Areas of Elder Law Beneficial to Retiring Seniors
Aug. 16, 2018
As we progress through our work lives, an attorney will play significantly different roles depending on need. For retiring seniors who wish to solidify their children’s financial future, couples wanting no hiccups when applying for benefits and those who simply want intelligent representation in financial matters, an elder law attorney is often retained.
Elder lawyers perform functions similar to probate attorneys, except their concentration is solely on senior citizens and the needs they will have while in, or getting ready to enter, their retirement years.
Interested? Wait until see their practice areas.
What Elder Lawyers Do
This May Interest You.
Handling an array of financial matters and legalities surrounding financial security, elder law lawyers have no shortage of challenging yet equally fulfilling work. Some of their more widely known functions include:
Planning the estate of seniors, including how the property will be divided among the children, siblings and outside organizations such as churches, nonprofits and so forth
Creating resilient power of attorney agreements
Assisting with the planning and execution of long-term healthcare, including placement in nursing or assisted living facilities
Additional financial representation in taxation, housing, investment and income opportunities
Discuss options for naming guardianship over the estate
Assist in filing a nursing home claims any skilled practitioner of elder law knows that future planning is important before the future arrives
Besides, retired folks have better things to spend their free time on than fretting over who gets what, how they will survive their Golden Years, and who will make sure their funerals are planned and executed.
How Can an Elder Law Attorney Help Me?
In Many Ways. Here Are Some.
Medicare and Medicaid applications, including application and handling denials, are one growing need of senior citizens. Not because they’re incompetent, but because the government can make approvals challenging for those that qualify. Same applies to Social Security, retirement benefits and similar income streams – just because the seniors qualify, it doesn’t mean approval is automatic.
Elder law experts can also arrange the division of property, money, life insurance benefits and even real estate. Clear language in living wills can avert tragedy, additional court hearings and other unnecessary bickering between family members. Should donations to various businesses or social service organizations be part of seniors’ future plans, an elder law professional can make that happen, too.
Sure, but I Can File Papers Myself!
That’s Not Advised.
Attorneys that know the imperfections, rules and tedious nature of courts can attest to the difficulty of filing wills, estates, the power of attorneys and similar motions. Laymen who’ve prepared internet wills or forms that lack legal substance have found themselves losing more than their survivors will gain.
The investment in elder law pros is worthy, and with just cause: properly executed documents take the pressure off people who lack working knowledge of elder laws. And, of course, do retirees really want to spend their days fretting over missed deadlines or rejected medical benefits forms? Absolutely not.
Elder law is what Kim A. Bodnar, Attorney at Law has spent years practicing. Senior citizens in Pittsburgh who need skilled estate planning and other life-planning legal work.
NOTE: This is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.