Estate Planning Isn’t Just For The Elderly

Happy, smiling couple in their sixties.
Attorney Sara E. Meyers

 

Biography

Sara E. Meyers, Esq. is a partner at the firm of Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP, having joined the firm as an associate in July 2007. She concentrates her practice on Elder Law, Trusts & Estates, Special Needs Planning, Guardianships, and long-term care planning strategies, with a focus on Medicaid home care and nursing home. She has been named to the 2013-2023 New York Metro Super Lawyers list in Elder Law.

 Ms. Meyers has been certified as an elder law attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation as accredited by the American Bar Association*. Prior to Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, Ms. Meyers was a staff attorney at the Sadin Institute on Law of the Brookdale Center on Aging (December 1999 – June 2007) and the New York Legal Assistance Group (September 1995 – December 1999).

 Ms. Meyers has authored “Highlights of New York’s Medicaid Law,” NYSBA Senior Lawyer Section, The Senior Lawyer, Summer NYSBA 2019; “Effectively Utilizing the Fair Hearing Process to Establish that a Transfer was a Gift for Medicaid Purposes,” WCBA Newsletter, May 2019; “Using SCPA Article 17-A and MHL Article 81 Guardianships for Disabled Children,” NYSBA Senior Lawyer Section, The Senior Lawyer, Spring 2015; “Medicaid Managed Long Term Care is Coming to Westchester. Are You and Your Clients Ready?,” WCBA Newsletter, January 2013; “Guardianships and Supplemental Needs Trusts (SNT) as planning tools for Parents of Adult Disabled Children,” NYSBA Elder Law and Special Needs Journal, Winter 2012; “An Overview of Medicaid Home Care Options for Seniors,” NYSBA Elder Law Attorney, Winter 2010; “Utilizing Medicaid Home Care as a Solution in a Post-DRA World,” NYSBA Elder Law Attorney, Summer 2007 and WCBA Newsletter, June 2007.

 Ms. Meyers is a member of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) Elder Law and Special Needs Section Executive Committee and is the past 9th district delegate. She is the current co-chair of the Westchester County Bar Association Elder Law and Special Needs Planning Committee and a past co-chair of the Elder Law and Guardianship Committees; she serves as a Director of the Westchester County Bar Foundation. She is also a past co-chair of the Westchester County Senior Law Day. Ms. Meyers is a frequent lecturer for Elder Law Programs sponsored by the New York State and Westchester County Bar Associations.

 Ms. Meyers has a B.A. in History, cum laude, from Brandeis University and a J.D. from the Cardozo School of Law. She is a volunteer attorney for Legal Services of the Hudson Valley. She serves on the board of the UJA: Westchester Business and Professional Division; is a past Trustee of the Board of Directors of the Westchester Day School in Mamaroneck, New York, and is also the White Plains coordinator for I-Shine, an after-school program for children living with illness or loss in their homes.

The National Elder Law Foundation is not affiliated with any Governmental authority. Certification is not a requirement for the practice of Law in the State of New York and does not necessarily indicate greater competence than other attorneys experienced in this field of law.



Practice Areas

  • Elder Law
  • Medicaid Planning
  • Home Health Care
  • Medicaid Applications (nursing home and homecare)
  • Wills, Trusts and Estates
  • Guardianships (contested/non-contested)
  • Certified Mediator

Education

  • Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, New York, New York
    • J.D.
  • Brandeis University
    • B.A.
    • Honors: cum laude

Bar Admissions

  • New York

Professional Associations

  • Westchester County Bar Journal, Editor, 2008 to Present
  • Westchester County Bar Association, Co-Chair, Adult Guardianship Committee, 2015 to Present
  • Westchester County Bar Association, Past Co-Chair, Elder Law Committee, 2011 to 2013
  • Westchester County Senior Law Day, Co-Chair, 2020
  • New York State Bar Association, Elder Law & Special Needs Section, Executive Committee, Past 9th District Representative
  • New York State Bar Association, Trusts and Estates Section, Member
  • New York State Bar Association, Editor, Elder Law and Special Needs Journal

Published Works

  • Highlights of New York’s Medicaid Law, NYSBA Senior Lawyer Section, The Senior Lawyer, 2019
  • Effectively Utilizing the Fair Hearing Process to Establish that a Transfer was a Gift for Medicaid Purposes, Westchester County Bar Association Newsletter, 2019
  • Editor, Westchester County Bar Journal
  • Using SCPA Article 17-A and MHL Article 81 Guardianships for Disabled Children, NYSBA Senior Lawyer Section, The Senior Lawyer, 2015
  • Medicaid Managed Long Term Care is Coming to Westchester. Are You and Your Clients Ready?, Westchester County Bar Newsletter, WCBA Newsletter, January, 2013
  • Guardianships and Supplemental Needs Trusts (SNT) as planning tools for Parents of Adult Disabled Children, New York State Bar Association Elder Law and Special Needs Journal, NYSBA Elder Law and Special Need, Winter, 2012
  • An Overview of Medicaid Home Care Options for Seniors, New York State Bar Association Elder Law Attorney, NYSBA Elder Law Attorney, Winter, 2010
  • Co Author of: The Doors Open Further for the Nursing Home without Walls Program, Westchester County Bar Newsletter, November, 2007
  • "Utilizing Medicaid Home Care as a Solution in a Post DRA World", New York State Bar Association Elder Law Attorney, NYSBA Elder Law Attorney, Summer, 2007
  • Using a MHL Article 81 Guardianship to Foil Scammers,, New York State Bar Association Elder Law Section Newsletter, 2023

Honors

  • Super Lawyers, New York Metro: Elder Law, Thomson Reuters, 2013 – 2023
  • Super Lawyers, New York Metro: Top Women in Elder Law, Thomson Reuters, 2021

Classes & Seminars

  • "First Steps After the Passing of a Loved One”, Community Synagogue of Rye, 2024
  • "Keeping the Bread In the Sandwich: Helping Your Parents Manage Their Money”, Westchester Jewish Community Services, 2023
  • "Protecting Yourself and Your Loved Ones from Financial Elder Abuse and Senior Scams", National Association of Social Workers' NYC Chapter & Hudson Valley Estate Planning Council, 2023
  • "Aging in Place: A Guide to Growing Older at Home", Association on Aging in New York, 2023
  • "Critical Issues Facing Seniors", National Association of Social Workers' NYC Chapter & Montefiore Aging CME Series & SUNY Downstate Medical Center, 2023
  • "Nuts and Bolts of Estate and Financial Planning", Hudson River Community Education & Yonkers NNORC, 2023
  • "Estate Planning 101”, New York Medical College's Center for Long-Term Care, 2023
  • "Estate Planning for Families with Children", Hudson River Community Education, 2023
  • "Planning Considerations for New York's New Medicaid Eligibility Requirements for Long Term Care”, Chappaqua Continuing Education, 2023
  • "How to Avoid a Will Contest”, Yonkers NNORC, 2023
  • "Critical Issues Facing Individuals with Parkinson’s", Northern Westchester Hospital Parkinson's Support Group, 2023
  • "Protecting Your Assets from the Cost of Long-Term Care", Chappaqua Continuing Education, 2023
  • "How to Talk to Loved Ones About End of Life Choices", Congregation Emanu-El, 2023
  • "Accountable Aging: Preparing for the Elder Years", Chappaqua Continuing Education, 2023
  • "What Happens When Someone Dies without a Will?", Chappaqua Continuing Education, 2021 to Present
  • "Alzheimer's Disease", New York City Mayor's Conference, 2006 to Present
  • "Critical Issues Facing Seniors", New York Medical College’s Center for Long-Term Care, 2020 to Present
  • "Pandemics & Planning: Estate Planning Essentials for a COVID-19 World", Yonkers Neighborhood Naturally Occurring Retirement Community, 2021 to Present
  • "Nuts and Bolts of Estate & Financial Planning", New York Medical College's Center for Long-Term Care, 2021 to Present
  • "Protecting Yourself and Your Loved Ones from Financial Elder Abuse and Senior Scams", Woman's Club of White Plains, 2021 to Present
  • "Critical Issues Facing Seniors,", SUNY Downstate Medical Center, 2023
  • "Frequent Lecturer in Elder Law for the New York State Bar Association, Westchester County Bar Association and Sadin Law Institute of the Brookdale Center on Aging"
  • "Aging in Place: A Guide to Growing Older at Home (Parts 1 & 2)", Yonkers Neighborhood Naturally Occurring Retirement Community, 2022 to Present
  • "Accountable Aging: Preparing for the Elder Years", DOROT & The LOFT, 2022 to Present
  • "Protecting Against Financial Elder Abuse and Senior Scams,", The LOFT & Waterstone of Westchester, 2023
  • "Early Stage Forum", Alzheimer's Association, 2007 to Present
  • "Estate Planning for Families with Children", Chappaqua Continuing Education & Hudson River Community Education, 2022 to Present
  • "Utilizing a Trust for Your Elder Law and Estate Planning Needs", Chappaqua Continuing Education, 2022 to Present
  • "Article 81", Westchester County Bar Association, 2021 to Present
  • "What Happens When Someone Dies without a Will?", DOROT, 2022 to Present
  • "Accountable Aging: Preparing for the Elder Years", ,” Scarsdale Adult School & Yonkers Neighborhood Naturally Occurring Retirement Community, 2021 to Present
  • "Aging in Place with Medicaid Home Care", Drum Hill Senior Living Community, 2021 to Present
  • "Comprehensive Approach to Dementia (MAHC)", Montefiore Dementia Symposium, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 2021 to Present
  • "Critical Issues Facing Senior Clients", New York State Society of CPAs (Rockland County), 2021 to Present
  • "What is a Power of Attorney and Why Do I Need One?", Chappaqua Continuing Education & Scarsdale Adult School, 2021 to Present
  • "Protecting Your Assets from the Cost of Long-Term Care”, Chappaqua Continuing Education, 2023
  • "Advanced Medicaid Update", Department of Health Care & Public Administration, Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus, 2000 to Present
  • "A Practical Update for Practitioners in Mental Health, Primary Care, Home Care, and Long-Term Care Settings", The 24th Annual Comprehensive Approach to Dementia, 2020 to Present
  • "Critical Issues Facing Individuals with Parkinson’s”, Northern Westchester Hospital Parkinson's Support Group, 2023

Certified Legal Specialties

  • Certified as an Elder Law Attorney, National Elder Law Foundation as accredited by the American Bar Association*