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Cassidy Petersen Conti

Estate Planning & Elder Law Center of Brevard

Cassidy Petersen Conti

Estate Planning & Elder Law Center of Brevard

Cassidy Petersen Conti

Estate Planning & Elder Law Center of Brevard

Cassidy V. Petersen initially joined the firm in 2011 and has held various positions over the years – beginning as a receptionist, next as an estate planning paralegal, then as our firm administrator, and now as an attorney. Ms. Petersen focuses her practice in estate planning, business succession planning, probate, trust administration, Medicaid planning, VA planning, guardianship, and special needs planning.

Ms. Petersen welcomes the opportunity to discuss your estate planning, health care, and elder law concerns in order to help you develop a comprehensive and personalized plan. By planning for the future while you are healthy and able, you give yourself and your loved ones’ security when illness or tragedy does strike. Advanced preparation of estate, health care, and elder law documents is an invaluable investment in your quality of life and peace of mind. Ms. Petersen works hard to earn the trust and respect of her clients by educating them on technical aspects of the law in an understandable manner. She assists clients in planning for the possibility of disability, incapacity, home health care, assisted living and/or nursing home placement, and enables them to avoid impoverishment caused by the escalating cost of long-term care.

Ms. Petersen, a Melbourne native, graduated from Melbourne High School in 2011. She earned her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Business Management, graduating cum laude, from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2014. Ms. Petersen received her Juris Doctor (J.D.), cum laude, from Stetson University College of Law in 2018, where she graduated among the top 10% of her class. Ms. Petersen chose to attend Stetson for its Elder Law Concentration Program. Additionally, Ms. Petersen obtained her Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from Stetson University in 2018.

While in law school, Ms. Petersen was a Teaching Assistant (TA) for Trusts & Estates, gained experience as a law clerk for Raymond James Trust Department, worked for a prominent elder law firm in Clearwater, FL, held a law clerk position at an international recruitment and consulting company, worked as a student associate for LexisNexis (one of the leading legal research companies), and she was an associate editor of the Journal of International Aging Law & Policy. She was also the recipient of the Melvyn Trute, P.A. Trust Award, which is provided to one law student each year who has shown excellence in the area of trusts and estates both inside and outside of the classroom.

She is a founding member of the National Alliance of Attorneys for Alzheimer’s Planning (N3AP), a member of the Vassar B. Carlton American Inn of Court, and a member of the Brevard County Bar Association.

Firm Description

HOW WE CAN HELP

As you approach the issues of aging, are you feeling overwhelmed or confused? It could be about planning your estate, protecting your assets, paying for mom’s Alzheimer’s disease, planning for incapacity, minimizing inheritance taxes, or maximizing an inheritance or legacy for your loved ones. These are areas that we specialize in and help clients solve on a daily basis. After someone passes away, we can assist the family in administering their affairs in an efficient manner. Utilize our 30 years of education, experience, and results by calling our office or using the contact us form below. We will come up with a personalized plan and help execute it. Why continue to worry and lose money while delaying a resolution? Meet with one of our experienced attorneys and get the peace of mind that you deserve.

Hours

Day From To
Monday 8:30 AM 5:00 PM
Tuesday 8:30 AM 5:00 PM
Wednesday 8:30 AM 5:00 PM
Thursday 8:30 AM 5:00 PM
Friday 8:30 AM 5:00 PM

Cost

What Is an Elder Law Attorney?

Main Office

321 Sixth Avenue
Indialantic, FL 32903

8085 Spyglass Hill Road
Viera, FL 32940

On the web

View Firm Website


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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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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