(757) 734-7584
At East Coast Elder Law, we understand that receiving a settlement can be both a relief and a source of uncertainty for seniors and their families. Settlement funds, whether from a personal injury case, insurance claim, or other legal matter, can provide important financial support, but without careful planning, they may unintentionally affect eligibility for essential government benefits like Medicaid and Medicare.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
At East Coast Elder Law, we help clients navigate this process with confidence and clarity. We provide personalized guidance on structuring settlements, creating protective legal tools (such as special needs trusts), and coordinating with financial planners to ensure long-term financial security.
By combining elder law knowledge with practical strategies, we help seniors and their families make informed decisions that preserve benefits, protect resources, and support sustainable care. Our goal is to provide peace of mind and secure a stable financial future for every client.
For a free case evaluation and legal consultation with an experienced settlement consulting attorney in Virginia Beach, please call us at (757)734-7584 or contact us online today.
Choosing the right settlement consulting lawyer can make a significant difference in protecting your financial future and preserving access to critical government benefits. In Virginia Beach, Shannon Laymon-Pecoraro stands out as a trusted and highly qualified attorney who brings both legal knowledge and nationally recognized credentials to every client’s case. She has earned the prestigious Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) designation from The National Elder Law Foundation, an honor held by fewer than a thousand attorneys across the United States. This distinction reflects her knowledge and experience in elder law, special needs planning, and settlement consulting.
Ms. Laymon-Pecoraro is nationally recognized for her work in special needs planning, ensuring that families can structure settlements in a way that protects eligibility for Medicaid, Medicare, and other needs-based programs. She understands the unique challenges seniors face when managing settlements, including long-term care costs and financial planning for future care. Her approach is thorough, personalized, and focused on guiding clients through complex legal and financial decisions with clarity and confidence.
By choosing Shannon Laymon-Pecoraro as your settlement consulting attorney, you gain a trusted partner with a proven national reputation and a commitment to helping Virginia Beach seniors and their families achieve security, stability, and peace of mind.
You can see our most recent client testimonials and case results on this site.
• Protect Long-Term Financial Security: Settlement consulting helps seniors and their families structure settlement funds in a way that ensures long-term stability. At East Coast Elder Law, we guide clients in designing strategies that cover both immediate expenses and future care needs.
• Preserve Eligibility for Government Benefits: Improper handling of settlement funds can jeopardize access to Medicaid, Medicare, SSI, and other needs-based programs. Our knowledgeable Virginia Beach settlement consulting attorney ensures that funds are managed in compliance with all rules, helping seniors maintain eligibility while still accessing necessary resources.
• Leverage Protective Legal Tools: Special needs trusts, structured settlements, and other legal mechanisms can safeguard funds while providing flexibility for care and quality-of-life expenses. Our firm works closely with clients to identify and implement the tools best suited to their circumstances.
• Coordinate with Financial Professionals: Settlement planning often involves collaboration with financial planners, personal injury lawyers, and other professionals. We help integrate settlements into broader financial strategies to maximize security and minimize risk.
• Receive Personalized Guidance and Peace of Mind: At East Coast Elder Law, we prioritize clear communication and step-by-step guidance. Our goal is to empower families to make informed decisions, protect their loved ones’ resources, and enjoy confidence in a secure financial future.
When an older adult receives a settlement, one of the first concerns is how to make those funds last. Structured settlements allow the money to be paid out over time, rather than in a single lump sum. This approach can provide predictable income that supports everyday needs such as housing, medical care, and transportation. For many seniors, that stability becomes an essential part of maintaining independence. Structuring a settlement properly ensures that the funds are positioned to cover both expected and unexpected future expenses.
Before finalizing a structure, it is critical to evaluate the senior’s long-term goals. Some individuals may want steady monthly payments that support ongoing care needs. Others may need larger periodic payments for home modifications, in-home assistance, or assisted living. A careful review of health conditions, lifestyle, and likely future care costs helps determine the most suitable format. Settlement consulting ensures the plan reflects both the senior’s current circumstances and how those circumstances might change over time.
A well-designed settlement structure must balance stability with flexibility. This means creating a plan that delivers consistent income while still allowing access to funds when major expenses arise. Settlement consulting attorneys help families understand payment schedules, tax implications, and long-term projections. They also help identify potential financial risks so families can make informed choices. When the structure is carefully tailored, it becomes a foundation for long-term financial security, offering older adults and their families peace of mind.
Strategies to Preserve Eligibility for Medicaid and Other Needs-based Benefits
Many seniors rely on Medicaid to pay for long-term care, including nursing home costs that can quickly exceed private resources. However, Medicaid has strict asset and income limits. Receiving a settlement can unintentionally disqualify someone from these benefits if the funds are not handled correctly. Settlement consulting helps families understand these limitations and how to manage settlement funds in a way that maintains eligibility.
A variety of planning tools can help seniors keep their benefits while still accessing the support provided by their settlement. These tools may include special types of trusts, structured payouts, or spend-down strategies that comply with Medicaid rules. Each option must be carefully evaluated to determine which best fits the senior’s needs.
One of the biggest risks after receiving a settlement is unintentionally breaking Medicaid eligibility rules. Without guidance, assets might be spent incorrectly or transferred in a way that creates a penalty period. We help families avoid these issues by establishing a compliant plan from the start. We also provide step-by-step guidance on how to track settlement funds, report income properly, and ensure that financial decisions do not jeopardize access to essential benefits. With the right strategy, seniors can keep their Medicaid coverage while still benefiting from their settlement.
A settlement affects many areas of a senior’s life, from daily living expenses to long-term care planning. Because of this, coordination among professionals is crucial. At East Coast Elder Law, we work alongside financial planners to create a unified plan that supports the senior’s needs. This collaboration ensures that settlement funds, retirement savings, and government benefits all work together rather than against one another.
Financial planners help map out a senior’s expected expenses over time. This includes medical treatment, housing, mobility equipment, home assistance, and potential long-term care facility costs. By combining this information with the structure of the settlement, we can help families design a plan that lasts.
The goal of coordinated planning is long-term stability. Seniors face unique financial pressures, especially when health needs increase with age. A settlement can provide significant support, but only if it is managed wisely. At East Coast Elder Law, we can help financial planners understand the legal limitations surrounding needs-based benefits and elder care requirements.
Settlement funds can unintentionally create vulnerabilities if not placed in the right legal structure. Seniors with disabilities or chronic health conditions often rely on Medicaid or other programs to pay for essential care. Special needs trusts and similar tools allow settlement funds to be protected while still preserving eligibility for these programs. These tools ensure that benefits remain intact and that settlement funds are available to improve quality of life.
There are several types of trusts used in elder law, each serving a different purpose. A first-party special needs trust can hold settlement funds while protecting Medicaid eligibility. A pooled trust offers an alternative managed by a nonprofit organization. Other tools, such as spendthrift trusts or irrevocable trusts, may be used for asset protection or long-term care planning. We can explain the differences, outline eligibility requirements, and help families choose the structure that best fits their situation.
Protective legal tools help ensure that settlement funds are used appropriately and remain secure. They can cover expenses that government programs do not, such as enhanced therapies, personal items, home upgrades, or recreational activities that improve quality of life. We can draft and fund these trusts properly. This process ensures compliance with state and federal laws while giving families confidence that the senior’s needs will be met both now and in the future.
Settlement decisions can feel overwhelming, especially for families navigating elder care for the first time. The rules surrounding Medicaid, Medicare, trusts, and structured payouts are complicated and often confusing. At East Coast Elder Law, we provide clear, understandable explanations so families can compare options and understand the consequences of each choice. This education empowers families rather than leaving them uncertain or pressured.
At East Coast Elder Law, our knowledgeable Virginia Beach settlement consulting attorney is dedicated to helping seniors and their families navigate the often complex and overwhelming process of managing settlement funds. We understand that receiving a settlement, whether from a personal injury case, insurance claim, or other legal matter, can bring relief but also create uncertainty about long-term financial security and eligibility for essential government benefits. Our attorney works closely with clients to evaluate their unique situations, providing guidance that is tailored to their individual needs and goals.
Our settlement consulting services focus on protecting financial stability while maximizing access to benefits such as Medicaid, Medicare, SSI, and other needs-based programs. We carefully review each client’s financial picture to determine how settlement funds can be structured most effectively. This may involve designing payment schedules, creating specialized trusts, or coordinating with financial planners to ensure funds are allocated in a way that supports both immediate expenses and long-term care needs. By combining legal knowledge with strategic financial planning, we help clients make decisions that preserve their resources and provide lasting security.
We also prioritize clear communication and education, ensuring that clients and their families fully understand their options and the potential impact of each decision. Our attorney guides families through the settlement process step by step, helping them avoid mistakes that could compromise benefits or financial stability. At East Coast Elder Law, we are committed to providing personalized, knowledgeable guidance so that seniors in Virginia Beach can confidently manage their settlements, protect their future, and enjoy peace of mind knowing their financial and legal interests are in capable hands.
Settlement consulting is the process of helping seniors and their families manage settlement funds in a way that protects long-term financial security and preserves eligibility for government benefits like Medicaid and Medicare. It involves reviewing options for structured payouts, trusts, and other legal tools to ensure funds are used wisely.
Receiving a settlement can significantly impact a senior’s financial situation. Without proper planning, funds may unintentionally disqualify someone from essential benefits or be spent inefficiently. Settlement consulting helps families make informed decisions and ensures resources last for future care needs.
At East Coast Elder Law, our knowledgeable settlement consulting attorney provides personalized guidance to help clients evaluate their financial picture, design structured settlements, and create protective legal tools like special needs trusts. We coordinate with financial planners to integrate settlement funds into broader long-term care and financial strategies.
Our attorney ensures that settlement funds are managed in a way that complies with Medicaid and other needs-based benefit rules. We advise on spend-down strategies, trusts, and other legal mechanisms to maintain eligibility while still providing access to funds for care and quality-of-life expenses.
We combine deep elder law knowledge with clear, step-by-step guidance. Our goal is to help seniors in Virginia Beach confidently manage settlement funds, protect their benefits, and secure financial stability for the future.
At East Coast Elder Law, we are prepared to handle all of your estate planning and settlement consulting needs.
For a free case evaluation and legal consultation with an experienced settlement consulting attorney in Virginia Beach, please call us at (757)734-7584 or contact us online today.
.jpg)