WHAT IS ELDER LAW?

Elder Law is a form of estate planning for people in their later, years thus the term “elder.” Generally, around 60 years of age individuals and their families become concerned about the cost of long-term care which can cost upward of $8,000 or more per month for a nursing home providing medical services. There are a variety of less costly options such as adult family homes, senior assisted communities and in home care.

If your goal is to receive a form of public assistance to pay for long-term care such as Medicaid, then the constantly changing rules can prove to be daunting. In addition to the complexity of qualifying for government paid benefits is the reality that there is a shrinking number of long-term care providers that will accept Medicaid patients. In this environment, it is prudent to consider long-term care insurance, Reverse Mortgages, paid or unpaid family in-home care or other options you may have.

As you can see, there isn’t a universal solution to long-term care. Ultimately, you should seek the advice of legal counsel to review your circumstances and give you your own individualized legal advice. In addition, your family physician needs to help you in deciding the level of care you might need based upon your health care needs. To aid us in advising you, our estate planning questionnaire is provided for you to give us the facts we need. In addition, bringing in your existing estate planning documents such as wills, trusts, power of attorneys, community property agreement, and health care directives will also help us determine what you will need in the future. It is also helpful for you to be aware of who you have designated as your beneficiary on your investment accounts and insurance contracts.