At Jarvis Law Office, P.C., we help families in Hilliard and across Ohio with Medicaid planning focused on probate avoidance and strategic trust planning.
According to the Health Policy Institute of Ohio, Medicaid covers about 26% of Ohioans (more than 3 million people), which is why Medicaid eligibility and long-term care planning matters for families in Hilliard and across the state.
As one client put it, “He took the time to explain every detail clearly, which made a complicated situation much easier to understand.” – Luke Beard
Many Hilliard families come to us after a parent’s health changes and they realize their home, savings, and accounts may not be set up in a way that protects the surviving spouse or supports Medicaid planning if long-term care becomes necessary.
We make the process manageable by starting with a clear plan, plain-language explanations, and step-by-step guidance on what to change and how to change it. We also work with your existing financial advisor and other professionals, so your plan fits your real life instead of forcing you to start over.
If you are planning ahead to protect your family or responding to a recent diagnosis, we are here to guide you every step of the way.
What is Medicaid Planning and Why It’s Important in Hilliard, Ohio
Medicaid planning is the process of preparing for long-term care costs while protecting as much of your family’s savings as the law allows.
In plain terms, it means looking at your income, assets, and timing so you can meet Ohio Medicaid eligibility rules when care is needed. This often involves coordinating legal documents and making careful choices about how assets are owned or transferred.
It matters in Hilliard because a move to assisted living, memory care, or a nursing home can quickly change a family’s finances and options. Many people start planning after a common trigger, such as a hospital discharge, a sudden decline in health, a memory care move, or when one spouse needs care and the other spouse is staying at home.
In these moments, families are often trying to make decisions fast, and mistakes can be expensive or hard to undo.
HPIO reports that Ohio Medicaid spending was nearly $39 billion in SFY 2024 (with 69% federally funded), underscoring how closely Medicaid rules are monitored and why careful planning is important. Because the rules are detailed, planning is usually most effective when it happens before a crisis, not after a facility move is already underway.
Our Medicaid Planning Services in Hilliard
- Medicaid eligibility planning
- Nursing home Medicaid
- Assisted living Medicaid
- Spend-down strategies
- Asset protection planning
- Strategic trust planning
- Trust funding assistance
- Powers of attorney
- Probate avoidance planning
WE WILL SPEAK FOR YOUR RIGHTS
Contact us for a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your options. You may find that you are entitled to payment if your claim was denied or underpaid. Let Jarvis Law Office be your advocate
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Why Choose Jarvis Law Office
After we outline where we serve, the next question is simple: why choose Jarvis Law Office, P.C. instead of a firm that drafts documents and hands you a binder? We focus on probate avoidance and strategic trust planning, with a process that gets your plan implemented.
- Flat-fee planning (fewer surprises): You know the cost up front, without recurring monthly charges. Even small administrative fees can add up over time (Ohio’s long-term care rules note a $50 fee for a stand-alone CSRA calculation request).
- Trust funding support: We help you move assets into the trust, retitling accounts/real estate where appropriate, updating beneficiary designations, and coordinating paperwork so the plan actually works.
- Education-first, plain language: Clear explanations, checklists, and next steps, no legal fog.
- Works with your advisors: We coordinate with your financial advisor, CPA, or insurance agent to keep the strategy consistent.
- Long-term support: Since May 2003, clients have relied on us for updates and guidance as life changes.
Medicaid Planning vs. Crisis Planning
The key difference is timing, how soon care is needed and what’s already in place. In Ohio, long-term care Medicaid has a 5-year (60-month) look-back on certain transfers, so when time is short, planning often centers on penalties and exceptions.
Medicaid Planning (more time)
- When: Well before a nursing home stay or application
- Goal: Position assets/income early to reduce future risk
- Tools: Trust planning, updated powers of attorney, beneficiary planning
- Pitfalls: Signing documents but not funding the plan, one-size trusts that don’t fit
Crisis Planning (time is short)
- When: After a health event, rehab stay, or imminent facility placement
- Goal: Protect as much as possible while qualifying under deadlines
- Tools: Rapid review of trusts, deeds, accounts, and POAs to see what can be done now
- Pitfalls: Rushed transfers that trigger penalties, missing paperwork assuming the facility “handles Medicaid”
Get To Know Jarvis Law Firm
Jarvis Law Office, P.C. has served Ohio families since May 2003 with a clear focus on probate avoidance and strategic trust planning. Our work is built for real life, not just a binder on a shelf: we help clients create plans that are understandable, actionable, and designed to hold up when a crisis hits.
We take a hands-on approach to trust funding, helping move the right assets into the trust so the plan works the way it is supposed to. That includes practical guidance on accounts, beneficiary designations, and how to coordinate your legal plan with the financial tools you already use.
You get clear education and step-by-step direction, so you know what you have, why you have it, and how to keep it updated.
Clients also come to us because we do not push recurring, insurance-style arrangements. Instead, we offer a straightforward flat-fee model and aim to be a long-term partner you can return to when life changes, like retirement, a diagnosis, a move, a death in the family, or a new grandchild.
Our Process For Hilliard Families
- Discovery call and goals: We start with a focused conversation about your loved one’s care needs, household finances, and what you want to protect. You will leave this step knowing what information matters and what to gather.
- Document review: We review deeds, account statements, beneficiary designations, prior estate planning documents, and any notices you have received. This helps us spot risks early, like assets titled the wrong way or missing paperwork that could slow things down.
- Strategy and timeline: We map out a clear plan for eligibility, spouse protection, and probate avoidance, with a timeline you can follow.
- Plan drafting and approvals: We prepare the right legal tools for your situation, explain each one in plain language, and confirm you understand your options before anything is signed. You will know what each document does and what it does not do.
- Implementation and application coordination: If an application is needed, we help coordinate the moving parts so the legal plan and the paperwork match. We also work alongside your existing financial advisor when appropriate, so everyone stays aligned.
- Hands-on trust funding and retitling: Our team helps you complete the follow-through work, like retitling accounts and updating beneficiary designations, instead of leaving you with a binder and a checklist. This is where many plans succeed or fail.
- Follow-up and support: After implementation, we provide practical next steps and support for updates as life changes, so your plan stays usable and organized.
What Customers Say About Jarvis Law Office
“My husband and I just got our planning in place and it was a very informative and painless process.” – Courtney Patesel
Clients often come to us expecting a stressful, confusing experience. Feedback like this reflects our education-first approach and step-by-step guidance, so you know what you are signing and why it matters.
“She was friendly, professional, and went above and beyond to help me… someone who genuinely cares.” – Nate Titi
People notice when a legal team is responsive and consistent. This kind of review speaks to the hands-on support our clients receive, especially when they are worried about timelines, documents, or next steps.
“He’s had over 20 years experience… makes me feel better about choosing his firm.” – MaryEllen Gainer
When your family, home, and savings are on the line, experience matters. Clients tell us they value working with a firm that has been guiding Ohio families through planning decisions for years.
“From intake to years down the road when you need to just refresh your memory on how things work.” – Courtney Patesel
A good plan is not just paperwork you file away. We aim to provide long-term support so your plan stays usable as life changes and questions come up.
Local Resources for Franklin County Families
- Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services (Medicaid)
- Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM)
- Ohio Benefits (state benefits portal)
- Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging (COAAA)
- Franklin County Office on Aging
- Ohio Department of Aging
- Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP)
- Ohio Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (Central Ohio)
- ADAMH Board of Franklin County (behavioral health resources)
- Franklin County Probate Court
- Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) – Central Ohio resources
- City of Hilliard Senior Center / Senior Program
- Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services (Medicaid)
- Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM)
- Ohio Benefits (state benefits portal)
- Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging (COAAA)
- Franklin County Office on Aging
- Ohio Department of Aging
- Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP)
- Ohio Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (Central Ohio)
- ADAMH Board of Franklin County (behavioral health resources)
- Franklin County Probate Court
- Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) – Central Ohio resources
- City of Hilliard Senior Center / Senior Programs
Contact Us Today
If you are trying to protect a spouse, plan for long-term care, or avoid probate delays, the next step is a focused consultation. Jarvis Law Office, P.C. will help you understand your options, map out a plan, and identify what needs to be funded and updated so your documents work in real life.
To request a consultation, submit our online form or call. Let us know whether you are planning ahead or responding to a recent health change so we can schedule the right type of meeting.
You will leave with clear next steps, plain-language guidance, and a plan you can act on.
