What is Elder Law?
What is elder law? And how does it impact you? Those are important questions, especially as we age. With our longer life expectancy, elder law is a somewhat new area of the law and exists to serve the needs of the elderly and disabled, along with their families. Elder law covers a wide range of issues, both legal and financial.
From Medicaid planning to probate and estate administration to estate planning, it is essential to find an elder law attorney who’s well-versed in what the laws in your state say about caring for the elderly. An elder law attorney at The Mattar Firm can help protect the rights and welfare of the elderly and their family members, from protecting assets to issues around guardianship, conservatorship, and power of attorney.
Elder law attorneys often have a specialization with elderly clients and handle complex financial issues, securing the best outcomes for their clients. They are also equipped to handle the sensitive, emotional, and physical needs of the elderly and disabled adults.
There are specific ways in which an elder law attorney can help you. They’re available to discuss wills and estate planning, including planning for adults or children with special needs. This includes probate matters and establishing a durable power of attorney, which can be difficult for a family to deal with.
From a healthcare perspective, an elder law attorney at The Mattar Firm can assist with planning for long-term options, patient rights, Medicare and Medicaid, and healthcare power of attorney. They can also help with nursing home rights, and help file claims, as well as assist in finding long-term care at a manageable cost.
Medicare is available for Americans 65 and older but can be complicated and confusing, especially if you are enrolling for the first time. Did parts of a plan offer different benefits, and an elder law attorney can help you keep everything straight. Applying for Medicaid, which is income-based, can also be complicated. It’s important to work with an attorney who fully understands the law and how it works.
Financially, an elder law attorney can help with estate planning, income issues, gift taxes, and housing opportunities. They are also able to assist with drafting a living will, advanced directives, trusts, and long-term planning documents. These can be complex matters, even if you only have a modest house or bank account. Unfortunately, we all die, and estate planning helps us put our affairs in order before our time comes. It can also establish a trustee to oversee your assets should you become incapacitated before death.
An elder law attorney at The Mattar Firm can also assist in age-discrimination cases, where you or a loved one feel a negative employment decision was based on your age. Grandparents’ visitation rights can also be handled through an elder law attorney. Those can be the result of a bitter divorce, fraying of a relationship between a parent and child, or even the death of a child’s parent. An elder law attorney familiar with the Florida statutes on visitation can help sort through everything and chart the best course of action.
If you’ve decided to contact an elder law attorney at The Mattar Firm, there are some questions to ask on your first visit. For instance, you may want to ask how long it will take to resolve your specific case or situation. Ask the elder law attorney to explain the pros and cons of each possible outcome in a case, in order to choose the best route. While it may be hard for an attorney to determine your bill initially, it may be wise to ask for an estimate.
You may also want to ask about the attorney’s experience in elder law, especially if you have a difficult or complicated case. It’s important to find an elder law attorney who can meet your specific needs.
Contact Us
At The Mattar Firm, our experienced elder law attorneys can answer any of your questions regarding elder law. Contact our elder law attorneys today at 239-222-2222.