In southeastern Michigan, a nursing home stay costs an average of $90,000 per year. For most families, that figure represents the most significant financial risk they will face in their lifetimes. Ann Arbor Elder Law, PLLC is built around that reality: Reid McCarthy founded the practice as a boutique firm focused on Medicaid planning, long-term care planning, and estate planning for seniors and their families. The firm is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and can be reached at (734) 945-9693.
The Practice Model
Reid McCarthy runs a personal practice. He answers his own phone. He makes house calls for clients who cannot travel to the office. He does not delegate cases to paralegals. His description of the practice reflects its structure: when a family is in a Medicaid crisis, they need not just an attorney, but someone who has been through these situations before and knows what to expect at each stage.
This model contrasts with high-volume elder law practices that process large numbers of cases through staff while attorneys handle review and oversight functions. The attorney is directly involved in each matter rather than supervising from a distance.
Practice Areas
Medicaid Planning
Michigan Medicaid, the state’s version of the federal Medicaid program, covers nursing home costs for individuals who qualify based on financial need. Qualifying for Medicaid while protecting family assets requires navigating a specific set of asset and income rules, a look-back period for asset transfers, and a process of document preparation and negotiation with the local Medicaid office.
The firm’s Medicaid planning work addresses both advance planning (for clients who are healthy and want to protect assets before they need long-term care) and crisis planning (for families where a loved one is already in or about to enter a nursing home). These are different situations with different legal strategies. The firm handles both.
Errors in Medicaid applications are common: applying too early before the right assets are in place; applying too late after assets have been spent; submitting incomplete documentation; not understanding how the look-back period affects prior asset transfers. The firm’s role is to identify the proper timing, prepare the required documentation, and negotiate with the local Medicaid office on behalf of the client.
Long-Term Care Planning
Long-term care planning is the broader framework around Medicaid planning. It addresses how a family will pay for care, what legal documents need to be in place before care is needed, and how to navigate the process of finding appropriate care settings. At $90,000 per year for a nursing home in southeastern Michigan, families who do not plan face the prospect of spending down all their savings before accessing Medicaid.
Estate Planning
The firm provides estate planning for seniors and their families, including wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. For elder law clients, estate planning and long-term care planning are not separate: the same documents that govern who makes decisions during incapacity are relevant to long-term care situations. The firm addresses both together.
Special Needs Planning
Legal planning for individuals with disabilities to ensure that inheritances and assets do not disqualify them from government benefit programs such as Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income. Special needs trusts are the primary legal instrument used.
Care Navigation
The firm assists families in finding appropriate care settings for elderly loved ones, including understanding the differences between levels of care and how to access them. This is a support function that extends beyond the legal documents into the practical realities of finding and accessing care.
Service Area
The firm serves clients in Washtenaw County, Michigan; western Wayne County; Lenawee County; Livingston County; and Monroe County. The Ann Arbor office is accessible to clients throughout the southeastern Michigan region.
Contact and Access
The firm can be reached by phone at (734) 945-9693 or by email at [email protected]. House call availability is noted for clients facing Medicaid crises or mobility challenges. The firm’s website is annarborelderlaw.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Medicaid crisis, and how does the firm handle it?
A Medicaid crisis occurs when a person is already in, or is immediately entering, a nursing home and the family has not done advance planning to protect assets. At this stage, standard advance planning strategies may not be available, but crisis planning strategies still exist. The firm handles crisis situations specifically, working under time pressure to implement available legal strategies and move toward a Medicaid application as quickly as possible.
Is it too late to plan if a family member is already in a nursing home?
No. Crisis Medicaid planning is a distinct practice area that addresses exactly this situation. While advance planning provides more options and typically results in more asset protection, families who come to the firm during a nursing home placement still have available strategies. The specific options depend on the assets involved, the timing, and the state’s Medicaid rules at the time of application.
What counties does the firm serve?
The firm serves Washtenaw County (where Ann Arbor is located), as well as western Wayne County, Lenawee County, Livingston County, and Monroe County. This area covers much of southeastern Michigan outside of Detroit proper.
Why is the timing of a Medicaid application important?
Michigan Medicaid has specific asset limits that an applicant must meet at the time of application. It also has a look-back period (currently 60 months for nursing home Medicaid) during which prior asset transfers are reviewed. Applying before the right asset structure is in place can result in a period of ineligibility. Applying after assets have been spent needlessly can result in loss of protection the law would otherwise have allowed. The firm’s role includes identifying the right timing for each client’s situation.
Does the firm make house calls?
Yes. Reid McCarthy makes house calls for clients who cannot travel to the office, particularly for clients experiencing Medicaid-related crises or facing mobility limitations. This is noted explicitly in the firm’s description of its practice approach.