Whether you seek legal counsel for yourself or a loved one, elder law attorneys have a wide range of expertise and services that you will require in later stages of life. Actions you take in one part of your life may have unintended legal consequences in others. As you age, legal issues may create the need for:
- Government benefits
- Safer living arrangements
- Guardianships
- Greater asset protection
- Powers of attorney for healthcare and financial decisions
- Advance directives to instruct family members and healthcare professionals
Proactive long-range planning and preparation of appropriate legal documents will help you prepare for challenges as you age. Elder law attorneys help you live your best life, safely and independently, for as long as possible.
Special Needs Children and Disabled Adults
Elder law helps you protect your loved ones through special needs planning. Disabilities can be diagnosed at birth, occur in adulthood, or be caused by illness or injury. Special needs planning should start as soon as possible to ensure that significant government benefits they depend on aren’t jeopardized. Legal strategies involve creating a special needs trust.
A special needs trust protects the assets of a loved one who receives benefits and holds and distributes funds to provide additional support for their care. The goal of a special needs trust is to ensure that the trust assets are not treated as countable resources when determining eligibility for government programs. It is a way for parents to support their children and supplement their lifestyle. The trust can be used for recreation, travel, education, and medical expenses not covered by Medicaid. This trust is carefully set up to align with federal, Georgia, or Florida state rules to ensure that it is successful in meeting its goals.
Guardianship and Conservatorship in Georgia and Florida
Guardianship and conservatorship is a particular field of law that allows a person to step in and take responsibility for a loved one in a time of need.
Adult children may seek guardianship for aging parents who are vulnerable or incapacitated. Guardians can take on the responsibility of living arrangements, daily care, and medical decisions. A conservatorship will allow them to handle financial matters.
Special needs children with severe disabilities may require guardianship once they turn eighteen since they can’t make their own legal and medical decisions.
Guardianship should only be employed when there is clear and convincing evidence that the disability will substantially impair your loved one’s decision-making ability.
An experienced estate planning and elder law attorney can draft documents and support you when seeking guardianship. At Moody Law Firm, LLC, we help you make this difficult decision, gather the necessary documentation, and represent you in court.
At Moody Law Firm, LLC, Walt Moody understands your concerns from personal experience and is driven to help you protect assets, reduce estate taxes, avoid probate, or settle an estate successfully. Having been seriously injured in a car crash in college, Walt understands the importance of being prepared for life-changing events. He applies this knowledge to the areas of elder law and estate planning when helping clients with emotional and complex issues, such as establishing trusts to provide for a special needs child or disabled loved one. Contact us to learn more about estate planning tools and for support and guidance with federal, Georgia, and Florida state laws.
Trust us to put our vast resources and experience to work for you! Secure your future by contacting us today!