Looking for an Elder Law Attorney Near You?
You’ve spent your life building something. A home. Savings. A sense of security. And now, whether because of a health scare, a diagnosis, or a conversation you’ve been putting off, you’re thinking about how to protect it. At Bregman & Lantz, elder law is all we do. We help families across Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, and surrounding communities in NEPA plan ahead, protect their assets, and navigate the legal side of aging, before a crisis forces the decision.
Free consultation · Same-week appointments · 15+ years of experience
The cost of waiting is real. And it adds up quickly.
Most people know they should have a plan. A will. Powers of attorney. Some kind of protection if nursing home care ever becomes necessary. But life gets busy, the conversation feels uncomfortable, and it’s easy to push the decision down the road.
Medicaid has a five-year look-back period. That means the planning you do today directly affects what you can protect five years from now. The assets you move, the documents you put in place, the structure you create, all of it matters, and all of it has a timeline.
Waiting isn’t neutral. It has a cost.
We’ve heard others say: “I wish I had done this sooner. I found out my family didn’t follow the right steps and had to deal with the consequences.” That’s the situation we help you avoid.
What families are up against
We see the same situations play out regularly across NEPA.
A parent enters a nursing home unexpectedly. The family assumes Medicare covers it. It doesn’t, not for long-term care. Within months, a lifetime of savings starts disappearing at $8,000 to $12,000 a month. The question becomes: is there anything you can do?
In our experience, there is almost always something we can do. The sooner you call, the more options you have.
We also see spouses worried about losing the house when a partner needs care. Adult children trying to navigate guardianship for a parent who can no longer make their own decisions. People who did their estate planning years ago and don’t realize their documents no longer reflect their situation.
These conversations are hard. But they are always easier to have before a crisis than in the middle of one.
As one family described after going through the process: “It was a lot easier than we expected. And it went a lot better than we feared.”
What we do, and how we can help you
Medicaid Planning
Whether you have years to prepare or are facing an urgent situation right now, there are real options. Long-term Medicaid planning allows you to protect your assets well in advance so that when care becomes necessary, your family isn’t starting from zero. Crisis Medicaid planning can often protect far more than people expect, even at the last minute. Even if a loved one is already in a nursing home, it may not be too late. As long as there are assets remaining, there may be ways to protect a meaningful portion of them. The key is calling sooner rather than later.
Nursing Home Planning
Roughly 70% of adults turning 65 will need some form of long-term care during their lifetime. In 2024, nursing home care averaged over $127,000 per year for a private room. Without a plan, those costs come directly from your savings and from your spouse’s financial security. We help families understand what Medicare does and doesn’t cover, how Medicaid works in Pennsylvania, and how to protect assets so a long-term care event doesn’t lead to financial hardship for the people you love.
Asset Protection Planning
Protecting what you’ve worked for goes beyond nursing home planning. Lawsuits, creditor claims, and unexpected medical events can all put your assets at risk at any stage of life. We help clients build plans that protect what they have, put the right legal pieces in place, and make sure the right people are in charge when it matters.
Long-Term Care Planning
Roughly 70% of adults turning 65 will need some form of long-term care. Long-term care is expensive, and the cost falls mainly on families who haven’t planned for it. We help clients think through the full picture: what care might look like, what it costs, how to pay for it, and what legal documents need to be in place before a health event changes everything.
Guardianship
Sometimes, by the time a family starts thinking about planning, a loved one has already lost the ability to sign a power of attorney. In those cases, the court must appoint a legal guardian to make decisions on their behalf. Guardianship in Pennsylvania is a legal process, and going through it without the right help can make it much harder and more expensive. We walk families through this process clearly and efficiently, at what is already an incredibly stressful time.
Powers of Attorney
A financial power of attorney and a healthcare power of attorney are two of the most important documents a person can have. Without them, your family may have no legal ability to pay your bills, manage your accounts, or make healthcare choices on your behalf, even in a temporary emergency. Getting these documents in place while you’re healthy is one of the simplest and most important things you can do for your family.
Why families in NEPA choose Bregman & Lantz for elder law
You meet with David Lantz directly, every appointment. Not a paralegal. Not a junior associate.
Serving Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Kingston, and communities throughout NEPA and surrounding areas.
What our clients say
Years of
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Proudly serving NEPA & outside communities
Here's how it works
We have a real conversation, no homework required
We handle the hard legal language so you don't have to
We break it down into plain terms so you can make the choices that are right for your family.
We handle it and keep you informed every step of the way
You've worked hard for what you have.
Let's make sure it's protected.
One free consultation with an elder law attorney who knows this area, knows this work, and will call you back within one business day. That’s all it takes to know where you stand and what your options are.