ELDER LAW
Our Elder Law Partners create estate plans, drafts wills and trusts, develop advance directives and Powers of Attorney, and help you qualify for Medicaid and VA benefits. They also help you meet the legal, financial, and personal needs of loved ones while protecting family assets and making provisions for the smooth transition of family wealth. The consultation is FREE. Call or text 941-444-3888
Power Of Attorney
Financial power of attorney gives someone the authority to manage another person’s financial affairs. If your loved one gives you power of attorney, you’ll be able to perform a wide range of tasks, including selling assets, managing bank accounts, paying bills and filing annual tax returns. It’s important to arrange for POA as soon as possible after a dementia diagnosis, as your parent won’t be able to sign the documents if the disease is advanced enough to render them unable to make their own legal decisions.
Guardianship
Guardianship is more complex than power of attorney, making it more expensive and time-consuming. When an older person can’t make their own decisions, a judge appoints a guardian to manage their legal affairs and a conservator to manage their financial affairs. In many cases, the guardian and the conservator are the same person, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If you have a trusted sibling, for example, it’s possible for one of you to serve as guardian and the other to act as conservator.
If the court appoints you as your parent’s guardian, you have a fiduciary responsibility, which means you need to act in your parent’s best interests and not your own. As a guardian, you also have a duty to the court. In a full guardianship, the appointed guardian can make almost any decision on the older person’s behalf. Limited guardianships are more restrictive, as the guardian is only allowed to make decisions as outlined in a court order.
VA Benefits
A veteran or surviving spouse may be eligible for VA benefits. Such benefits may make a significant difference in quality of life and long-term care options. Our VA attorneys & consultants in our Senior Partners Network are skilled at navigating the complex VA rules. We can help preserve your assets while still qualifying for benefits to help you pay for private home care, assisted living and prescriptions. We will analyze your assets, estate planning documents, and medical expenses and provide a detailed and comprehensive explanation of available VA non-service-connected pension options.
Medicaid Asset Protection
Long-term care is expensive. Many Americans need to take advantage of available Medicaid benefits in order to pay for mounting costs. Applying for Medicaid can be confusing and time-consuming. As experienced Medicaid Planning Attorney partners, can help you navigate the complex state and federal rules that govern Medicaid, and how to help you qualify for benefits while preserving your hard-earned assets. Our Elder Law partners will review your assets, medical expenses, and estate planning documents, and recommend a course of action so you can obtain the Medicaid benefits you need.
Our goal is to make the entire process as simple and easy for you as possible, in a way that makes the best sense for you and your family. We will be with you every step of the way, even completing and submitting the Medicaid application for you.