Rachael A. Houck (CELA)

A native to the Dayton area, I went to high school at Archbishop Alter and received my bachelor’s degree from the University of Dayton. I have been a licensed and practicing attorney in the State of Ohio since 2004 when I graduated from The Ohio State Moritz College of Law with my Juris Doctor. I spent 14 years in insurance defense litigation before finding my true calling as an Elder Law attorney and counselor. This change of practice area allows me to focus on helping families navigate the challenges that naturally arise amidst long-term care uncertainties and end of life planning.  

Since dedicating my practice full-time to Elder Law, Estate Planning and Estate Administration, I am proud to have earned the distinction and title of “Certified Elder Law Attorney” (CELA) by the National Elder Law Foundation. There are only 39 CELAs in the State of Ohio with only 6 of us in the greater Dayton area. This certification is the highest level of specialty for Elder Law attorneys, and it pushes me to remain at the front edge of Elder Law planning. It allows me to provide the counsel and service my clients and their families need and deserve. I am also certified with the Veteran’s Administration to assist in helping war time veterans and their surviving spouses obtain special benefits to help with long term care.  

I believe strongly in the ability for seniors to maintain their dignity through self-determination in the decision-making process regarding their care. I also believe in compassion, empathy, and
listening carefully to my clients’ goals and priorities. Unfortunately, my life experience has given me a unique perspective in which I can relate to my clients. My children and I lost their father in 2018 unexpectedly of a heart attack. This experience has allowed me to understand the struggles of my clients and their families at a personal level. My job is to be a listening ear first and hear my client’s concerns. I then help them discover unknown or unanticipated issues, and work through these issues to provide options we implement together. I am honored each day to be able to build relationships with clients and their families, educating and counseling them through what is one of the most difficult times in their lives.  

Outside of my daily duties and responsibilities as a Certified Elder Law Attorney, I am the proud mother of 4 children: ages 16, 14, 13 and 9 along with one fur baby, Bron, who you may spot around the office on occasion. I spend time coaching my kids and their friends in soccer as well
as volleyball and cheering them on in their many other extracurricular activities, including cross country, basketball, and track. There’s rarely a quiet moment in my house! I enjoy being active
and spending time in the outdoors. Traveling is also a passion of mine and I enjoy taking my kids along for the ride. I am also a huge music fan spending evenings listening to my records on
my vintage turn table and attending as many concerts as I can fit into my calendar!