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Emily Donaldson

Stevens & Brand LLP

Emily Donaldson

Stevens & Brand LLP

Emily Donaldson

Stevens & Brand LLP

Emily A. Donaldson has been practicing in the areas of elder law and estate planning for over twenty years, is a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) by the National Elder Law Foundation , and holds an advanced degree in Estate Planning (LL.M.).  Her practice consists of advising clients on the complex issues encountered in aging, including pre-planning for the admission and access to Medicaid benefits to assist with long-term care expenses.  In addition, Emily assists clients with designing and structuring their estate plans to meet their needs and goals, whether it be preserving the family farm/business or planning for special needs.  She has counseled numerous individuals and families with special needs children through the complex legal and financial issues raised by the impairment.  These issues often require the appointment of a guardian and conservator, as well as special needs trust creation and administration.  Emily was selected as a member of the Special Needs Alliance, an invitation-only, national non-profit collective of leading disability and public benefits attorneys.  She is an adjunct professor at Washburn University School of Law, for the Elder Law course, and at the University of Kansas School of Law, for Estate Planning Principles and Practice.  Emily is also a member of the Probate Law Advisory Committee, as well as the Guardianship Committee, of the Kansas Judicial Council; and a frequent author and speaker on issues affecting the aged and individuals with disabilities.

Emily is a current member of the Board of Directors for ARCare, Inc. (https://arcare.org), a not-for-profit organization designed to provide service to disabled individuals and their families, including administration of a pooled trust for the benefit of disabled individuals with special needs.  Most importantly, it has been her greatest honor to serve as caregiver and long-term care planner for four dogs adopted during their golden years – each of which has tried to teach her the true meaning of life.

Firm Description

Areas of Practice

  • Elder Law, long-term care and disability planning
  • Medicaid Planning
  • Estate Planning (Wills & Trust)
  • Guardianship & Conservatorship
  • Probate, Estate, and Trust Administration

Hours

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

Cost

What Is an Elder Law Attorney?

Main Office

4848 SW 21st Street
Suite 201
Topeka, KS 66604

900 Massachusetts Street
Suite 500
Lawrence, KS 66044

4848 SW 21st Street
Suite 201
Emporia, KS 66801

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.

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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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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.

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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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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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