Business Details
19 Years
experience
Expert Estate Planning & Elder Law Services in Tenafly
At Scherl Legal, we are dedicated to helping individuals and families navigate complex legal matters related to estate planning, elder care, and Medicaid compliance. Since 2007, our boutique practice in Tenafly, New Jersey, has provided personalized solutions tailored to each client's unique needs. Our expertise in estate and trust planning ensures your assets are protected and your loved ones are provided for. We specialize in Medicaid applications, special needs trusts, and long-term care strategies to secure your family's financial future. Our team guides executors through probate and estate administration with clarity and compassion. As a leader in elder law, we offer posthumous planning services including tax filings and asset disclaimers.Our attorney, Jodi B. Scherl, brings decades of experience, having served as adjunct professor and lecturer on legal planning topics. Through meticulous attention to detail and a client-centered approach, we address complex probate matters, guardianships, and tax-efficient wealth transfer strategies. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in our memberships with prestigious legal associations and our ongoing participation in shaping inheritance tax regulations. We work closely with trial attorneys to protect clients' legal settlements through specialized trusts, ensuring continued eligibility for government benefits.
Services
Estate Planning
Medicaid Applications
Special Needs Trusts
Probate Administration
Guardianships
Tax Planning
Long-Term Care
Asset Protection
Wills and Trusts
Elder Law
Details
- Year established: 2007
Highlights and features
- We offer personalized estate planning since 2007 with NJ-specific expertise
- Our attorney holds leadership roles in elder law and tax regulations
- We provide comprehensive Medicaid planning integrated with family estate plans
- Our special needs trusts protect government benefit eligibility for clients
- We combine academic expertise with hands-on legal practice experience
Associations and certifications
- New Jersey State Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
Services
Estate Planning
We craft comprehensive estate plans including wills, trusts, and tax strategies to protect your assets. Our services ensure proper succession planning through LLCs and partnership agreements. Clients receive guidance on healthcare directives and posthumous tax filings.
Medicaid Planning
Our Medicaid eligibility strategies help preserve assets while qualifying for long-term care benefits. We implement legal transfer techniques and trust structures to protect clients' financial security. Services include application preparation and compliance documentation.
Special Needs Trusts
We establish trusts that maintain government benefits eligibility while providing supplemental support. Our plans protect settlement funds from medical malpractice cases and integrate with family estate plans. The trusts accommodate both minor and adult beneficiaries.
Probate Administration
We guide executors through the probate process including tax returns and asset distribution. Services cover federal and state estate tax filings, posthumous planning, and dispute resolution. Our team manages all administrative aspects until final distributions.
Elder Law Services
Our elder law practice addresses capacity planning and guardianship matters. We design strategies for home care and facility-based care financing. Services include legal document updates and future incapacity preparations.
People
Jodi B. Scherl
Attorney, Founder
Jodi Scherl specializes in estate planning and elder law with 25+ years experience. Admitted in NJ, NY, and DC, she formerly chaired tax departments at Cohn Lifland and taught at Fairleigh Dickinson University. She focuses on Medicaid compliance and special needs trusts.
Questions
What estate planning documents do I need?
Essential documents include wills, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and trusts. Our attorneys customize these documents to meet your specific needs and state requirements.
How can Medicaid planning protect my assets?
We use legal strategies like irrevocable trusts and asset transfers to protect your resources while maintaining eligibility for long-term care benefits through Medicaid.
What happens during probate administration?
Our firm guides executors through will validation, tax filings, debt settlement, and asset distribution. We handle all administrative tasks from death through final beneficiary distributions.
Can special needs trusts affect government benefits?
Properly structured supplemental needs trusts maintain eligibility for Medicaid and SSI while providing additional financial support for individuals with disabilities.
What areas do you serve?
While based in Tenafly, NJ, we serve clients throughout Bergen County and surrounding areas with estate planning, elder law, and trust administration services.
