Elder law attorneys in Arkansas work the legal issues facing aging adults and their families: Medicaid planning for long-term care, drafting and updating durable powers of attorney and healthcare directives, guardianship and conservatorship proceedings, special needs trusts, and asset protection. Many also handle probate and estate planning; elder law is the subset focused on care planning and benefits eligibility. The Arkansas healthcare proxy and financial power of attorney forms cover the two instruments.
Federal law, as Arkansas applies it, sets a 5-year lookback period for Medicaid long-term care eligibility. An uncompensated transfer in the five years before the application (a gift, a transfer to a family member, a transfer to a trust that does not qualify) can trigger a penalty period during which Medicaid does not pay for nursing home care. It is why Medicaid planning starts years before the care is needed, and why elder law exists as its own practice area.
Estate planning attorneys in Arkansas average $314Clio Compare Lawyer Rates, Arkansas: Wills and Estates rate (2025 data)Verified Oct 15, 2026View source an hour for wills and estates work. A flat-fee package runs $942Estimate: 3 hours at $314, Clio's Arkansas Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $1,884Estimate: 6 hours at $314, Clio's Arkansas Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source for a simple individual will and $2,890Estimate: 10 hours at $289, Clio's Arkansas Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $4,335Estimate: 15 hours at $289, Clio's Arkansas Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source for a basic revocable trust. An online service prices the same documents in the tens to low hundreds of dollars; the Arkansas will cost calculator sets the two side by side.
In Arkansas, estates valued at $100,000Ark. Code § 28-41-101Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or less use the Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate by DistributeeArk. Code § 28-41-101Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, 45 daysArk. Code § 28-41-101Verified Sep 8, 2026View source after death, a court filing short of full probate. That route is a form rather than a court case, and most families handle it without an attorney. Above the line, formal probate generally benefits from counsel for the procedural work, even when nothing is contested. The Arkansas probate calculator estimates the cost by estate value.
In Arkansas, the situations where counsel is typically worth the cost are: a blended family with children from a prior relationship; a business, rental property or significant investment assets; a dependent with special needs, who needs a special-needs trust to keep benefits; substantial property in more than one state. Where none of these apply, an online or self-help document is often enough.
Free Arkansas forms for planning an estate or settling one: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed, and the probate forms an executor files.
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
Arkansas allows a choice for a healthcare power of attorney: 2Act 1264 of 2013 § 2; Ark. Code Ann. § 20-6-103Verified Oct 15, 2026View source witnesses or a notary.
Arkansas treats a power of attorney as durable by defaultArk. Code §§ 28-68-102, 28-68-104, 28-68-105, 28-68-106, 28-68-107, 28-68-109, 28-68-112, 28-68-113, 28-68-119, 28-68-120, 28-68-201, 28-68-204 through 28-68-217, 28-68-301; Ark. Code § 18-12-501; Acts 2011 No. 805 (SB887, primary enactment); Acts 2021 No. 804 (HB1518, added "create" to § 28-68-201(a)(1) and § 28-68-301 form); Acts 2021 No. 356 (HB1455, amended §§ 18-12-501, 18-12-502); no amendments to Ch. 68 or § 18-12-501 after 2021 (re-checked 2026-09-18 via arkleg Code Sections Amended, /Acts/CodeSection?section=28|18 for every session 2013R through 2026F/2026S1 — zero Ch. 68 / § 18-12-501 rows; 2021R control returns §§ 28-68-201, 28-68-301, 18-12-501, 18-12-502; 2026F/2026S1 positive-controlled on titles 6, 19, 25, 26); verified 2026-09-18 against Act 805, Act 804, and Act 356 PDFs from arkleg.state.ar.us (amendment pages rendered to check strike/underline)Verified Sep 18, 2026View source, and it is signed with no witness or notary requirementArk. Code §§ 28-68-102, 28-68-104, 28-68-105, 28-68-106, 28-68-107, 28-68-109, 28-68-112, 28-68-113, 28-68-119, 28-68-120, 28-68-201, 28-68-204 through 28-68-217, 28-68-301; Ark. Code § 18-12-501; Acts 2011 No. 805 (SB887, primary enactment); Acts 2021 No. 804 (HB1518, added "create" to § 28-68-201(a)(1) and § 28-68-301 form); Acts 2021 No. 356 (HB1455, amended §§ 18-12-501, 18-12-502); no amendments to Ch. 68 or § 18-12-501 after 2021 (re-checked 2026-09-18 via arkleg Code Sections Amended, /Acts/CodeSection?section=28|18 for every session 2013R through 2026F/2026S1 — zero Ch. 68 / § 18-12-501 rows; 2021R control returns §§ 28-68-201, 28-68-301, 18-12-501, 18-12-502; 2026F/2026S1 positive-controlled on titles 6, 19, 25, 26); verified 2026-09-18 against Act 805, Act 804, and Act 356 PDFs from arkleg.state.ar.us (amendment pages rendered to check strike/underline)Verified Sep 18, 2026View source.
In Arkansas, a will is signed before 2Ark. Code Ann. § 28-25-103Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and the witnesses sign an affidavit at probate instead of a self-proving affidavitArk. Code Ann. § 28-25-103Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
Free calculators and checklists for planning or settling an estate in Arkansas: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay, and inheritance taxes.
An attorney-prepared revocable trust in Arkansas runs $2,890Estimate: 10 hours at $289, Clio's Arkansas Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $4,335Estimate: 15 hours at $289, Clio's Arkansas Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source and a simple will $942Estimate: 3 hours at $314, Clio's Arkansas Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $1,884Estimate: 6 hours at $314, Clio's Arkansas Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.
In Arkansas, four years at a public university cost about $77,880NCES Digest of Education Statistics 2023, Table 330.20, public 4-year in-state tuition, fees, room and board, academic year 2022-23Verified Oct 17, 2026View source and the cost of living is 13% below the U.S. averageBEA Regional Price Parities, all items, by state, 2024Verified Oct 17, 2026View source; no state estate or inheritance tax appliesArk. Code Ann. §§ 26-59-103, 26-59-106(c)(2)Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
Probate on a $500,000 estate in Arkansas costs an estimated $27,915Ark. Code § 28-48-108(d)(2) (6-tier statutory schedule on total market value of real + personal property; court may adjust if excessive or insufficient)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source and takes 6 months to 9 months for a simple estate, with attorney fees set by statute as a percentage of the gross estateArk. Code § 28-48-108(d)(2) (6-tier statutory schedule on total market value of real + personal property; court may adjust if excessive or insufficient)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Estates under $100,000Ark. Code § 28-41-101Verified Sep 8, 2026View source can use a small-estate procedure instead.
Probate in Arkansas takes 6 months to 9 months for a simple estate and charges attorney fees set by statute as a percentage of the gross estateArk. Code § 28-48-108(d)(2) (6-tier statutory schedule on total market value of real + personal property; court may adjust if excessive or insufficient)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source; assets held in a revocable trust skip both.
Arkansas does not revoke an ex-spouse as beneficiary at divorceArk. Code § 28-25-109Verified Sep 15, 2026View source; employer plans under ERISA follow federal rules either way, so a 401(k) beneficiary changes only by a new designation.
30 elder law firms in Arkansas, by county and firm type.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to discuss your situation and verify their current practice areas and availability.
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30 firms
Solo PracticeHarrison, AR
Harrison elder-law firm serving Boone, Marion, Newton, Searcy, and Carroll counties in the White River region. Attorney James Burrus handles probate, estate administration, trust administration, guardianship, and Medicaid estate planning for families. Consultations booked through an online scheduler.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 3 more
Solo PracticeFayetteville, AR
Fayetteville firm working Washington, Benton, Madison, and Carroll counties, with probate handled in the local Northwest Arkansas circuit courts. For estate settlement, the firm administers decedents' estates and handles probate, trust administration, and guardianships, alongside estate and tax planning. Brenda Vassaur Taylor has practiced in the area since 1985 with a tax-focused estate practice.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 4 more
FirmMountain Home, AR
Mountain Home firm serving Baxter, Fulton, Izard, Stone, and Marion counties, with a department dedicated to probate and guardianship in the local circuit courts. For families after a death, the firm handles trust and estate administration and guides estates through probate court, with three attorneys and a dedicated probate coordinator. Practicing in the region since 1998.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 3 more
Solo PracticeArkadelphia, AR
Arkadelphia attorney serving Clark, Hot Spring, and Pike counties in southwest Arkansas, with probate handled in the local circuit courts. For estate settlement, Elaine Kneebone handles probate and wills and trusts, and has been a licensed Arkansas attorney for 25 years.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Law
FirmBryant, AR
Bryant estate planning and elder law firm serving Saline, Pulaski, and Garland counties, with additional offices in Hot Springs Village, Fayetteville, and Bentonville. Drafts wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and deeds, and handles long-term care and Medicaid planning, including emergency crisis cases. Founder Justin S. Elrod is one of only four Certified Elder Law Attorneys in Arkansas.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawGuardianshipand 3 more
FirmHot Springs, AR
Hot Springs elder law and estate planning firm serving Garland, Hot Spring, and Saline counties and clients statewide. Handles wills, trusts, powers of attorney, probate, and transferring real estate outside probate, with deep work in long-term care, Medicaid, and VA Aid and Attendance planning. Offers a free 30-minute estate planning consultation.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 3 more
Solo PracticeBentonville, AR
Bentonville firm serving Benton and Washington counties in northwest Arkansas, focused on estate planning, probate, and trust administration. Darrell Gibby drafts wills and trusts and guides families through probate and trust settlement, and has concentrated his practice on estate work since 2007. Also handles business formation and real estate.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder LawBusiness Law
FirmBentonville, AR
Bentonville estate planning and elder law practice led by Todd Whatley, CELA, serving Northwest Arkansas families (Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison). Focuses on estate plans built to avoid probate, long-term-care and Medicaid/VA benefits planning, and asset protection. Rebranded from Whatley's elder-law practice in 2024; he is a past president of the National Elder Law Foundation.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 4 more
FirmLittle Rock, AR
Downtown Little Rock firm (Simmons Bank Tower) serving central Arkansas: Pulaski, Saline, Faulkner, Lonoke. Its taxation and estate-planning group handles revocable trusts, wills, trust and estate administration, and estate/trust litigation. Established in 1986 and now 31 attorneys, including Adam D. Reid, who handles trust and estate administration.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 3 more
Solo PracticeYellville, AR
General-practice firm with offices in Yellville, Salem, and Harrison, serving Boone, Marion, Baxter, Fulton, Izard, and Sharp County families in north central Arkansas. Handles estate planning, probate, powers of attorney, guardianships, elder law, and deeds, plus the real estate and property work that surfaces when settling an estate.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawGuardianshipCivil Litigation
Solo PracticeMagnolia, AR
Estate planning and elder law firm with offices in Magnolia and Little Rock, serving Columbia, Union, and Lafayette County families. Ledly Jennings handles estate planning, probate, and estate/trust administration, including work for farming and family-business clients settling estates and preserving assets.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 2 more
FirmFayetteville, AR
Fayetteville firm serving Washington and Benton county probate courts in northwest Arkansas. Handles estate planning and probate for families settling estates, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, and guiding executors through probate court filings. Multi-attorney practice also covering business succession.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 4 more
FirmSherwood, AR
Sherwood estate and elder law firm with offices also in Searcy, Benton, and Little Rock, serving families across central Arkansas probate courts. Steven McClelland and his team handle probate administration, trust administration, guardianships, and Medicaid planning, with a focus on retaining public benefits for elderly or incapacitated clients.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 2 more
Solo PracticeMarshall, AR
Estate planning and elder law practice in Marshall serving north central Arkansas, with additional offices in Harrison and Calico Rock. Mitch Cash, a former Searcy County District Court Judge, handles wills, trusts, probate, and Medicaid/life care planning for families. Member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and ElderCounsel.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 3 more
FirmMaumelle, AR
Maumelle firm serving Pulaski and Faulkner County families across central Arkansas. Attorney Kacey Ziegler handles probate, estate and trust administration, guardianships, and estate planning, having built hundreds of estate plans and speaking regularly on trusts and avoiding probate. Real estate and business law rounds out the practice.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawMedicaid Planningand 2 more
Solo PracticeJonesboro, AR
Jonesboro firm practicing exclusively in estate planning, elder law, and probate for families across Craighead and surrounding Northeast Arkansas counties. Attorney Chad R. Oldham handles trust and estate administration, wills and trusts, special-needs planning, and estate and trust taxation — a single-area practice rather than a general one.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 4 more
FirmJonesboro, AR
Jonesboro firm serving Craighead County and Northeast Arkansas, with a second office in Walnut Ridge for Lawrence and Randolph county families. Aaron Heller leads the estate side, handling wills, trusts, guardianships, powers of attorney, and probate. Heller served two terms as chairman of the Elder Law Section of the Arkansas Bar Association. Free initial case evaluation.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 2 more
Solo PracticeBella Vista, AR
Bella Vista firm serving families across Benton and Washington counties in Northwest Arkansas and into Missouri. Attorney Greg Hasting focuses on living trusts, probate avoidance, wills, powers of attorney, and nursing-home/Medicaid planning, guiding clients through estate settlement when court delays threaten. Offers free consultations in person or remotely.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 2 more
FirmLittle Rock, AR
Central Arkansas estate firm with offices in Little Rock, Searcy, and Conway, covering Pulaski, White, and Faulkner county families. Handles living trusts, wills, probate, trust administration, and Medicaid planning. Free consultations offered.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder LawMedicaid Planning
FirmFort Smith, AR
Fort Smith elder-law and estate firm (second office in Conway) serving Sebastian and Faulkner county families. Attorney Jamison Bonds, a VA-accredited attorney, focuses on estate planning, Medicaid/long-term-care planning, trusts, and probate. Bonds scored #1 nationally on the 2018 Certified Elder Law Medicaid Planning exam essay.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 4 more