Estate planning lawyers routinely counsel clients who need help dealing with issues arising out of the broad topic of elder law. Like many other estate planning areas, elder law is a topic that covers many different issues. If you are not sure if you need an elder law attorney, are facing a legal issue and you don’t know what kind of attorney to contact, or have other similar questions, we’ve come up with this brief tip sheet to help guide you.
Elder law is something everyone needs to worry about.
In general, elder law attorneys assist their clients as they look toward the future. Hopefully, all of us will grow old one day. As this happens, your needs and abilities will necessarily change. These changes are something you need to be prepared for. Whether you need to create an incapacity plan to address potential medical issues, are worried about taxes, Social Security, or Medicare, or need any other type of assistance, an elder law attorney can help.
Elder law is not only for the elderly.
It’s also important to remember that even young people can face many of the issues that elder law attorneys routinely deal with. For example, people lose abilities as they age. When an elderly person loses the ability to communicate or make choices, the family of that person often seeks the advice and guidance of an elder law attorney. Elder Law lawyers have a lot of experience dealing with issues that arise after someone loses capacity.
However, younger people can also face many of the issues faced by elderly people, and the issues that elder law attorneys have experience handling. For example, if a young person is suddenly incapacitated as a result of an unexpected illness or injury, that person’s family will want to know what to do next. An elder law attorney can help.
Elder Law does not cover all legal issues that elderly people face.
The general term of “elder law” is one that encompasses the common issues that many people experience as a result of the aging process. It’s important to note that even though elder law attorney mostly deal with elderly clients, that doesn’t mean that every legal issue an elderly client has will require an elder law lawyer.
For example, if you are a senior citizen who has been arrested and charged with a crime, you shouldn’t contact an elder law attorney. You need a criminal defense attorney. On the other hand, if you are aging and worry about what the future might hold, have a aging family member you are worried about, or are facing similar problems, an elder law attorney can help.
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