With more than 22 years spent exclusively in elder law, Inna Fershteyn has built her New York practice around a single question that families ask too late: how do you protect assets and preserve care quality when a nursing home or long-term care becomes necessary?

Introduction

The Law Office of Inna Fershteyn focuses on elder law and the financial and medical planning that older adults and their families need before a crisis forces their hand. Inna Fershteyn has practiced in this field for over 22 years, which means her knowledge of Medicare, Medicaid, pooled income trusts, and nursing home cost structures is current, tested, and specific to the Tri-State region.

The firm operates from two locations: Manhattan at 310 East 2nd Street and Brooklyn at 1517 Voorhies Avenue. Clients from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut are served. The practice does not drift into unrelated areas. Every matter the firm handles connects to the core concern of protecting elderly clients and their families from the financial and legal consequences of aging.

Practice Areas

Medicare and Medicaid Planning
Medicaid eligibility rules for nursing home coverage are detailed, asset-sensitive, and subject to lookback periods that catch families off guard when planning starts too late. The firm guides clients through planning strategies that preserve assets while meeting eligibility requirements. Medicare planning addresses what Medicare covers, where it stops, and how clients can position themselves to fill the gaps.

Pooled Income Trusts
New York Medicaid rules require that excess income be placed into a pooled income trust to maintain eligibility while paying for community-based care. The firm assists clients in establishing and using these trusts correctly.

Nursing Home Fee Avoidance
One of the most urgent concerns for families with an elderly relative facing long-term care is the cost. The firm works on legal strategies to reduce or avoid nursing home fees while maintaining access to quality care.

Adult Guardianship
When an adult can no longer manage their own affairs and has not established advance directives, a court-appointed guardianship may be required. The firm handles these proceedings for families in that situation.

Advance Directives
Advance directives include healthcare powers of attorney, living wills, and revocable trusts. These documents give older adults control over their medical and financial decisions even if they become incapacitated. The firm prepares these documents with the precision that elder law requires.

Estate Planning
The firm prepares wills and trusts as part of a broader elder law plan. Coordination between estate planning documents and Medicaid planning is essential to avoid strategies that inadvertently create eligibility problems.

Special Needs Trusts
For clients with disabled beneficiaries, special needs trusts allow assets to be left to a person with disabilities without disqualifying them from government benefits they depend on.

Healthcare Planning
Beyond advance directives, healthcare planning addresses the full picture of medical decision-making: who makes decisions, under what circumstances, and how those decisions are documented and communicated.

Attorney Profiles

Inna Fershteyn
Inna Fershteyn has practiced elder law for more than 22 years. Her practice is built around the intersection of healthcare and financial planning for older adults, with particular depth in Medicaid planning, nursing home cost strategies, and the trust structures that protect assets across generations. The firm’s two New York locations and Tri-State service area allow her to serve clients in the metropolitan area and surrounding region.

Location & Service Area

The firm operates from two locations:

Manhattan: 310 East 2nd Street
Brooklyn: 1517 Voorhies Avenue

Phone: (718) 333-2395
Website: advanced-legal.com

The firm serves clients throughout the Tri-State area, including New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

Client Focus

The firm serves older adults, their adult children, and families dealing with the planning and legal decisions that arise as people age. The client who benefits most from early engagement is one whose family has not yet faced a nursing home or long-term care situation but can see it on the horizon. Medicaid planning is most effective when started years before it is needed, and the firm’s 22-plus years in elder law means it understands both the urgency and the timeline involved.

Families already in crisis, dealing with an immediate nursing home placement or a guardianship need, are also served. The firm handles both the planning side and the emergency response side of elder law.

FAQ

What is a Pooled Income Trust and who needs one?
A Pooled Income Trust is a New York Medicaid requirement for individuals who have income above the Medicaid limit but still need community-based care. Excess income is deposited into the trust and used for the individual’s expenses. This preserves Medicaid eligibility without requiring the person to simply spend down all income. The firm assists clients in establishing and using these trusts.

How early should families start Medicaid planning?
Medicaid has a five-year lookback period for asset transfers. Planning that starts years before nursing home care is needed produces far better outcomes than planning that begins after a placement. The firm serves clients at both stages, but early planning provides more options.

What is the difference between a healthcare power of attorney and a living will?
A healthcare power of attorney designates a specific person to make medical decisions if the client becomes incapacitated. A living will documents the client’s wishes about specific medical interventions, such as resuscitation or artificial nutrition, in situations where they cannot speak for themselves. The firm prepares both as part of a complete advance directive package.

Does the firm handle special needs trusts for disabled family members?
Yes. Special needs trusts allow assets to pass to a disabled beneficiary without disqualifying them from government benefit programs. This is a specific area within the firm’s estate planning practice.

Does the firm serve clients in New Jersey and Connecticut?
Yes. The firm’s service area covers the Tri-State region, including New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

Closing

Elder law done well requires more than document preparation. It requires an attorney who understands how Medicaid rules interact with estate plans, how nursing home costs can be legally managed, and how the decisions made today will affect options five or ten years from now. Twenty-two years of practice in this specific field is not a credential on paper; it is the accumulation of cases, rule changes, and client situations that makes the difference between a plan that holds and one that fails at the worst moment. Families in the Tri-State area can reach the firm at (718) 333-2395 or visit advanced-legal.com.