Business Details
Your Trusted Elder Law Attorneys in the Ozarks
Ozarks Elder Law has dedicated itself to providing comprehensive elder law services since our founding. Our team of experienced attorneys specializes in estate planning, Medicaid strategies, and asset protection, ensuring clients maintain control over their futures. With decades of combined experience, we offer personalized legal solutions tailored to individual family needs. Our practice emphasizes proactive planning to avoid probate complexities and long-term care costs. Recognized as community-focused leaders, we prioritize clear communication and compassionate advocacy.Our women-owned firm serves clients across southwest Missouri with offices in ten convenient locations. We empower families to make informed decisions through educational consultations and customized legal frameworks. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in client testimonials praising our expertise and approachability. By combining legal acumen with empathetic service, we help clients navigate elder law complexities with confidence. This dedication to client-centered representation establishes us as trusted advisors in elder law matters.
Services
Estate Planning
Medicaid Planning
Probate Services
Powers of Attorney
Veterans Benefits
Special Needs Planning
Trust Creation
Guardianship
Conservatorship
Long-Term Care Planning
Highlights and features
- We offer decades of experience in elder law and estate planning
- Our team includes recognized leaders in Medicaid planning strategies
- We provide personalized legal solutions for complex family situations
- Our women-owned firm combines legal expertise with compassionate advocacy
- We maintain transparent communication throughout the planning process
What people say
Highly recommend
Excellent communication
Patient explanations
Professional and friendly
Confident game plan
Services
Estate Planning
Create customized legal frameworks to protect assets and dictate inheritance preferences. Our comprehensive plans ensure smooth property transfer while minimizing probate complications. Attorneys work closely with clients to develop wills, trusts, and directives that reflect individual family needs and financial circumstances.
Medicaid Planning
Develop strategic approaches to qualify for Medicaid benefits while preserving family assets. We navigate complex eligibility requirements to protect resources from long-term care costs. Our attorneys implement legal solutions that address both immediate care needs and future financial security for aging individuals.
Probate Services
Guide executors through court-supervised asset distribution processes. We help families administer estates efficiently while addressing potential disputes. Our services include will validation, debt settlement, and transfer of property titles according to decedent wishes or state intestacy laws.
Powers of Attorney
Establish decision-making authority for financial and healthcare matters during incapacity. We create customized documents that specify scope and limitations of representation. These legal instruments ensure trusted individuals can manage affairs when clients become unable to do so personally.
Special Needs Planning
Design legal structures that protect government benefits for individuals with disabilities. Our attorneys create specialized trusts that maintain eligibility for assistance programs while providing supplemental financial support. Plans address both current care requirements and long-term security needs.
People
Lori Rook
Managing Attorney
Owner and managing attorney with Missouri State University and Oklahoma City University School of Law credentials. Practicing elder law since 2006, focusing on estate planning and asset protection for Ozarks families.
Elyse Hartley
Partner
Partner attorney specializing in estate planning and elder law. Graduated from University of Missouri School of Law, bringing agricultural community perspective to legal planning solutions for families across southwest Missouri.
Melanie Smith
Attorney
Experienced attorney with journalism and business background. University of Missouri graduate who previously worked in workers compensation and personal injury law before focusing on elder law matters.
Katherine Douglas-Johnson
Attorney
Multi-degree holder with litigation focus who earned appellate advocacy awards. Provides comprehensive estate planning services from her agricultural background perspective in Eastern Kansas.
Lisa Dewoody-Clark
Attorney
Oklahoma native with criminal justice background who previously served as City Attorney. Brings diverse legal experience from real estate transactions to family law practice in southwest Missouri communities.
Questions
Is elder law only for seniors?
No, elder law applies to anyone needing future protection. Our services help individuals of all ages with wills, powers of attorney, and long-term care planning.
When should I start long-term care planning?
Begin before crises occur. Medicaid's five-year lookback period requires advance planning to protect assets from nursing home costs while ensuring proper care arrangements.
Can you help with Medicaid qualification?
Yes, we help navigate Medicaid's complex eligibility requirements. Our attorneys implement legal strategies to protect assets while qualifying for necessary assistance with long-term care costs.
What if my parent is already in a nursing home?
We can still help. Even with current facility placement, legal options exist to protect assets, qualify for Medicaid, and reduce ongoing out-of-pocket expenses through strategic planning.
What's the difference between wills and trusts?
Wills require probate court validation, while trusts allow direct asset transfer without court involvement. Trusts also provide greater control over distribution timing and asset protection from long-term care costs.
Why do I need a power of attorney?
A power of attorney designates decision-makers for financial or healthcare matters during incapacity. Without one, families face costly guardianship proceedings to obtain legal authority for necessary decisions.
