Elder Resource Benefits Consulting
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BEWARE of Patty Servaes, Elder Resource Benefits Consulting, and Servaes Consulting Group. The FREE service will cost you $800 or more. Stay Away!
Patty Servaes and her companies Elder Resource Benefits Consulting and Servaes Consulting Group completely mislead my mother in law and my entire family. We were referred to Patty Servaes and Elder Resource Benefits Consulting by an assisted living community. We waited nearly two weeks to get our "coaching" call. This information was critical to our family knowing if she could afford assisted living, clearly we were not important to Servaes. We had been told the services of ERBC were free and that Patty Servaes would help with the aid and attendance application. After we finally had our call with someone who my wife described as sounding like she was reading a script and not truly knowledgeable, we set out to gather all the information we need to apply for the VA Benefit.
When we called Elder Resource Benefits Consulting back my mother in law had elected another assisted living facility who apparently had not paid Patty Servaes' "advertising fee." We were told that since we were not moving to one of her partner communities we would have to pay $800 to Servaes Consulting Group (read here: http://www.elderbenefitsconsulting.com/fullconsultingservices.html ). My family was really angry, a real bait and switch. I don't know how they can promote a free service, then charge $800 for a cash flow analysis - what a SCAM!
We then called our county VA representative who told us it is illegal to charge for assistance with a VA application. I don't know how they get away with it. My guess is this is why Patty Servaes started started the new company Servaes Consulting Group https://servaesconsulting.com/ in July 2013. Probably to get around some VA rules.
Do yourself a favor, find someone else to help with this benefit. My mother in law is going to get $1100 from the VA and it didn't cost us anything to apply. Somehow we were able to do it without paying Servaes $800, I am sure you can to.
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not happy
Sorry You Were Unhappy - I am sorry you were unhappy with our service - as you noted, the employees read from a script at the beginning of the call - informing you that
1) we are not affiliated with the VA and
2) we are assisting you at no charge because of the advertising support from your community allows us to do a mini cash flow analysis at no charge for their residents – since a full cash flow analysis is $800, that is quite a benefit. I am sorry it took you two weeks to have a call with ERBC - ERBC always has calls available within 48hrs, so the open appointments must not have fit with your schedule.
They have certainly never gone two weeks without an open appointment and had appointments available today – same day.
It is very clear on the www.elderbenefitsconsulting.com website how the business works – there is no bait and switch – and if you were to honestly think about what transpired, you learned a lot, probably locked in the VA benefit and received ZERO pressure from anyone to become a Cash Flow Analysis client of Servaes Consulting Group. And no, Servaes Consulting Group was not, as you imply, created to avoid any laws, it was created because our appeal work has taken off.
Anyone can pursue the VA benefit on their own, just as anyone can file their taxes on their own or find free tax services at the senior center or get free legal services by going to Legal Aide.
In America, people have a right to choose and some individuals choose to become cash flow analysis clients – enjoying the fact that our average time to award is 4 months, that we do not sell any annuities and that they receive pro bono updates to their cash flow analysis and assistance with VA benefits for the remainder of their life, and some choose to pursue the benefit with free assistance or no assistance at all. As is their right.
I wish you much success and hope your mom gets the benefit asap, Best, Patty Servaes
I am deeply saddened to see this slam of Patty Servaes' Elder Resource Benefits Consulting (ERBC) services. My family became a client in 2009.
With Patty's help, my father-in-law recieved the aid and attendant benefit. Multiple inquiries to the VA told us my father-in-law did not qualify. The one time fee for services is a bargain when one considers the benefit to finally becoming enrolled in the aid and attendant. Every inquiry we have ever made to ERBC has been responded to very quickly & professionally; even on weekends.
I work with elders and enthusiastically recommend Patty's services to families who desire assistance navigationg the ins and outs of VA benefits. She provides an invaluable service.
My experience with Patty Servaes is a total 360 from what I have just read. Patty found my Dad's DD-214 discharge papers in a matter of hours when the Veteran's Administration has still not helped after 5 months and countless hours of sending me on a wild goose chase.
I found her to be caring, resourceful and experienced.
As far as the charges, how on earth could you expect to switch to a different facility that does not pay for her services and expect it to be at no cost. Do YOU work for free????
I am taking a stand here as I do not wish anyone to lose out on a life changing quality service because of a few nasty remarks.
Wow! I read through this review and couldn't disagree with this enough!
I was able to get an appointment right away with one of the consultants and even though I still was not decided on where we were going to place my father in law, it was explained to us up front about how we can work with them if we weren't moving into the facility that referred us. I would have had no problem working with this company because I felt confident that they know exactly what they are doing. As far as sounding 'scripted'...yes it may have but the layout was very efficient and I felt like every question that they asked had a reason behind it and when the benefit was explained to us, their knowledge of the benefit and criteria was exceptional.
I talked to our local VA and didn't get even 1/3 of the information that I got from this company. :)