Many people understand that “elder law” refers to helping older adults, but most people don’t really know the specific areas where an elder law attorney can help. There is a wide range of areas where we can provide legal guidance ranging from ways to protect your assets, to protect your loved ones, and to protect your personal health and care. Below are a few examples of elder law services our lawyers provide:

• Powers of attorney. Having a power of attorney means that you have appointed a trusted individual to supervise and manage your personal affairs should you become unable to do so for yourself. The power of attorney can be granted the authority to make financial decisions for you. Without a power of attorney, your loved ones may be forced to go through the costly and time-consuming process of having a guardian appointed by the court.

• Living will. A living will or advance healthcare directive allows you to appoint somebody to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are incapacitated. Your living will may set forth your wishes regarding what types of medical treatment you want (including life-sustaining care), organ donation and other important decisions. This is a very important document because it removes the burden of making extremely difficult decisions from your loved ones if a medical crisis occurs.

• Medicaid planning. Senior citizens have unique needs when it comes to planning for long-term healthcare. We can assist you with achieving Medicaid eligibility, which often includes advance planning and the creation of wills, trusts, and other important legal documents. We focus on reducing the costs of nursing home or other extended care and preserving your assets for your loved ones.

• Guardianships. We can help you appoint a guardian to care for you if become incapable of making your own decisions due to advanced age or illness. Guardians can be granted the authority to make personal, financial and medical decisions on behalf of the incapacitated person.

• Conservatorship or Trust. We counsel clients on the wisdom of relying on a court-appointed conservator, or creating a trust to manage financial affairs in the event of incapacity.

Let us help you enjoy your retirement years without worrying about your finances and medical care. The Astill Law Office has provided high quality legal services for over 30 years. We specialize in wills, trusts, estate planning, and asset protection. If you have any questions about creating a Trust, Will, or estate planning in general, contact The Astill Law Office at 801-438-8698.