Search Articles

Find Attorneys

;

William R. Blumer Esq., CELA

Barley Snyder

William R. Blumer Esq., CELA

Barley Snyder

William R. Blumer Esq., CELA

Barley Snyder

When Bill began practicing law, he was drawn to the creativity it required to resolve client problems. Bill practices in the areas of estate planning, elder law, estate administration, and fiduciary litigation.

Bill is one of approximately 65 attorneys in Pennsylvania – and one of only two attorneys practicing in Berks County – certified in elder law by the National Elder Law Foundation.

Bill speaks frequently about estate planning and elder law issues, including planning for incapacity, asset protection planning and how to use a power of attorney properly. Currently, Bill chairs the estate planning and elder law section of the Berks County Bar Association. He also serves on the board of the Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys where he co-chairs its education committee. He also serves as the board chair for Easterseals of Eastern Pennsylvania. Bill is a past president of the Berks County Estate Planning Council, served as the chairman of the board of directors at Berks Encore, and has volunteered on the boards of the Berks County Chapter of the American Red Cross, and the Reading Symphony Orchestra.

Bill is a graduate of Bucknell University. He received his juris doctor degree from the Dickinson School of Law, and holds a LL.M. degree in taxation from the Villanova University School of Law. 

Firm Description

Watching a parent or other family member deal with the challenges of aging can be difficult. This is especially true when that person is used to living independently. Helping an older adult transition to a more care-dependent lifestyle or setting up long-term care for a person with a disability presents many legal issues you will want to consider. At Barley Snyder, our Elder Law team of attorneys can help you navigate the tough decisions you need to make in order to protect your loved one’s medical and financial well-being.

Elder law attorneys represent and advocate for older adults and people with disabilities and counsel their families in a wide range of legal matters. Some of these matters involve long-term care planning, guardianship, asset protection planning, retirement benefits, Social Security, and Medicaid and veterans’ benefits eligibility. Our attorneys work with a laser-like focus on the needs of older adults. Not only can Barley Snyder Elder Law attorneys handle important financial and estate planning matters, but they also take care of the day-to-day issues affecting the care of seniors including family caregiving, holding care facilities accountable and maintaining benefit eligibility. 

Our Elder law team also features a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA). Bill Blumer is one of only approximately 65 attorneys in Pennsylvania certified in elder law by the National Elder Law Foundation (NELF). The NELF’s CELA certification is considered the gold standard among elder law and special needs practitioners. CELAs demonstrate expertise in elder law and special needs, pass a rigorous examination, maintain continuing education and professional involvement standards, and are recognized by their peers as leaders in the field of elder law and special needs planning.

How can Barley Snyder’s Elder Law attorneys help you?

  • Discuss the unique issues involving wills and estate planning that bear on long-term care planning.
  • Help prepare and file successful Medicaid applications.
  • Create effective powers of attorney that allow trusted family members to deploy the full array of available planning strategies.
  • Help provide long-term care and Medicaid planning advice and guide clients through income, estate, inheritance and gift tax matters, as well as government benefit eligibility issues, that impact older adults.
  • Create guardianships and advise guardians about their legal duties.
  • Help clients understand the differences among long-term care facilities and structure workable in-home care agreements with friends and family members.
  • Explain nursing home residents’ rights.
  • Draft and explain advance health care directives.

You can feel comfortable that our Elder Law attorneys will represent you or your loved ones in a sensitive and understanding manner.

Hours

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

Cost

What Is an Elder Law Attorney?

Main Office

2755 Century Boulevard
Wyomissing, PA 19610

On the web

View Firm Website

Social Media


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.

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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
Medicare

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

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE
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.

READ MORE