Key Takeaways The first signs of dementia often include disruptive short-term memory loss, confusion with time or place, difficulty planning or problem-solving, trouble with familiar tasks, and personality changes. Early indicators of dementia typically manifest as subtle changes in memory, language, spatial awareness, and behavior that gradually disrupt an individual’s daily life. I’m Ron Morton, [...]
Key Takeaways An elder law firm focuses on seniors, long term care, medicaid planning, public benefits, and protection for loved ones and their assets. Early planning-ideally 3–5 years before nursing home care is needed-can preserve more savings, care choices, and peace of mind. Elder law attorneys use legal strategies such as wills, trusts, powers of [...]
Key Takeways A medicaid asset protection trust can help Mississippi families preserve assets, including a primary residence, while planning for future medicaid benefits. A MAPT is an irrevocable trust created during life; for medicaid eligibility purposes, assets transferred correctly may no longer be treated as your countable asset after the look back period. Effective medicaid [...]
Key Takeaways from Ron Morton, Certified Elder Law Attorney As a Certified Elder Law attorney practicing in Mississippi, I emphasize that Medicaid asset requirements for long-term care remain strict in 2026. Mississippi follows federal guidelines but has its own specific rules regarding asset limits and exemptions. In Mississippi, single Medicaid applicants generally must have countable [...]
A "Mammogram Moment" for Alzheimer's Prevention For decades, families have faced an agonizing reality: by the time Alzheimer's symptoms appear, significant cognitive decline has already occurred. But that's changing—and it's happening now. Simple blood tests can now detect Alzheimer's before symptoms appear. This is the breakthrough that could transform outcomes for millions of Americans. Yet [...]
When a loved one passes away, the last thing you want to worry about is complicated legal fees. Yet understanding the cost to probate a will in Mississippi is essential for families navigating the estate settlement process. Let me walk you through what you can realistically expect to pay and share some strategies that might [...]
Key Takeaways Legal guardianship in Mississippi applies to both minor children and adults who cannot manage their own affairs due to incapacity, with the court creating a formal relationship that gives a guardian authority over personal decisions. Guardianship covers personal decisions (health care, housing, daily care), while conservatorship handles money and property matters—though the same [...]
Key Takeaways The new VA–DOJ guardianship policy gives va attorneys a path to ask a state court to appoint a guardian or conservator for certain incapacitated veterans who have no family or legal representation. This is aimed at a narrow group of about 700 veterans in va facilities nationwide who cannot make their own health [...]
Key Takeaways Medicaid does not literally “take” your home while you are alive and living there or intend to return—your primary residence is usually an exempt asset for eligibility purposes After death, Mississippi’s Medicaid Estate Recovery Program can file a claim against your estate, often targeting the home if it’s your only asset passing through [...]
Key Takeaways At Morton Law Firm PLLC in Clinton, MS, we specialize as an elder law firm dedicated to guiding families through complex elder law matters, including estate planning, Medicaid and long term care planning, nursing home decisions, and asset protection to preserve assets before a crisis arises. Beginning your planning in 2026—ideally 3-5 years [...]
