Our practice model is focused on empowering our clients through education and comprehensive information. I am an attorney primarily focused on helping families in Virginia navigate the world of estate planning and elder law. With over 22 years of legal experience, I have been honored to represent individuals, businesses, and our wonderful community in a wide range of legal matters. Most recently,
I had the privilege of serving as the Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney for Fairfax County, a jurisdiction of around 1.2 million people. I have been named to SuperLawyers and I am Peer Review Rated as AV® Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell. Having spent years representing clients in litigation, I understand the most valuable service a lawyer can provide is keeping their clients out of court. The court process is long, it is extremely expensive, and it is very stressful for clients. Moreover, regardless of an attorney’s talent, court outcomes are highly unpredictable given that human beings are involved in the decision-making process. In some legal areas, such as criminal law, the case almost always starts with a court filing so avoiding court is not possible. However, with estate planning, avoiding court is entirely possible with proactive planning. Moreover, the cost savings and other benefits of avoiding court and probate are substantial – greatly exceeding the expense of planning. As a parent myself, I understand the concerns that many people with young children share. Questions like, "What will the court do with my children if something happens to me today?" or "What other decisions will the court make for my family if I don't plan ahead?" or “What will happen to me and my affairs if I become incapacitated in an auto accident or have a medical emergency?” weigh heavily on the minds of parents. I'm here to help address these concerns and plan accordingly. I also recognize that for those that are more senior, they may be facing a long-term care crisis. Seniors have a 70% chance of needing long-term care services and support in the final third of their life. However, the average cost of inpatient long-term care is between $10,000 and $12,000 a month, and Medicare does not cover any long-term care costs. Absent proactive planning, seniors needing long-term care are required by Medicaid rules to spend down their entire life savings to below $2,000 before Medicaid will cover any of the monthly cost. While some states exempt certain retirement assets from this spend down, Virginia does not. While we will talk a lot about your home, and possibly your IRA, or other assets, at its core, estate planning is about retaining control over your future and the future of your loved ones. Planning is about taking control and making sure that YOU, not a court or a third party, decides what happens if you become incapacitated, or to your children if you pass when they are minors. It’s about making sure that the assets you have are immediately available (rather than tied up in court proceedings), and are not unnecessarily depleted (by court costs, appraisal fees, outside financial guardians, lawyers, etc.), in the event of your incapacity or death, and used fully to support the choices you make as to how you want to be cared for, and how you want your loved ones to be cared for. On a personal note, I am a father of three children. What they bring to this experience for me is an awareness that planning is something you do for the people you love the most. You may or may not be the one to benefit from the plan we design, but your loved ones surely will. I am guessing that is why you are here. I look forward to talking with you about those people and how we can ensure that they are cared for and protected.
