People who are aging or have a chronic illness or disability often experience unique legal issues. For example, they might require in-home or long-term care, need to ask a loved one to handle their finances, or have to establish a Special Needs Trust. When you are in this position, connect with an elder law attorney who can help.
Instead of navigating the unique aspects of Virginia Beach elder law by yourself, partner with a seasoned lawyer at Parks Zeigler, PLLC. Our respected attorneys can help you find effective and customized solutions to address things like retirement, wealth management, government benefits, and more.
Legal Issues People May Encounter When They Age or Develop a Disability
Elder law encompasses many aspects of estate, long-term care, wealth management, and medical care planning experienced by people as they age or when they develop a disability. For example, someone may get into a serious car crash and suffer a brain injury that reduces their cognitive abilities. Because of this, they may need to appoint someone to handle their medical and financial affairs and put in place a plan to manage their wealth while they cannot work.
Similarly, people who are aging may have concerns about retirement and gaining access to government benefits programs like Medicaid or Supplement Security Income. They may also need help managing these benefits in a way that stretches their dollars further. Likewise, they may want to put a trusted friend or family member in charge of making medical or property decisions when they are unable to.
Our Virginia Beach attorneys help people identify and understand the unique aspects of elder care law that may be at play in their situation. For example, an attorney can create a plan that helps people accomplish their wealth management or long-term care goals. We can also help people identify potential tax implications and determine how to minimize them going forward.
Creating a Long-Term Care or Legacy Plan
The first step in creating an appropriate plan is to determine what need you want to address, such as if a person needs to provide long-term care for a loved one, consider creating a Trust. The Trust can hold assets the trustee uses to pay for long-term care.
When a loved one has a disability that prevents them from making decisions on their own, a guardianship or conservatorship may be appropriate. A guardianship may make sense when they have difficulty managing day-to-day decisions. In contrast, a conservatorship might be more suitable when a loved one finds it challenging to make decisions about their finances.
Once a person identifies the need or want they are trying to address by creating a legal solution, they can start strategizing about how to accomplish these goals. Given the many unique aspects of elder law, people in Virginia Beach benefit from collaborating with a lawyer. They can help demystify the process and confidently create and implement legal strategies to make these a reality.
Call a Virginia Beach Attorney for Help With the Unique Aspects of Elder Law
When you have a disability or chronic illness or are older, you may have questions about how to protect and grow your assets, apply for things like Medicaid or SSI, and leave a legacy behind for your loved ones. Instead of trying to work through these legal issues by yourself, collaborating with a knowledgeable attorney who can provide comprehensive and personalized advice is invaluable.
Our firm has extensive experience with the unique aspects of Virginia Beach elder law, such as securing benefits under entitlement programs, creating wills, or drafting power of attorney forms. We understand the vulnerable position you may be in when you meet with us, and we are here to help provide unbiased, compassionate solutions that work for you. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
