For National Elder Law Month 2026, Chuhak & Tecson’s elder law attorneys bring clarity to the legal, financial and practical complexities of aging

May is National Elder Law Month, an opportunity to focus on and raise awareness about legal planning for aging and special needs. The attorneys in Chuhak & Tecson’s Elder Law practice group are marking the occasion with a robust lineup of programming focused on providing seniors, their families and fellow practitioners with the information and resources that can help them navigate the unique challenges and complexities that come with growing older.

Principal and Elder Law practice leader Mallory Moreno says that far from being an adjunct to their work, educating others about these matters is a core responsibility.

“We may deal with elder law issues every day, but we know our clients don’t,” she says. “Every attorney in the practice group recognizes how critical it is to empower clients with knowledge, so that the scariness of the unknown and unfamiliar is replaced by clarity and confidence that they are ready — legally, financially and practically — for the days and years ahead.”

Moreno notes that fellow attorneys who practice in other areas also benefit from education about the many nuanced issues involved in advising seniors, individuals with special needs and their families.

“We want our colleagues who focus on other legal disciplines to have a baseline of knowledge about elder law issues so they can steer their clients in the right direction and towards the right resources.”

To that end, our lawyers have redoubled their commitment to community education. This includes presentations, workshops, seminars and other events at which they discuss the wide range of issues and topics that fall under the broad umbrella of elder law, such as long-term care planning Medicaid benefits crisis and pre-planning, special needs and incapacity planning, Medigap coverage, guardianships and elder abuse concerns. Similarly, the attorneys in our Estate Planning & Asset Protection and Estate & Trust Administration & Litigation groups, whose work regularly intersects with the concerns and matters facing our elder law clients, are also contributing their time and insights to inform and enlighten others on related topics.

In May, the firm’s Chuhak Chats, short, focused video vignettes that emphasize a particular area of the law, will cover such topics as when guardianship is appropriate; what a special needs trust is; cost-effective transfer on death certificates instruments (TODI); and Illinois’ recently passed End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act, making Illinois the first state in the Midwest to authorize medical aid in dying (MAID).

Moreno adds that education is a two-way street, and that she and the other attorneys in the firm’s Elder Law group remain students as well as teachers regarding new developments in their field.

“The laws and policies that impact seniors and those with disabilities aren’t set in stone, nor are the economic conditions that may require adjustments or new strategies and approaches,” she says. “We are always trying to stay ahead of these changes and are constantly educating ourselves about them so we can pass that information on to our clients and position them for a secure future.”

The busy calendar of upcoming events marking National Elder Law Month 2026 reflects the group’s focus on community education, including the following:

• May 7: Moreno and Lindsey Paige Markus, leader of Chuhak & Tecson’s Estate Planning & Asset Protection Group, speak to the Lake County Estate Planning Council on “Navigating Elder Law in an Aging America: State and Federal Frameworks for the Next Decade.”
• May 12: Moreno provides an in-depth presentation and overview of “What is Elder Law?” for the Kane County Bar Elder Law Seminar. 
• May 13: Moreno participates in a live Q&A session for families and individuals affected by Angelman’s Syndrome, answering questions about how to properly plan for a loved one with special needs.
• May 18: Moreno presents to the Chicago Bar Association Elder Law Committee on “A Guardian’s Duty to Pursue Benefits: Medicaid Planning in the Context of a Guardianship.”
• June 11: Moreno and Christine Barone, principal in the firm’s Elder Law, Estate Planning & Asset Protection and Estate & Trust Administration & Litigation practice groups, participate in the Des Plaines Senior Expo at Rivers Casino in Des Plaines.
• June 16: Bryan Montana, principal in the firm’s Elder Law and Estate Planning & Asset Protection groups, presents to advisors, “Estate Planning Trends & Strategies for 2026.”

You can visit here to learn more about Chuhak & Tecson’s Elder Law practice group and its attorneys, Christine A. Barone, Bryan M. Montana, Mallory A. Moreno and Olive Wassen.