Attorney Goss helping clients address nursing home costs

Local attorney Michael Goss is opening a new office and a new practice, focusing especially on helping families get financial assistance with nursing home costs yet protect their assets.

"Round-the-clock care is expensive," Goss said, "and most people can't afford to pay for it very long. They want to hold onto what they've worked hard for, and they need help to do that."

Goss provides information on now long-term care insurance works, if appropriate, and helps clients with an immediate need qualify for Medicaid benefits that can pay a major share of nursing home costs.

"There are a lot of misconceptions about what help is available and what it takes to qualify," Goss said. "Some people worry unnecessarily that their home will be taken. Some try to give money or property to family members and lose out on benefits because they don't know the rules.

"I explain the assets clients can have and the types of investments and expenditures they can make and still be eligible for benefits," Goss said.

A graduate of Greencastle High School and DePauw University, Goss also graduated from the Indiana University School of Law. In addition to practicing law, he has served as pastor of Big Walnut Missionary Baptist Church for the past eight years.

"A lot of my work with clients, especially older clients, is a ministry," Goss said.

Besides nursing home planning and Medicaid planning, Goss assists with a variety of other legal services, including estate planning (preparing wills, trusts and "advance directives" like living wills), real estate transactions and boundary disputes, guardianships and small claims.

His new office is located at 101 E. Washington St., Suite B, Greencastle. The phone number is 301-4494.