Elder Law Attorney in Union County, NJ — Medicaid Planning, Estate Planning & Elder Law
By Eric R. Goldberg, Esq., CELA | NJ Elder Law Center @ Goldberg Law Group
Protecting What Matters Most
Families in Union County, New Jersey seeking an elder law attorney for Medicaid planning, estate planning, special needs planning, guardianship, or veterans benefits are served by NJ Elder Law Center at Goldberg Law Group. We serve families throughout Union County including Summit, Westfield, Cranford, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Springfield, Mountainside, Kenilworth, Roselle, Roselle Park, Elizabeth, Union Township, Linden, Rahway, Clark, Garwood, New Providence, Berkeley Heights, and all communities across the county.
Our office in Little Falls, Passaic County serves Union County clients via virtual Zoom and phone consultations as well as in-person appointments. Union County's geographic position — bordered by Essex, Morris, Somerset, and Middlesex counties, with easy access from I-78 and the Garden State Parkway — makes our team an accessible resource for families throughout the county.
Elder Law in Union County — A County of Contrasts and Complex Needs
Union County presents one of the most varied demographic profiles in New Jersey. Its 575,000 residents include the extremely affluent communities of Summit and Mountainside — communities that consistently rank among the highest-income zip codes in the state — alongside the densely populated city of Elizabeth, Union County's seat and one of the most ethnically diverse cities in New Jersey with a large Spanish-speaking population. Westfield, Cranford, and Scotch Plains represent the classic NJ suburban family profile: solid incomes, meaningful real estate equity, retirement savings, and adult children who are now the sandwich generation — managing their own families while caring for aging parents.
This range of demographics means elder law needs in Union County are genuinely varied. A family in Summit with $2 million in assets needs sophisticated Medicaid planning and estate planning that reflects their financial complexity. A Spanish-speaking family in Elizabeth navigating a parent's sudden nursing home admission needs crisis Medicaid planning, compassionate communication, and practical step-by-step guidance. Both needs are real, both deserve expert legal counsel, and both are served by our team.
The Union County Surrogate's Court, located at 2 Broad Street, Elizabeth, administers probate and estate matters for the county. The Union County Superior Court handles guardianship proceedings. Understanding how these institutions interact with your family's legal needs — and how to minimize that interaction through proactive planning — is central to what we do.
Medicaid Planning for Union County Families
Union County nursing home and long-term care costs in 2026 run approximately $12,000 to $14,000 per month for skilled nursing facility care — a rate that makes the absence of a Medicaid plan a potentially catastrophic financial event for families at any income level.
2026 NJ Medicaid financial standards for Union County residents:
• Single applicant countable asset limit: $2,000
• Income cap: $2,982/month
• Community Spouse Resource Allowance: up to $162,660
• Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance: $2,643.75/month
• Look-back period: 60 months
• Penalty divisor: $402.74/day
Irrevocable Asset Protection Trusts. For Union County families who engage us five or more years before an anticipated nursing home admission, transferring countable assets into an irrevocable trust initiates the 60-month clock. When the look-back period clears, those assets are fully protected from spend-down requirements. This is the most powerful strategy available and is particularly valuable for Summit, Westfield, Cranford, and Scotch Plains families with significant savings and real estate equity.
Community spouse protections. The federal and NJ spousal impoverishment protections ensure the community spouse of a Union County nursing home resident retains up to $162,660 in assets and at least $2,643.75 per month in income. Our team maximizes every available spousal protection.
Spanish-language crisis Medicaid planning. For Elizabeth, Linden, Rahway, and Roselle families navigating a sudden nursing home admission in a family where Spanish is the primary language, our Spanish-speaking team provides crisis Medicaid planning in the language that allows genuine understanding and participation. Medicaid planning in a second language, without fluent counsel, produces errors that are difficult to correct.
Medicaid application management. We prepare and file the Medicaid application on behalf of Union County clients and manage all correspondence with the Union County Division of Social Services (342 Westminster Avenue, Elizabeth) through the approval process.
Estate Planning for Union County Families
Union County's range of asset profiles — from modest estates in Elizabeth and Roselle to multi-million-dollar estates in Summit and Mountainside — means estate planning here is never one-size-fits-all. The fundamental documents are the same for every Union County family: a will or trust, powers of attorney, healthcare documents, and coordinated beneficiary designations. The complexity of execution differs based on the family's assets and goals.
Revocable Living Trusts. For Union County families with meaningful assets, a revocable living trust avoids probate through the Union County Surrogate's Court, allows assets to pass privately and quickly to beneficiaries, and provides seamless management if the grantor becomes incapacitated. For families with real estate in multiple states — particularly New York, given Union County's commuter proximity — a trust eliminates ancillary probate in each state.
NJ Inheritance Tax planning. Union County families with intended beneficiaries outside the immediate family face NJ inheritance tax at rates from 11 to 16 percent. We address this exposure explicitly in every estate plan we draft for Union County clients.
Estate planning for Summit and Mountainside families with significant wealth. For Union County's most affluent families, estate planning integrates federal estate tax strategy (the $15 million individual exemption in 2026 under the OBBBA), lifetime gifting, irrevocable trust structures, and charitable planning. We coordinate with financial advisors and CPAs to build plans that function at the highest levels of complexity.
Estate planning in Spanish. For Elizabeth, Linden, and Rahway families where Spanish is the primary language, we conduct consultations in Spanish and ensure every document is fully understood before signing. Estate planning documents are in English as required by NJ law, but our clients participate in the process in the language that allows genuine, informed decision-making.
Special Needs Planning in Union County
Union County has a well-established network of disability services, including programs through the NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities. Families of Union County residents with disabilities who depend on SSI, Medicaid, and DDD services must ensure that any inheritance or family wealth transfer is structured through a Special Needs Trust — otherwise, a direct inheritance will disqualify the beneficiary from benefits they depend on.
We build complete Union County special needs plans: Third-Party Special Needs Trusts, ABLE accounts where eligible, Letters of Intent, guardianship or supported decision-making arrangements, and coordinated beneficiary designations. A complete plan anticipates every contingency and leaves nothing to chance.
Guardianship in Somerset County
When a Union County family member loses capacity without a Durable Power of Attorney in place — or when a child with a disability turns 18 — guardianship through the Union County Superior Court becomes necessary. Our team manages every aspect of the Union County guardianship process: filing the complaint, arranging the medical evaluation, communicating with the court-appointed attorney for the respondent, and appearing at the hearing.
We always seek the least restrictive approach: limited guardianship when full guardianship is unnecessary, and supported decision-making when guardianship can be avoided.
Veterans Benefits for Union County Veterans
Union County has a significant veteran population across its communities. Eligible wartime veterans and surviving spouses may qualify for the VA Aid & Attendance benefit — up to $2,874 per month in 2026 — to cover in-home care, assisted living, or nursing home costs. We provide free legal services to veterans. Contact us to evaluate eligibility.
Senior Resources in Union Countyenior Resources in Somerset County
The Union County Division on Aging (10 Elizabethtown Plaza, Elizabeth) administers senior programs, transportation, caregiver support, and long-term care ombudsman services throughout the county. Overlook Medical Center in Summit is the county's primary acute care facility for the western communities. Trinitas Regional Medical Center serves Elizabeth and the eastern county. Multiple skilled nursing facilities and assisted living communities serve Union County's senior population.
Frequently Asked Questions — Elder Law in Union County NJ
Q: What elder law services does NJELC provide in Union County? NJ Elder Law Center provides Medicaid planning, estate planning, special needs planning, guardianship, veterans benefits, probate and estate administration, and care coordination for families throughout Union County, including Summit, Westfield, Cranford, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Springfield, Mountainside, Kenilworth, Roselle, Elizabeth, Union Township, Linden, Rahway, Clark, New Providence, and Berkeley Heights.
Q: Does NJELC serve Spanish-speaking families in Union County? Yes. Our team includes Spanish-speaking staff and we serve Spanish-speaking families in Elizabeth, Linden, Rahway, Roselle, and throughout Union County. Medicaid planning consultations, estate planning consultations, and all client communications can be conducted in Spanish.
Q: What is the Union County Surrogate's Court? The Union County Surrogate's Court at 2 Broad Street, Elizabeth handles probate, estate administration, and certain guardianship filings for Union County residents. A revocable living trust avoids this court entirely.
Q: How does Medicaid planning work for a family in Westfield or Summit with significant assets? Families in Westfield, Summit, and other affluent Union County communities are often the best candidates for proactive Medicaid planning precisely because they have significant assets worth protecting. An irrevocable asset protection trust implemented five or more years before an anticipated nursing home admission can protect the majority of those assets — savings, investments, and real estate — while still achieving Medicaid eligibility when care is needed. The higher the asset level, the more protection is at stake and the more valuable early planning becomes.
Q: Does NJELC handle estate planning for both English and Spanish-speaking families in Union County? Yes. We provide full estate planning services in both English and Spanish throughout Union County. Our Spanish-speaking clients receive the same quality of counsel, in their preferred language, with full understanding of every document they sign.
Q: Does NJELC offer veterans benefits services in Union County? Yes. Eligible wartime veterans and surviving spouses in Union County may qualify for the VA Aid & Attendance benefit of up to $2,874 per month in 2026. We provide free legal services to veterans. Contact us to discuss eligibility.
Serving Summit, Westfield, Cranford, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Springfield, Mountainside, Kenilworth, Roselle, Roselle Park, Elizabeth, Union Township, Linden, Rahway, Clark, Garwood, New Providence, Berkeley Heights, and all of Union County, New Jersey.
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