Elder Law Knowledge That Actually Helps Michigan Families
Got a Question About Medicaid, Estate Planning, or Nursing Home Costs?
Call (248) 356-3500 – No Charge for Referrals
Jim Schuster – CELA (retired)
“The Log Cabin Lawyer”
What You’ll Find Here
Articles and Blog posts written over 30 years of practicing Elder Law in Michigan plus real answers to real problems facing older adults and their families.
Here’s the latest Blog post: Michigan Court of Appeals Rules Caregivers Can Be Compensated for Providing Care without a Written Contract.
Topics covered:
- Protecting your home from Medicaid estate recovery
- Avoiding nursing home costs while getting the care you need
- Estate planning that works during life, not just after death
All written in plain English. No legal jargon. No scare tactics. Just honest information you can use.
What This Knowledge Will Do For You
You’ll stop worrying about the wrong things.
Most people fear nursing homes will “take everything.” That’s not quite true – but you need to know the actual rules to protect yourself.
You’ll understand your real options.
Many people in nursing homes could be receiving care at home through Michigan’s waiver programs. Most families never learn this exists until it’s too late.
You’ll make better decisions.
When you know what Medicaid actually allows, what estate planning really protects, and what your rights are – you stop being a target for bad advice.
Our rule: If you’re informed, you’re empowered.
You’ve got to read my latest blog post: :Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill and the Rest of the Story” here
Resources
- 20 Michigan Medicaid Myths
- About Us
- Aging Elder Tip Sheet
- Alzheimer’s Disease Requires A Plan of Action
- Article Directory
- Can I Be Paid for Helping My Parents? – Michigan Medicaid BEM 405
- Caregivers’ Bill of Rights
- Does Medicaid Penalize Birthday Gifts? Can a parent help an adult child?
- Does Medicaid Take My House?
- Does Michigan Medicaid allow a child to be paid for taking care of a parent?
- Elder Law for Retirees and Elders
- Estate Plan Questions
- Estate planning? Your Estate Plan May be Incomplete
- Facing Long Term Care? Avoid the 7 Common Mistakes
- FAQ: Durable Power of Attorney
- FAQ: Healthcare Power of Attorney
- FAQ: Michigan Medicaid for the Single Nursing Home Applicant
- FAQ: Revocable Living Trust
- Five Reasons to Hire an Elder Law Attorney to Handle Your Nursing Home Medicaid Application
- Four Reasons for a Caregiver-Personal Service Contract
- Get GOOD CARE IN A NURSING HOME, without going broke
- Handy Income and Asset Worksheet
- Here are the 7 Steps to make your Long Term Care Plan
- How do I authorize my “healthcare agent”?
- How do I find an experienced Elder Law Attorney?
- How Much Does a Lawyer Charge to Handle a Nursing Home Medicaid Application?
- How to be a Patient Advocate for Medicare Benefits
- How to choose a nursing home
- Jim’s Blog: Current Events of Interest
- Letter of Last Instruction Worksheet
- Long Term Care for a family member. What is it and what should I do?
- Medicaid Asset Allowances and Protections for the Michigan Medicaid “Community Spouse”
- Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts: Right for You? Maybe and Maybe Not.
- Medicaid For Married Couples
- Medicaid for Single Applicants
- Medicaid Planning in 2026
- Medicaid Spend Down: What You Can And Cannot Do To Be Eligible For Medicaid.
- Medicaid Will Take Mom’s House?
- Michigan Medicaid and Nursing Home Services
- Michigan Medicaid Estate Recovery
- Michigan Medicaid Guides
- Michigan Medicaid Waiver Programs
- Pet Care Emergency Form
- Pet Emergency Card
- Pet Information Sheet
- Pet Trust
- Powers of Attorney: the Good, the Bad and the Cure
- Probate Questionnaire
- Singles Planning
- Six Reasons to Hire an Elder Law Attorney for Your Nursing Home Medicaid Application
- Suggestions?
- Ten Rules for a Successful Medicaid Application in Michigan
- Ten Things to Know about Nursing Homes
- The Crisis of the Nursing Home
- The Five Most Common Mistakes an Elder Law Attorney Sees
- The Medicaid Law
- Trust Questionnaire
- Understanding Long-Term Care: A Guide for Seniors
- Veteran Will Lose Home Because Wife Had Dementia and He Accepted Payment for In-Home Help From Medicaid
- What are the Michigan Medicaid Eligibility – Qualification Guidelines?
- What are the Michigan Medicaid Eligibility Guidelines?
- What is Asset Sheltering?
- Who is Jim Schuster, CELA?
Elder Law – In the News
NAELA Urges CMS to Protect Home and Community-Based Services While Combating Fraud
The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys has submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the agency’s CRUSH initiative aimed at uncovering suspicious health care activity. While supporting efforts to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse, NAELA emphasized that enforcement actions must not inadvertently harm legitimate providers or vulnerable individuals who rely on care. NAELA urged…
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The Campaign to End Medicaid Estate Recovery is Active!
We’ve reported and wrote on the destruction of Medicaid Estate Recovery (MER) does to families… -
House Rep Debbie Dingell, Report on the Huge Negative Impact on Health Care of the “Big Ugly Bill”
I thought I’d share with you the comments of Debbie Dingell, Representative of Michigan’s 6th… -
The Effect of the Huge federal Medicaid cuts to Michigan Medicaid programs
The Michigan Medicaid program is facing difficult times due to federal budget cuts enacted by… -
Commentary: Elder’s Programs to Lose Billions of Dollars for War
I thought this article was timely and important enough to share with all Elders and… -
Michigan Court of Appeals Rules Caregivers Can Be Compensated for Providing Care, without a Written Contract
On March 26, 2026, the Court issued its opinion and order in the case reversing… -
NAELA Urges CMS to Protect Home and Community-Based Services While Combating Fraud
The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys has submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare &… -
KFF Poll Finds Americans Have Serious Problems with Healthcare
The Kaiser Family Foundation came out with poll results recently about Americans problems with finding… -
Is that a good investment decision?
Here’s the problem: scammers are looking for retirees to fleece. They know that retirement life… -
“Estate Planning” The problem and the solution: Elder Law
Here’s the problem with too much of estate planning is about “Death and Taxes. Legacy…. -
Forced to pay for Nursing Home Rehab – Get Your Money Back
Had to pay for a nursing home for rehab? Get your money back. Over the…