Sylvius H. von Saucken, an estate, tax and probate attorney, joined The Garretson Firm in 2005.  Sylvius has led the firm’s Government Benefits Preservation Group since November, 2006, and now leads its national Probate and Bankruptcy Coordination Groups, in addition to serving as the firm’s chief architect of benefit preservation strategies.  He has extensive experience in complex planning issues, individual income tax matters and elder law issues, as they relate to settling claimants and other parties.  Sylvius received his BA in Diplomacy / Foreign Affairs & Political Science from Miami University (OH) and his law degree from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law, where he has served as an adjunct professor, co-teaching courses in Federal Wealth Transfer Taxation and Estate Planning.

Over the past few years, Sylvius has spoken before the Cleveland Bar Association on Medicare Set-Asides, at the annual convention for the National Association of Medicare Set-Aside Professionals on the topic of Qualified Settlement Funds, and at various seminars presented by the Ohio Association for Justice on topics ranging from Medicaid lien strategies and resolution to special needs trusts, government benefit preservation strategies and taxation of settlements.  In 2007, Sylvius spoke at the annual conventions for both the National Structured Settlement Trade Association and the Society of Settlement Planners about the consequences of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 on structured settlement annuities for long-term Medicaid beneficiaries.  In 2008, Sylvius focused his speaking engagements on Medicaid Lien Resolution, Medicare Secondary Payer issues, as well as taxation of settlements and Medicare Set Aside compliance issues.  This year, Sylvius will be focusing on Medicare Secondary Payer issues, including the MMSEA’s reporting obligations for insurance companies involved in settlements, as well as other government medical recovery programs (i.e. Veterans Administration and Tricare).

In his capacity as Compliance Director Sylvius leads the firm’s internal protocol development and training initiatives and provides compliance support to the firm’s Medicare Set Aside custodial company, Affiance Partners, LLC.