Veterans Information Services/VisPro
Software
Quad Cities Senior Resource Guide
|
Melissa L. Uzzell
Of Counsel
Melissa has been with Snyder, Park, Nelson & Schwiebert, PC as Of Counsel since June 2010. Her practice focuses on Elder Law & Long-Term Care Planning, Disability Planning and Estate Planning. She received her J.D. from Southern Illinois University College of Law in 1993 after receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology at Illinois State University in 1990. She is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and is a Veterans Administration Accredited Attorney. She was admitted to practice law in Illinois in 1993 and Iowa in 1994 (currently inactive). She is also admitted in the US District Court for the Central and Southern Districts of Illinois.
About Her Practice:
Seniors have unique legal needs that traditional estate planning may not address. The decision to seek assisted living, in-home care, or skilled nursing is a difficult one for seniors and their families. Finding solutions for long-term care can be overwhelming and complicated. Melissa L. Uzzell’s Elder Law practice at Snyder, Park, Nelson & Schwiebert, PC focuses on the legal needs of the elderly, and she works with a variety of legal tools and techniques to meet the goals and objectives of the older client.
Long-Term Care Planning with Medicaid and VA Pension Benefits:
While traditional estate planning focuses on passing assets and wealth to the next generation, Melissa’s Elder Law practice focuses on using the senior’s assets to maximize quality of life and independence while preserving them to the greatest extent possible. This means Long-Term Care Planning starts before a crisis happens when planning options become limited. Although planning is still available after a crisis, planning early after an initial diagnosis of a deteriorating illness allows much more flexibility. Melissa provides comprehensive counseling on the available resources to help cover the costs of long-term care including Medicaid and VA Pension Benefits and develops a unique long-term care plan for each client.
Other Elder Law Areas:
Health Care Decisions, Crisis Planning, Long Term Care Insurance Decisions,
Long term Care Issues, Asset Protection Planning, Medicare Coverage.
Disability and Special Needs Planning:
Many of the techniques and tools used in Long-Term Care Planning are equally suited for disability planning for individuals of any age. Through the use of advance directives for healthcare and business (referred to as durable powers of attorney) and specialized trusts, unexpected disability or incapacity or even life-long disability can be managed by delegating decision making to trusted individuals. Parents and families of Special Needs Children can also utilize this type of planning to ensure their child is taken care of for life.
Education:
J.D., 1993, Southern Illinois University School of Law, Carbondale, Illinois
B.S., anthropology, 1990, Illinois State University, Bloomington, Illinois
Bar Admissions:
Illinois 1993
Iowa 1994 (currently inactive)
US District Court for the Central and Southern Districts of Illinois
Membership:
Illinois State Bar Association
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
Veteran Administration Accredited Attorney
Member of the Quad City Estate Planning Council
|