LEGAL SERVICES

Honored as one of the "Best Law Firms for Elder Law", we  focus on the important issues that impact the lives of older persons and their families.  Elder law spans and encompasses elder care planning issues, such as access to the appropriate type of medical and personal care, coordinating the finance of private care, taxation, guardianship and conservatorship, general estate planning, estate and trust administration, and planning for incapacity. 

The following are just a few of the areas in which our attorneys can assist you and your family:

• Disability planning, including use of durable powers of attorney, living trusts, medical powers of attorney and other means of delegating management and decision-making to another in case of incapacity.
• Guardianship and conservatorship (also known as protective) proceedings.
• Estate planning, including planning for the management of ones estate during life.
• Probate and estate administration issues involving Last Wills and Testaments and trusts.

At MWM Legal Group, PLLC,  we have significant experience in guardianship matters, trusts and other planning options for clients who might want to protect the assets of a family member with a disability or their inheritance, while ensuring that a beneficiary remains eligible for public benefits. 

Additionally, we provide guidance and expertise when the disabled individual is expected to receive a settlement, inheritance, or payments under a divorce or property settlement agreement.

Common public benefits that need to be protected include:

• Social Security, Social Security Disability, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Medicaid
• Medicare
• Civil Service and Military Survivor Benefits
• Housing Choice Voucher Programs (“Section 8”)

Lamya Moosa is a frequent speaker at local area programs to parents who have special needs children.

We provide estate planning services to individuals and families of all ages and circumstances. Our goal is to help our clients plan and provide for the distribution of their estates as they intend in the most efficient and effective manner possible.

Estate planning is appropriate and helpful regardless of the size of the estate.  With proper planning, your estate will go to the people you want, in the way you want, when you want. It permits you to save as much as possible on taxes, court costs, administrative fees and may avoid red tape and financial hardship for your family.

A properly drafted estate plan provides for the management of your affairs during your lifetime, in the event of your incapacity, and at your death.  The following are examples of the types of documents we typically prepare on your behalf:

• Advance Medical Directives
• Durable General Powers of Attorney
• Last Wills and Testaments, to include testamentary Trusts
• Trusts (Revocable and irrevocable; Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts; Pet Trusts; Supplemental Needs Trusts)

Whether you are seeking experienced assistance in drafting a simple Last Will and Testament, or knowledgeable guidance in intergenerational tax planning and asset preservation, our accomplished attorneys will assist you with all aspects of your estate plan.

MWM Legal Group, PLLC provides a full range of personalized legal services and advice for the administration of estates and trusts. Our services include the following: 

• Representing fiduciaries in the administration of the estates of decedents, minors, and incapacitated persons.
• Probating wills.
• Providing counsel to fiduciaries about marshaling and managing estate and trust assets. 
• Preparing and filing inventories and accountings with the Commissioner of Accounts. 
• Appearing at hearings before the Commissioner of Accounts and the Circuit Courts. 
• Preparing and filing estate and gift tax returns.
• Responding to Court audits, administrative, and judicial inquiries.
• Litigating issues involving trusts and estates.

Administration of trusts and estates can be complicated, even for small estates. Fiduciaries often can save time and avoid errors by obtaining professional advice and assistance while administering an estate or trust.   

Family law encompasses a broad range of statutes that govern the legal relationship between parties who are connected domestically. While this usually involves parties who are related by blood or marriage there are many cases in which other parties are directly or indirectly involved. Family Law is more than working with highly volatile cases of dispute in a divorce. Even in a case where all parties are agreeable, simply working out the legal details and protecting everyone involved requires experienced legal assistance.

Assistance in areas of family law should start as early as possible. Due to the fact that there are many unique facets that define each individual case, making decisions starts faster than most realize. Often the simplest of decisions will start to define how a case will play out in the long term. Additionally, taking the steps to plan ahead before disputes occur will serve to decrease exposure emotionally and financially in years to come. The following practice areas should be considered for legal advice: 

• Divorce
• Child Custody and Visitation
• Child and Spousal Support
• Separation and Property Settlement Agreements
• Prenuptial/Premarital Agreements
• Protective Orders/ Restraining Orders

Parental Rights And Obligations

It is understandable and expected that a parent’s first concern is the safety and well being of his or her children. For this reason one of the most commonly disputed issues in family courts is child custody. Often the emotions involved with a divorce or separation can cloud the judgment of one or both parties and cause the decision making process to be difficult and ardent. Regardless of the relationship between guardians, a judge will always seek to do what he or she feels is “in the best interest of the children”. The following are some common questions and concerns that parents or guardians have: 

• Who will have physical custody?
• Who will decide medical issues?
• How is child support determined?
• Can I move out of state?

The difficulty in answering many of these questions comes with the complexities involved with the circumstances surrounding the family and their situation. At MWM Legal Group, PLLC we feel it is vital to have a full understanding of the situation and the long-term goals of our clients in order to build a case strategy that will protect our clients during the process and in the future. 

Making Assumptions

One of the biggest mistakes people make in family litigation is assuming certain facts to be true based on the experiences and advice of friends and family. While it is true that a mass quantity of information is readily accessible to everyone, the availability of correct information is not. When dealing with your children, assets, or finances, leaving your future to speculation is advice no one should give as it leaves only a false sense of security. Getting the details right is the difference between success and failure and success in your case may have a different meaning than others. We are dedicated to helping you and your family succeed on your terms. 

The dedicated and experienced team at MWM Legal Group, PLLC is here to fight for the rights of their clients. We have experience and expertise in all areas of family law and our law firm works to fight for you in your time of need. Making tough decisions for your future should not be done alone.