Whether you are caring for an ill spouse and worried about losing your savings to pay for long term care, or you have decided to put your estate plan together to protect your family’s future, Lara will reduce the stress that often accompanies such financial and medical care challenges.
She will also draft your Will, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives and estate tax documents so you can relax knowing that your estate planning is done according to your specific wishes.
With more than 15 years of experience assisting people who are in need of estate planning, asset protection and Medicaid planning, Lara understands her clients’ needs for public benefits as well as their desire to protect their wealth for future generations. Because she knows the Medicaid rules and how to navigate the complexity of Medicaid eligibility, she will help you protect what you’ve worked so hard for.
An elderly woman recently came to Lara because her husband became ill and she was scared they’d lose everything to pay for his long term care needs. She was also concerned about her ability to continue caring for him as she aged. Lara transferred the house to the wife and applied for and was awarded Medicaid home care services for the husband. The husband was now entitled to Medicaid home care hours so the wife didn’t have to worry about being the primary care giver, or worry about paying privately for care.
Lara takes a special interest in advocating for the elderly and people with special needs. Her grandmother lived until 103 and she saw firsthand how her grandmother’s rapidly changing needs affected her ability to care for herself and to pay for her expanded health care needs. For people with special needs, Lara helps to lay out a plan that will provide for future financial security while still having access to public benefits.
- Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
- J.D. (2000)
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- Syracuse University - Maxwell School
- MPA (1996)
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- Syracuse University
- B.S. (1991)
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- Senior Partner
- Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri
- - Current
- Partner
- Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC
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- Associate Attorney
- Czepiga Daly Pope
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- Associate Attorney
- Vincent J. Russo & Associates, PC
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- Attorney
- Legal Services for the Elderly in Queens
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- Judicial Law Clerk
- State of Connecticut - Stamford Superior Court
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- Revocable Trusts vs. Irrevocable Trusts: What’s the difference?
- Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri Smart Planner Blog
- Why An 18 Year Old Needs An Estate Plan
- Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri Smart Planner Blog
- Proposed Budget Could Prevent You From Getting Home Care in Connecticut
- Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri Smart Planner Blog
- Revocable Trusts vs. Irrevocable Trusts: What’s the difference?
- Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri Smart Planner Blog
- Should You Have a Long-Term Care Insurance Policy? Connecticut Has a Plan!
- Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri Smart Planner Blog
- Estate Planning, Lunch and Learn, Elmwood Senior Center, West Hartford
- West Hartford Senior Center
- Estate Planning, Middletown Senior Center, Middletown, CT
- Town of Middletown
- What You Need to Know About Planning for Long-Term Care, Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri Workshop, Berlin, CT
- Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri
- Medicaid Updates, Agency on Aging Professional Update, New Haven, CT
- Agency on Aging of South Central CT
- What to do when your family receives a dementia diagnosis, Wethersfield Senior Center Event, Wethersfield, CT
- Wethersfield Senior Center
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
- Member
- - Current
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- Connecticut Bar Association
- Member
- - Current
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- New York State Bar Association
- Member
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- Connecticut
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- Massachusetts
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- New York
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- Elder Law
- Estate Planning
- Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills
- Probate
- Probate Administration, Probate Litigation, Will Contests
- Medicaid & Public Benefits
- Asset Protection
- English: Spoken, Written
Does Medicaid Pay for Homecare?
Did you know that in the state of Connecticut, Medicaid can be used to pay for care at home? It's true! Medicaid benefits are not just for nursing home residents.
Can I get paid to take care of my parents?
A family caregiver can be compensated for providing care to a loved one if the care they provide is necessary.
Can I Write My Own Will?
What you have earned and saved over a lifetime of hard work means a lot to you. Your Last Will and Testament, more commonly known as a Will, is essential to ensuring that your decisions are honored after you are gone. A Will allows you to provide, in an enforceable way, how and to whom your wealth will pass upon your death. But should you use or trust one of those easy online Wills? Or buy a template Will? Taking the easiest route isn't always the best idea. Lara explains why in this video. One more thing to note, you may not be aware of this, but if you don’t have a Will, the state will determine who receives your assets.
What is the Medicaid Look Back Period?
Many people do not understand that you can’t give away your assets to become eligible for Medicaid. There is a five-year look-back period. DSS requires five years of financial statements for all active accounts including checking, savings, money market, stocks, bonds, CDs, retirement accounts, annuities, trusts, cash value in life insurance policies, and others. In this video, Lara provides an overview of the look back period and explains with an example.