more. Whether you need advice on retirement, want to name a guardian for your children, are worried about who will care for your pets after death, or have any other worries about protecting assets and achieving financial stability, an elder law attorney is the right person to call.

Providing Services in Rochester, NY

The Law Office of Michael Robinson, P.C. is proud to offer estate planning and elder law services in Rochester, NY. Rochester is the third largest city in New York State, with a population of more than 210,000 people. It is located on Lake Ontario’s Southern shore and is the county seat of Monroe County. It also has a long history, as it was one of the first boomtowns in America.  While once known as a hub of manufacturing and as the home of many flour mills dotting the Genesee River, today Rochester is best known for nationally-renowned institutes of higher education including the Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Rochester.  

The city was named the nation’s most livable in 2007 out of 379 U.S. metro areas and was again recognized in 2010 as the third best place to raise a family, according to Forbes.  Those who settle in Rochester to raise their families need to take steps to make sure their loved ones will be financially secure and will not face difficult choices in the event either death or incapacity occurs. Elder law and estate planning can help young parents to name guardians for their children and can make it possible for people to ensure their loved ones are protected no matter what life throws at them.

Senior Residents of Rochester New York

In Rochester, NY, 9.2 percent of households are made up of people aged 65 and older who live alone.  In total, around 10 percent of the population in Rochester is 65 or older. Many seniors eventually begin to need either home healthcare as they age, or must go and live in a nursing home to receive custodial care.  

U.S. News & World Report Health indicates there are 49 nursing homes within the Rochester area. Just six of these homes has received a top ranking of five stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.  Seniors and their families need to ensure they have a financial plan in place for protecting assets while being able to afford the cost of a high-quality home that will provide acceptable levels of patient care.

One of the roles played by elder law attorneys in Rochester is to help seniors to understand options for getting long-term care coverage. Medicaid is usually the only form of insurance that will cover nursing home care for custodial care, but eligibility is means-tested so seniors would need to spend down assets unless they have worked with an attorney to create a Medicaid plan well in advance of the time they require nursing home care.

Elder Law and Estate Planning in Rochester

The Law Office of Michael Robinson, P.C. helps seniors, young families, and everyone in between with the elder law issues that matter. Our experienced legal team can assist you with:

• Writing a last will and testament.
• Creating trusts so the trusts can help your family to avoid probate and can also shield assets from estate taxes or potential loss.
• Creating a plan for incapacity in which you name an agent to act on your behalf if you cannot act so your family does not have to petition for guardianship.
• Creating a financial plan for retirement, college educations for your children, and other goals.
• Creating a comprehensive inheritance plan.

Whatever phase of life you are in, and whatever your goals are for your loved ones, an elder law and estate planning attorney can help you to identify the right legal tools to protect your family and to protect your own dignity as you age.

Courts That Matter in Rochester, NY Elder Law and Estate Planning

Much of the work done by elder law and estate planning attorneys is actually aimed at keeping people out of court. The goal is often to avoid probate, and to make sure guardianship proceedings are not necessary by creating a power of attorney.

Sometimes, however, people do need the court system to settle estates or to get a guardian appointed for a sick or injured relative who did not have an incapacity plan in plan. When this occurs in Rochester, most often the case will occur in the Monroe County Surrogate Court, which is a part of the Seventh Judicial District.  The address of this court is:

Room 541
Hall of Justice
99 Exchange Blvd.
Rochester, NY 14614

The court is open from Monday to Friday between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM. The telephone number is 585-371-3310 and the fax number is 585-371-3313. When court filing fees are paid, the check should be payable to “Monroe County Surrogate’s Court.”  

If you have business before this court, from contesting a will to serving as an executor of an estate to seeking guardianship, you need to ensure you understand how to make the legal system work for you. Having a Rochester NY probate attorney or guardianship attorney representing you is advisable.

Get Elder Law & Estate Planning Help in Rochester

The Law Office of Michael Robinson, P.C. can help with all of your estate planning and elder law needs. Give us a call at (585) 546-1734 or contact us online to learn more about the legal services that we offer to clients in the Rochester area.