Robert C. Gerhard III

In early 2017, our family retained Bob Gerhard to handle a very complex elder law case. My father then 92, was in physical decline and in a nursing home. He was the legal guardian for my disabled brother, aged 62, who suffers from schizophrenia and lives in a group home. My father’s social security c...heck, one of the primary sources of my brother’s room and board, was no longer available because as a Medicaid resident, that check now went to the nursing home. All of his equity was tied up in a condo that he now no longer resided at in and would have to sell. My father was really worried. I did some preliminary research and determined that a special needs trust might be an option to hold the sale proceeds from the sale of my father’s home and to support my brother. However, my own training as an attorney suggested numerous complications. First, the state of Pennsylvania already had a claim of right, similar to lien, on my father’s condo by virtue his status as a Medicaid recipient. Second, it wasn’t clear whether PA law would allow a special needs trust to be created for the benefit an out of state resident. Third, I had concerns that the special needs would generate incomes that might jeopardize my brother’s SSDI benefits. Fourth, the validity of my fathers’ guardianship was in question as it was entered into forty years ago in Massachusetts. At that point, I contacted five certified elder law attorneys in Philadelphia that had been provided to me. I live no the West Coast. Each attorney declined to take the case, saying it was too complicated and that they already had enough business. They said It was “too much work”. They dutifully wished me luck. I’m sure each uttered a sigh of relief when they hung up the phone. The sixth elder law attorney I spoke to listened but became more and more flummoxed as I went through the details. Finally, I heard a silence, followed by a deep breath, and then he said, “You know, you should talk to Bob Gerhard – If he can’t handle your case, no one can”. I called Bob that day. I immediately sensed a can-do attitude and an easy going, yet highly professional reassuring manner, someone who liked tough intellectually challenging cases. He said that my father’s case was indeed complicated and had some logistical challenges, but he was confident he could get us the desired outcome. Googling his name turned up another interesting tidbit – Bob Gerhard wrote the definitive legal treatise on Pennsylvania Medicaid Long-Term Care. Now everything was making sense. Bob was incredibly efficient in handling the case and kept us informed at all times. He guided us through all the steps to sell the condo, ensured that all the checks for the sale proceeds were deposited in the correct accounts and that the money was spent down below the statutory maximum allowed. We were able to fund so it would take care of my brother’s needs for the next 4-5 years. We also prepaid my dad’s funeral expense which was close to $12,000. When the time came time for the Delaware County attorney to sign-off on the trust, the approval was almost immediate. I imagine having the name Robert Gerhard III on the motion had something to do with that. Bob also drew up a new General Power of Attorney and HealthCare Power of Attorney for us, ascertaining my father’s wishes on a teleconference call. My dad took an instant liking to Bob. Afterwards he said, “Wow, where’d you find that guy. He’s the real deal.” My dad passed away in December 2018. Bob sent us a wonderful letter of condolence. Bob Gerhard is what attorneys call a lawyer’s lawyer. He’s a consummate professional. His commitment to the law is unstinting. He is one of the leading, if not the leading authority on Elder Law in the state of Pennsylvania. We’re very fortunate to have found him.

We consulted Bob Gerhard as to whether our Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Living Wills from Maryland were valid in Pennsylvania and to change our Wills. He indicated that all documents were OK and made changes we requested. He was knowledgeable, efficient and a pleasure to work with. We will certainl...y work with him again in the future as needed.

My family and I chose Gerhard and Gerhard for its exemplary reputation in the area and Bob Gerhard exceeded our highest expectations. Bob did an excellent job drafting our parents’ wills, and then several years later I returned to him to execute the closure of their estate. It was an absolute pleasur...e working with Bob and his staff, and their professionalism and kindness made a sad necessity and notoriously complicated process very manageable and stress-free. As an out-of-state executrix, I could not have navigated the requirements and paperwork myself, and Bob handled everything and guided me through the process efficiently and expediently. I wholeheartedly recommend Bob Gerhard and his thoughtful, careful expertise to anyone in need of estate planning services!

I can't thank Bob enough for all of the help he gave me and my family with both getting approved for Medicaid and getting my husband into a good nursing home after he was diagnosed with dementia. He recently passed away but was well cared with much love during this past year. Bob explained things in ...a way that we could understand, handled a lot of paperwork that was beyond our understanding, and took a heavy burden off our shoulders during a very difficult time. I will always be grateful for all of his help.