Top-Rated NAELA Member Elder Law Attorney in Rhode Island
Serving Rhode Island, Massachusetts, And Connecticut
NAELA Member Elder Law Attorney in Rhode Island
Planning for aging, long-term care, or a loved one’s changing needs can feel overwhelming. You may be worried about paying for care, protecting your family’s assets, preserving the family home, or making sure the right legal documents are in place.
McCarthy Law helps Rhode Island individuals and families understand their options and take the next step with clarity.
Founding Attorney Samantha McCarthy Jarvis is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, commonly known as NAELA, as well as the organization’s Rhode Island chapter. Her practice focuses on estate planning, elder law, Medicaid planning, guardianship, and probate.
Speak with a member of our intake team to tell us what is happening, learn more about our process, and determine the appropriate next step.
What Is a NAELA Attorney?
NAELA stands for the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. The organization supports attorneys who work with older adults, people with disabilities, and their families.
A NAELA member attorney may work with clients facing legal issues involving:
- Long-term care planning
- Medicaid eligibility and applications
- Estate and asset protection planning
- Powers of attorney and healthcare documents
- Guardianship and decision-making
- Probate and estate administration
- Planning for individuals with disabilities
- Veterans’ benefits
NAELA membership is not the same as elder law certification or an endorsement. It does, however, reflect an attorney’s professional involvement in the legal issues affecting older adults and their families.
Holistic Rhode Island Elder Law Support
A strong elder law plan considers the whole person, not just a few legal documents.
Your family may need to coordinate legal documents, financial resources, housing decisions, healthcare needs, public benefits, and long-term care. These issues often overlap, and a decision in one area can affect the options available in another.
Our team takes the time to understand what is happening now, what may happen next, and what matters most to your family. If McCarthy Law appears to be a good fit, we will explain the next step for meeting with an attorney and receiving legal guidance specific to your circumstances.
How McCarthy Law Helps Rhode Island Families
Medicaid and Long-Term Care Planning
The cost of nursing home care can place significant pressure on a family’s savings. Medicaid planning may help eligible individuals pay for long-term care, but the rules governing income, assets, transfers, and eligibility are complex.
McCarthy Law assists Rhode Island families with matters involving:
- Medicaid eligibility requirements for long-term care
- The five-year look-back period
- Asset transfers and potential penalties
- Treatment of the family home
- Irrevocable trust planning
- Protections for married couples
- Medicaid applications
- Crisis planning when care is already needed
The earlier you seek legal guidance, the more planning options may be available. However, families should not assume it is too late to ask for help simply because a loved one is already receiving care.
Estate Planning
Estate planning helps protect you during your lifetime as well as the people you care about after your death.
Depending on your circumstances, an estate plan may include:
- Last wills and testaments
- Revocable trusts
- Irrevocable trusts
- Durable powers of attorney
- Healthcare powers of attorney
- Advance healthcare directives
- Asset protection strategies
- Probate avoidance planning
Our attorneys explain the available options in everyday language so you can make informed decisions without feeling lost in legal terminology.
Guardianship
When an adult can no longer make or communicate important decisions and no effective power of attorney is available, a guardianship proceeding may become necessary.
Our attorneys help Rhode Island families understand the guardianship process, the responsibilities involved, and whether another option may be available.
Probate and Estate Administration
After someone dies, families are often expected to handle legal and financial responsibilities while they are still grieving.
McCarthy Law assists executors, administrators, trustees, and family members with probate and estate administration matters, including gathering assets, addressing creditor claims, completing required court filings, and distributing property.
Veterans’ Benefits Planning
Certain veterans and surviving spouses may qualify for benefits that can help with the cost of care.
Our team helps families explore potential benefits and understand how veterans’ benefits may fit into a broader long-term care and estate plan.
When Should You Contact a Rhode Island Elder Law Firm?
You may benefit from contacting McCarthy Law if:
- A parent has been diagnosed with dementia or another progressive condition
- A loved one may need assisted living or nursing home care
- You are worried about exhausting savings to pay for care
- You want to understand whether the family home can be protected
- Your current estate plan is outdated
- A loved one may no longer have the capacity to sign legal documents
- You need help with a Rhode Island Medicaid application
- You have been named as an executor, trustee, or agent under a power of attorney
- Your family is unsure what to do next
You do not need to wait for an emergency. Proactive planning may provide more choices and help your family feel better prepared.
Schedule a Free Discovery Call
Why Rhode Island Families Choose McCarthy Law
Elder Law-Focused Guidance
Our attorneys regularly help families address the legal and practical issues associated with aging, disability, long-term care, Medicaid, and estate administration.
A Holistic Approach
We look beyond an isolated document or application. Our goal is to understand the full situation and help your family prepare for what may come next.
Clear Explanations
Elder law can involve unfamiliar terminology and complicated rules. Our attorneys explain your options in straightforward language and help make the process easier to understand.
Compassionate Support
These conversations often happen during stressful or emotional times. Our team listens carefully, treats every family with respect, and provides guidance without judgment.
Local Rhode Island Experience
McCarthy Law serves individuals and families throughout Rhode Island from our East Greenwich office. Our team understands that Rhode Island’s Medicaid, probate, and long-term care systems require locally informed legal guidance.
Meet Samantha McCarthy Jarvis
Samantha McCarthy Jarvis is the founding attorney and CEO of McCarthy Law. Her practice focuses primarily on estate planning, elder law, adult guardianships, and probate.
Samantha is a member of:
- The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
- The Rhode Island chapter of NAELA
- The Rhode Island Bar Association
- The Rhode Island Bar Association’s Probate and Trust Committee
- The Rhode Island Bar Association’s Real Estate Title Standards and Practices Committee
She is licensed to practice law in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Her insights have also appeared in U.S. News & World Report on topics involving senior living and property planning.
Samantha founded McCarthy Law to help individuals and families receive thoughtful, understandable guidance through some of life’s most important and difficult decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Samantha McCarthy Jarvis a NAELA member?
Yes. Samantha McCarthy Jarvis is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and the organization’s Rhode Island chapter.
What does a Rhode Island elder law attorney do?
An elder law attorney may assist with Medicaid and long-term care planning, estate planning, guardianship, probate, asset protection, powers of attorney, healthcare documents, and veterans’ benefits.
When should I begin Medicaid planning?
Ideally, Medicaid planning should begin before long-term care is immediately necessary. Medicaid reviews certain transfers made during a five-year look-back period, so earlier planning may provide more options.
However, planning may still be possible when a loved one is already receiving care. Every family’s circumstances are different, and an attorney can evaluate the specific situation.
Can an elder law attorney help protect my home?
An elder law attorney can explain how home ownership may affect Medicaid eligibility and estate recovery and whether planning options may be available.
The appropriate strategy depends on factors such as how the property is owned, family circumstances, timing, existing mortgages, and the individual’s other income and assets.
Where is McCarthy Law located?
McCarthy Law’s Rhode Island office is located at 461 Main Street, Suite 101, East Greenwich, Rhode Island. The firm serves individuals and families throughout Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.
Start With a Free Discovery Call
You do not have to figure out your next step alone.
Whether you are planning ahead or responding to a change in a loved one’s health or care needs, a member of our intake team can learn more about your situation, explain our process, and help determine whether scheduling an attorney consultation is the appropriate next step.