Many people assume that they don’t need the services of an Elder Law Attorney because they are not elderly. While Elder Law attorneys assist clients with issues that are often faced by senior citizens, the practice of Elder Law is not limited to just older clients.
Elder Law attorneys help clients of all ages with Estate Planning, Probate, Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts, Medicaid, Veteran’s Benefits, Powers of Attorney, Disability Benefits, Special Needs Trusts, and more.
Elder Law attorneys can of course prepare a Will or Trust for a senior client, but they can also prepare Wills and Trusts for younger clients with minor children or middle-aged clients. Lawyers who practice Elder Law are uniquely qualified to assist families with disabled children or grandchildren since they understand the need to structure an estate plan to protect that disabled child’s right to receive public benefits, such as SSI, Medicaid and Social Security Disability.
Likewise, while an Elder Law attorney may help a senior citizen prepare their Will, the attorney can also assist that senior’s children with probate of the Will and administration of the estate.
Older individuals often contact a lawyer specializing in Elder Law with help protecting their assets in the event they need to qualify for Medicaid to pay for skilled nursing care.
However if a senior didn’t plan in advance, it’s often their adult child who contacts the Elder Law attorney for help in protecting assets when the senior enters a nursing home. The lawyer can help the family with obtaining guardianship or a Power of Attorney for the senior as well as transferring assets to trusts or children to help with qualification for Medicaid.
The practice of Elder Law encompasses multiple areas of law involving estates, asset protection, public benefits, disability and more. People of all ages can benefit from the services of an Elder Law attorney.
Amanda Spence is a Raleigh Elder Law Attorney who has been assisting clients in Wake, Johnston, Harnett and other counties throughout North Carolina for thirty years. If you need help with an Elder Law issue, contact her at 919-863-4183 or [email protected] to schedule a consultation.