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Elder law attorneys in Tennessee focus on 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, but elder law is the specific subset focused on care planning and benefits eligibility. See the Tennessee healthcare proxy and financial power of attorney forms.
Federal law (and Tennessee's implementation) imposes a 5-year lookback period for Medicaid long-term care eligibility. Any uncompensated transfers (gifts, transfers to family members, transfers to a non-Medicaid-qualified trust) within the 5 years before applying for Medicaid can trigger a penalty period during which Medicaid won't pay for nursing home care. This is the main reason Medicaid planning needs to start years before care is actually needed — and the main reason elder law attorneys exist as a distinct practice area.
Estate planning attorneys in Tennessee average $301 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025 for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $903–$1,806 for a simple individual will and $3,150–$4,725 for a basic revocable trust. Online and DIY services cost $30–$300 for the same documents — see the will cost calculator for a side-by-side comparison.
Tennessee allows estates under $50,000 to use a simplified Small Estate Probate Act Petition procedure, which is a form rather than a court case and typically doesn't require an attorney. For larger estates, formal probate is involved enough that retaining counsel is usually practical — the procedural work is what they're there for. Use the Tennessee probate calculator to estimate the costs.
In Tennessee, the situations where retaining counsel is typically worth the cost are: blended families with children from prior relationships; ownership of a business, rental property, or significant investment assets; special-needs dependents who need a special-needs trust to preserve benefits; substantial property held in multiple states. If none of these describe your situation, the simpler online and DIY tools are often enough.
Search 3,941 estate law firms across 51 states.
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.
20 firms
The Bailey Law Firm estate planning attorneys have over 30 years of experience in estate planning, elder law, probate and wills. The firm serves clients in Memphis, Shelby County, Tipton County, Fayette County, and parts of Mississippi.
Location
5100 Wheelis Drive, Suite 215Memphis, TN 38117
Phone
(901) 843-2760
Established
1997
Service Area
3 counties
Buhrman Law Firm is a cornerstone law firm of Chattanooga for over 50 years. A father-son law firm rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell that practices in the areas of estate planning, wills, trusts, probate, trust and estate administration, business law, tax issues, conservatorships and guardianships, elder law, and Special Needs Trusts.
Location
345 Frazier Avenue, Suite 210, The Terrace at FrazierChattanooga, TN 37405
Phone
(423) 266-5691
Service Area
1 county
Adam J. Carr is a native of Sevier County with over ten years of practice specializing in estate planning, trusts, and probate law. Services include preparation of wills, durable power of attorney, healthcare power of attorney, living wills, trusts, and long-range planning for the transfer of assets.
Location
109 Parkway, Suite 2ASevierville, TN 37862
Phone
(865) 453-1143
Service Area
4 counties
Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, founded in 1886, handles estate planning and administration for Hamilton, Bradley, and Marion county families from Chattanooga's Liberty Tower. The estate team includes resident CPAs, licensed social workers, and two of the few Certified Elder Law Attorneys in the Southeast, handling trusts, special-needs and dynasty trusts, Medicaid planning, and conservatorships.
Location
605 Chestnut Street, Suite 1700, Liberty TowerChattanooga, TN 37450
Phone
(423) 756-3000
Established
1886
Service Area
3 counties
The Law Office of Nancy L. Choate is a specialized estate planning and elder law practice in Jackson, Tennessee, serving families throughout West Tennessee. Nancy Choate earned her JD from Vanderbilt University School of Law and holds a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent peer review rating, the highest professional rating available.
Location
403 North Parkway, Suite 201Jackson, TN 38305
Phone
(731) 661-0665
Service Area
4 counties
Eckel and Associates has been serving West Tennessee since 2014. Attorney M.O. Eckel III is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Mississippi College School of Law who previously spent over 20 years as a physical therapist before entering law. The firm specializes in estate planning and elder law for Tipton County and surrounding communities.
Location
106 E. Liberty AvenueCovington, TN 38019
Phone
(901) 476-3599
Established
2014
Service Area
1 county
Elder Care Law of Tennessee (formerly Elder Law of East Tennessee) is a Knoxville firm founded in 2010 by Certified Elder Law Attorney Amelia Crotwell, with a Tri-Cities office in Johnson City. It serves Knox, Anderson, Blount, and Loudon counties with Medicaid and VA Aid and Attendance planning, estate planning, asset protection, special needs planning, and Life Care Planning.
Location
903 N Hall Of Fame DriveKnoxville, TN 37917
Phone
(865) 951-2410
Established
2010
Service Area
4 counties
Foust & Foust, PLLC is a boutique estate planning law firm in Knoxville, TN, offering personalized solutions for wills, trusts, probate, and asset protection. The firm also has an additional location in Morristown, TN.
Location
4641 Chambliss AvenueKnoxville, TN 37919
Phone
(865) 203-4041
Service Area
2 counties
Harwell & Plant Attorneys at Law has served Lawrence County and South Central Tennessee from Lawrenceburg since 1974, with an emphasis on elder law and estate planning. Paul Plant is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, handling Medicaid and long-term care planning alongside wills, trusts, and probate administration for Lawrence, Giles, Wayne, and Lewis counties.
Location
225 Mahr AvenueLawrenceburg, TN 38464
Phone
(931) 762-7528
Established
1974
Service Area
4 counties
Holmes & Stice PLC was co-founded in 2000 by James W. Holmes and Michael D. Stice, serving individuals and business owners across Sullivan, Washington, Hawkins, Carter, Greene, and Unicoi counties. Both founding attorneys are Certified Estate Planning Law Specialists and Accredited Estate Planners through the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils.
Location
2404 North John B. Dennis Highway, Suite 100Kingsport, TN 37660
Phone
(423) 246-9553
Established
2000
Service Area
6 counties