ELDER LAW CENTER OF WISCONSIN - Key Persons
After 20 years working in both Acute Care Hospitals and Long Term Care Facilities, Barbara Horstmeyer realized that her experience and knowledge was valuable to families attempting to navigate the confusing and often disconnected medical health care system. Adding to the confusion was a lack of understanding of the financial impact on families along with the legal implications.
In 1999, Barbara launched the Senior Planning Group as the first and only Life-care Planning Firm in Wisconsin. For almost 20 years she has assisted families whose loved ones either have had an acute health care change or have a chronic health care need. She understand first hand the stress caregivers face when caring for an elderly parent or loved one. She takes this role seriously because there isn't time to waste or mistakes to be made when life, health, finances and legal questions are pressing.
Barbara is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Southeastern Wisconsin End of Life Coalition , Interfaith Caregivers of Washington County and Supportive Community Services, Inc. in Milwaukee. She sits on the Alzheimer's Challenging Behaviors Task Force with the Alzheimer's Association of Southeastern Wisconsin and is an active member of the Milwaukee & Waukesha County Adult Protective Services Interdisciplinary team.
In her free time Barbara enjoys gardening, hiking, and spending time with her husband, three children, grandchildren and dogs.
Brenda is a Marinette graduate. She is a paralegal with over 15 years of experience. She has been working with Elder Law Center of WI, LLC team since 2020.
Job Titles:
- Elder
- Life Care Professionals
Elder law attorneys define their practice by the type of people they help. Like Aging Life Care Professionals, they help families to maximize the independence and quality of life of elderly people. I can help families accomplish this while best utilizing and protecting life savings. They make sure that the elderly receive whatever help or care they may need in ways that best employ family and government resources.
Working with me as your Elder Law attorney offers the family and the elderly person advantages. The Elder Law attorney is experienced with communicating and working with elderly persons and their families on interrelated legal and non-legal issues. The Elder Law attorney has a working knowledge of the professional and community resources publicly and privately available to meet the needs of elderly persons.
Planning for and assisting with obtaining Medicaid, Medicare, and veterans benefits for persons at home or in an assisted living or nursing facility.
Elder Law Attorneys and Aging Life Care Professionals often collaborate to maximize the independence of quality of life of older persons. they help older persons to receive and pay for their health and long-term care, obtain necessary legal documents, maximize government benefits, and care.
in Elder Law Attorneys Long-Term Care Planning Medicaid Planning | tagged: elder law medicaid planning irrevocable funeral trust medicaid attorney medicaid attorney wisconsin Medicaid Planning medicaid planning attorney wisconsin Medicaid Planning for the Elderly Medical Insurance Wisconsin Medicaid Planning
Irrevocable Funeral Trusts (IFTs), or differently phrased, Irrevocable Funeral Expense Trusts, allow persons to pay for their funeral and burial costs, also known as final expenses, in advance of their death. They are legal agreements that not only allow peace of mind knowing that funeral funds are available when needed, but they are also an invaluable Medicaid planning tool. Essentially, IFTs provide a way for Medicaid applicants to lower their countable assets and meet Medicaid's asset limit for qualification...
Melissa Robe is an associate attorney with Elder Law Center of WI, LLC. She has a background in estate planning, estate and trust administration, probate, tax & business law.
Mrs. Robe received two undergraduate degrees in Political Science & International Studies with an emphasis on Global Economy, and a law degree with curricular concentrations in estate planning & criminal law, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Mrs. Robe is also actively involved in charitable efforts as a justice advocate at a non-profit organization in downtown Milwaukee. She has previously worked in state government, including the state legislature.
Job Titles:
- Attorney, Certified Financial Planner®
- Author
W. Ryan Zenk is a practicing Attorney with Elder Law Center of WI, LLC located in Wisconsin. He is also a Certified Financial Planner™ and the Chief Executive Officer and founder of the investment advisory firm Family Wealth Advisors, LLC with offices in Wisconsin and Arizona, as well as a Co-founder of Veteran's Benefits, Inc.
Mr. Zenk received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the author of Your Life Your Legacy - a Book on Estate Planning. He is member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, The Probate and Trust division of the Wisconsin Bar, The Elder Law Committee of the Wisconsin Bar and the Milwaukee Bar Association.
Mr. Zenk is a frequent speaker to professional and business groups, public and private, on the topics of estate planning, asset protection planning and successful investment strategies.