A change in a parent’s health can turn a future planning question into an immediate family responsibility. Willis Law Group LLC helps Morristown and Morris County families address long-term care, Medicaid planning, financial decision-making, trusts, guardianships, and estate administration.
Whether you are reviewing your own plans or helping someone you love, we can explain the legal issues and organize the next steps. Our Morristown office meets with clients by appointment.
Start with the decision your family needs to make
Some families come to us before care is needed. Others are already coordinating a nursing home admission, trying to use an older power of attorney, or managing a home while a parent receives care. Those situations call for different advice.
We begin with your immediate concerns, existing documents, and the people authorized to act. That helps us identify what can be addressed now, what requires further information, and which decisions should wait until the legal and financial consequences have been reviewed.
Planning before long-term care is needed
Advance planning gives families time to review ownership of property, sources of income, beneficiary designations, and the documents that authorize someone to help. We discuss asset protection planning in the context of your goals and future care needs.
A trust may be one part of a plan, but different trusts have different purposes and limitations. We help you understand the practical responsibilities involved, including which assets may need to be transferred and who will manage them. For wills, trusts, and broader estate planning, see our Morristown estate planning page.
When nursing home care is needed now
An immediate care need does not mean that every planning option has disappeared. It does mean that advice must be based on the family’s current facts. Our Medicaid planning team can review income, assets, prior transfers, marital circumstances, and available documents before advising on potential options.
2026 New Jersey MLTSS eligibility
Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) is New Jersey Medicaid’s long-term care program. It requires both financial eligibility and a clinical assessment establishing a nursing home level of care. Services may be available at home or in other approved settings; moving into a nursing home is not required to apply.
For 2026, the individual monthly gross-income cap is $2,982, and the applicant’s general countable-resource limit is $2,000. Resources are evaluated as of the first day of the month. These are MLTSS standards, not the income limits for every Medicaid program. See the state’s 2026 standards.
Income above the cap does not necessarily end your options: a properly established and funded Qualified Income Trust (QIT) can address excess income. A QIT does not shelter savings or eliminate required contributions toward care, and other eligibility rules still apply.
Married applicants may have additional protections. The community spouse’s 2026 resource allowance is generally the greater of $32,532 or half the couple’s assessed countable resources, subject to the ordinary $162,660 maximum and authorized exceptions. This is not an automatic allowance of the maximum. Separate spousal income protections may also apply.
Medicaid generally reviews transfers during a five-year look-back. Gifts or transfers below fair market value may trigger a period without long-term care coverage, subject to applicable exceptions. Review a proposed gift, deed change, or trust transfer before acting. Read NJ FamilyCare’s application guidance.
2026 figures checked October 23, 2026. Eligibility depends on individual circumstances and applicable rules.
Authority to help a parent or spouse
Family members often discover that a bank, care provider, or other institution needs documentation before sharing information or accepting instructions. We review financial powers of attorney and healthcare directives, explain the scope of an agent’s authority, and discuss what may be needed if existing documents do not address the situation.
Where a person may be unable to make certain decisions, we can discuss alternatives and whether a court proceeding is appropriate. Our guardianship practice assists families with adult guardianship matters. An urgent concern should be brought to our intake team’s attention when you contact us.
Support for trustees, executors, and family members
Managing someone else’s affairs can involve recordkeeping, communication with beneficiaries, and decisions about property and expenses. We advise on trust administration and estate administration, including understanding the documents and responsibilities involved.
If family members disagree about a trust, estate, or fiduciary’s conduct, we can also discuss whether assistance through our estate litigation practice is appropriate. We assess the particular concerns before suggesting a course of action.
Prepare for a useful first conversation
Tell us what has changed, who needs assistance, whether care is already in place, and whether a deadline is approaching. Existing wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and a general financial summary can help us understand the situation. You can contact us even if you are still gathering those materials.
Attorney Michael Willis is a former New Jersey Special Deputy Attorney General. He and our team focus on explaining the options and the steps needed to put advice into practice. Please confirm consultation availability, arrangements, and fees with our team.
Our Morristown office
Willis Law Group LLC
163 Madison Avenue, Suite 220
Morristown, NJ 07960
Meetings are by appointment. Let our team know that Morristown is your preferred office. View the Morristown office on Google Maps.
Discuss your elder law concern
Use the form below to tell us what assistance you are seeking and whether there is an approaching deadline. Please do not include sensitive account numbers or detailed confidential documents in this initial inquiry.
Helpful New Jersey information
NJ FamilyCare: guidance on long-term care Medicaid applications
New Jersey: guardianship and alternatives
This page offers general information and does not replace advice about your circumstances. Legal options and Medicaid eligibility depend on the facts and applicable law. An inquiry does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship.