As a senior, you have many challenging issues to work through, from finding long-term care to sorting out finances. Do you have an expert who can help you?
All seniors should have an elder law attorney to help them navigate the legal system. What is elder law? Simply, it refers to an area of legal practice that specializes in issues that impact seniors and the elderly population.
Are you thinking about hiring an elder law attorney? If so, keep reading to find seven reasons why you or a loved one can benefit from specialized legal care.
1. An Elder Law Attorney Understands Estate Planning
One important reason to use the services of an elder care attorney is for help with estate planning.
Estate planning is a complex topic and involves the preparation of your finances, living arrangements, and your healthcare needs. An elder care lawyer can manage your wishes and can help distribute your assets in a way that avoids your dependents having to pay excessive fees.
An expert attorney can assist with both estate planning and wills, ensuring your wishes are respected.
2. Help with Medicare and Medicaid Claims
Making sense of Medicare and Medicaid can be confusing, and sometimes it’s almost impossible to figure out what services you do and don’t qualify for.
Getting answers from Medicare isn’t always easy either, so sometimes it helps to have a qualified elder law lawyer to look over your situation and advise.
This can help you receive the medical care you’re entitled to and you don’t pay unnecessarily for medical treatment.
3. Long-Term Care Financing
Assisted-care facilities and nursing home care can be extremely expensive, with the average cost for a private room in a nursing home reaching $7,698 per month.
Is this covered by your insurance? Do you need help sorting out your estate or financing to free up money to cover your expenses?
An elder care lawyer can assist with nursing home financing and managing your assets to ensure you get the care you need.
Or, if you have any legal issues resulting from the services provided by your nursing home team, you may want a lawyer to help you seek compensation.
For example, if you aren’t receiving access to the services or care that were offered when you moved in, this can be an issue of deceptive advertising, something sometimes seen in the nursing care industry.
4. Probate
A key reason many people use elder law attorneys is for assistance with probate. Probate is the legal process of verifying and validating a will before it can be carried out.
Disputes when it comes to wills are not common. But, if there is reason to believe that the will is not accurate or was created when the person was not of sound mind, then the will may be called into question, which requires probate.
Dealing with probate for a loved one’s will can be emotional and stressful, so you’ll want to work with an elder law lawyer to manage the situation. With the help of a lawyer, you can ensure the last requests of your loved one are looked after and that the will is administered fairly.
5. Elder Abuse Cases
Shockingly, elder abuse is more common than you might think. It’s estimated that one in ten Americans over the age of 60 have experienced some sort of elder abuse.
This can be physical, but can also be emotional. Or, they may be financially exploited, neglected, or deprived of their basic necessities.
If you or someone who you love is experiencing elder abuse, this is a serious criminal matter that requires investigation. You’ll need to hire a lawyer who can represent you in court, potentially file charges, and represent your interests.
Should you suspect elder abuse, contact 911 in emergency cases or report it by calling Adult Protective Services.
6. Issues Specific to Veterans
Many of our honored American veterans are now aging, and are reaching the point where they may need additional medical care and support.
Veteran seniors qualify for a huge range of benefits through Veterans Affairs, but it can be confusing to understand how it all works and what you’re entitled to in terms of healthcare and benefits.
Veterans may also need to attend particular veterans’ hospitals, which may pose challenges in terms of access and transportation.
If you or your loved one is a veteran who needs help managing their benefits, an elder law attorney can assist.
7. Issues of Discrimination
Unfortunately, discrimination against seniors is common in our society, especially in the workplace.
Have you applied for a job or a promotion and feel like you were passed over, due to your age? Many older adults still love being part of the workforce, but employers often prefer to hire younger workers.
Age-related discrimination is a crime, so if you were discriminated against, an elder law lawyer can help you form a case and fight for the compensation you’re entitled to.
You may also see age-related discrimination in the housing market, such as when applying for an apartment. Discrimination is against the law, so don’t let it happen to you.
Contact Us Today for Elder Law Support
With so many complexities to navigate as we get older, an elder law attorney can be a great asset. They’re someone who you can depend on to assist with all your needs.
If you need an expert legal team for your legal care needs, get in touch today. Watertown Law is an expert legal team, servicing the Watertown and Lake Mills areas of Wisconsin.
Founded in 1939, we have a long history of serving the community. Our team has over 200 years of combined experience, ensuring you and your loved ones receive the highest quality of legal care.
For all of your elder law needs, contact us today. Our friendly team looks forward to hearing from you.