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Andrew R. Byers

Andrew Byers, PLC

Andrew R. Byers

Andrew Byers, PLC

Andrew R. Byers

Andrew Byers, PLC

I'm Andrew Byers and I have been practicing Elder Law for over 25 years. In my Elder Law practice, I help older people and their families with the following issues:

  • Medicaid planning and applications to help pay for long-term care in a nursing home;
  • Medicaid planning and applications to help qualify for community-based Medicaid programs that assist with long-term care outside of a nursing home;
  • Guardianship when a senior citizen lacks the ability to make their own medical and care decisions or are neglecting their care;
  • Conservatorship when an older person is not able to manage their property or pay their bills;
  • Estate planning to provide for management of assets upon incapacity and distribution of the older person’s estate upon death in an efficient manner;
  • Assistance with the probate court process when someone passes away and has the type of estate that needs to be settled in probate court; and
  • Settling trusts after death.

Feel free to call me. We will spend a few minutes on the call to answer some preliminary questions and see if it’s something I can help with. If so, we can schedule a more in-depth consultation in my office or over Zoom.

Firm Description

I established my own law practice upon being in admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 1996. I have a Juris Doctor degree from the Wayne State University Law School and am a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University. My law office has been located in Oakland County, Michigan for my entire career where I represent and help people throughout the Metro Detroit area. While I have represented clients in many courts throughout the State of Michigan, most of my court work has been in the probate courts for Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne Counties.

Hours

Day From To
Monday 9:00 AM 5:00 PM
Tuesday 9:00 AM 5:00 PM
Wednesday 9:00 AM 5:00 PM
Thursday 9:00 AM 5:00 PM
Friday 9:00 AM 5:00 PM

Cost

There is no charge for an initial telephone call of about 10 to 15 minutes, the purpose of which is for us to check if your matter is something I can help with and to answer some of your initial questions. If I think I can help you and you want to meet for an in-depth consultation, I charge a flat fee of $275 for that meeting which would be in my office in Troy or over Zoom. These consultations usually take about an hour and a half, though there is not a strict time limit on it.

What Is an Elder Law Attorney?

Main Office

2250 Butterfield Drive
Suite 240
Troy, MI 48084

On the web

View Firm Website

View Firm Blog


Medicaid 101
What Medicaid Covers

In addition to nursing home care, Medicaid may cover home care and some care in an assisted living facility. Coverage in your state may depend on waivers of federal rules.

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How to Qualify for Medicaid

To be eligible for Medicaid long-term care, recipients must have limited incomes and no more than $2,000 (in most states). Special rules apply for the home and other assets.

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Medicaid’s Protections for Spouses

Spouses of Medicaid nursing home residents have special protections to keep them from becoming impoverished.

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What Medicaid Covers

In addition to nursing home care, Medicaid may cover home care and some care in an assisted living facility. Coverage in your state may depend on waivers of federal rules.

READ MORE
How to Qualify for Medicaid

To be eligible for Medicaid long-term care, recipients must have limited incomes and no more than $2,000 (in most states). Special rules apply for the home and other assets.

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Medicaid’s Protections for Spouses

Spouses of Medicaid nursing home residents have special protections to keep them from becoming impoverished.

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Medicaid Planning Strategies

Careful planning for potentially devastating long-term care costs can help protect your estate, whether for your spouse or for your children.

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Estate Recovery: Can Medicaid Take My House After I’m Gone?

If steps aren't taken to protect the Medicaid recipient's house from the state’s attempts to recover benefits paid, the house may need to be sold.

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Help Qualifying and Paying for Medicaid, Or Avoiding Nursing Home Care

There are ways to handle excess income or assets and still qualify for Medicaid long-term care, and programs that deliver care at home rather than in a nursing home.

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Are Adult Children Responsible for Their Parents’ Care?

Most states have laws on the books making adult children responsible if their parents can't afford to take care of themselves.

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Applying for Medicaid

Applying for Medicaid is a highly technical and complex process, and bad advice can actually make it more difficult to qualify for benefits.

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Alternatives to Medicaid

Medicare's coverage of nursing home care is quite limited. For those who can afford it and who can qualify for coverage, long-term care insurance is the best alternative to Medicaid.

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ElderLaw 101
Estate Planning

Distinguish the key concepts in estate planning, including the will, the trust, probate, the power of attorney, and how to avoid estate taxes.

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Grandchildren

Learn about grandparents’ visitation rights and how to avoid tax and public benefit issues when making gifts to grandchildren.

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Guardianship/Conservatorship

Understand when and how a court appoints a guardian or conservator for an adult who becomes incapacitated, and how to avoid guardianship.

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Health Care Decisions

We need to plan for the possibility that we will become unable to make our own medical decisions. This may take the form of a health care proxy, a medical directive, a living will, or a combination of these.

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Estate Planning

Distinguish the key concepts in estate planning, including the will, the trust, probate, the power of attorney, and how to avoid estate taxes.

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Grandchildren

Learn about grandparents’ visitation rights and how to avoid tax and public benefit issues when making gifts to grandchildren.

READ MORE
Guardianship/Conservatorship

Understand when and how a court appoints a guardian or conservator for an adult who becomes incapacitated, and how to avoid guardianship.

READ MORE
Health Care Decisions

We need to plan for the possibility that we will become unable to make our own medical decisions. This may take the form of a health care proxy, a medical directive, a living will, or a combination of these.

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Long-Term Care Insurance

Understand the ins and outs of insurance to cover the high cost of nursing home care, including when to buy it, how much to buy, and which spouse should get the coverage.

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Medicare

Learn who qualifies for Medicare, what the program covers, all about Medicare Advantage, and how to supplement Medicare’s coverage.

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Retirement Planning

We explain the five phases of retirement planning, the difference between a 401(k) and an IRA, types of investments, asset diversification, the required minimum distribution rules, and more.

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Senior Living

Find out how to choose a nursing home or assisted living facility, when to fight a discharge, the rights of nursing home residents, all about reverse mortgages, and more.

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Social Security

Get a solid grounding in Social Security, including who is eligible, how to apply, spousal benefits, the taxation of benefits, how work affects payments, and SSDI and SSI.

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Special Needs Planning

Learn how a special needs trust can preserve assets for a person with disabilities without jeopardizing Medicaid and SSI, and how to plan for when caregivers are gone.

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Veterans Benefits

Explore benefits for older veterans, including the VA’s disability pension benefit, aid and attendance, and long-term care coverage for veterans and surviving spouses.

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