Services
Katten Benson Zachry Golightly, LLP is an established elder law firm serving the Fort Worth community and surrounding areas since 1994. The firm has a reputation for providing quality legal services to the area’s aging residents.
What kind of services can we help you with? Our areas of planning are listed below. One of the advantages of working with Katten Benson Zachry Golightly, LLP: we work in many different areas, and can often provide an integrated solution for our clients. Click on your area of interest just below, or scroll down to read all of our areas of assistance.
Estate Planning * Medicaid Planning * Probate
Guardianship * VA Benefits * Disability Planning
Estate Planning
It is our belief that all adults, regardless of age, should have estate planning in place to meet their needs. Visit our Estate Planning page to see what options are available.
Medicaid Planning
With most issues in life, we tend to be more confident and better decision-makers when we have good information, and this is especially true of Medicaid planning. Katten Benson Zachry Golightly, LLP can show you or a loved one how to qualify for Medicaid as quickly as possible, working within the rules. Visit our Medicaid Planning page to learn the basics of Medicaid, and to learn when you might need help.
This process is highly individualized; therefore, it is difficult for us to give you a price quote without meeting with you first. If you are interested in having us assist you with Medicaid qualification, please call our office for a consultation.
Probate
Probate is the process of gathering assets, paying debts, distributing assets and changing title to property after a loved one passes away. There are several different probate procedures, and the one we choose is based on the facts of each case. Generally, we file a will for probate with the county the decedent lived in and open an administration, although that may not always be necessary. We can help you decide which option is the best for your family and situation.
Contrary to popular belief, the end goal of all estate planning is not necessarily to avoid probate! In some states, probate is an expensive and time-consuming process. In Texas, this is not always true. Most probate cases are relatively inexpensive and dealt with quickly. Again, every case is different, so if you have a question about planning to avoid probate or if you are in need of probate services, please call our office for a consultation.
Guardianship
Guardianship can occur in two contexts: guardianship of a minor child, and guardianship of an incapacitated adult. Our firm concentrates exclusively on the guardianship of incapacitated adults. Guardianship most often occurs when a person is incapacitated at some level, and either has no planning is in place to deal with the incapacitation, or there is a disagreement as to who is responsible for the care of that person. Our philosophy is one of inclusion. We believe in communicating with the family as a whole to try and avoid guardianship wherever possible, because guardianship is expensive and time-consuming. Sometimes, however, avoiding guardianship is not possible. Our firm can file an application with the court and represent our client through the process of obtaining guardianship. We are also sometimes appointed by the courts to serve in guardianship cases to represent the incapacitated person and their best interests.
VA Benefits
Are you a veteran, or was your spouse a veteran? Veterans or their surviving spouses may be eligible for one of several pension programs from the VA. Visit our VA Benefits page to learn about the different kinds of veterans benefits, and what we can and cannot help you do. It is important to note that during our planning, even if it includes the client intending to access VA services, we will do our best to not disqualify your loved one from other benefits he or she may need to apply for later.
Have Additional Questions?
We’re happy to answer all of your questions in an initial consultation, by phone or in our Fort Worth office. To schedule an appointment, call 817-857-4690 or contact us via email.
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