Blog

When Do I Need an Elder Law Attorney?

Elder law attorneys in Sonoma County and elsewhere help senior citizens navigate complex legal issues facing them. An elder law attorney handles a wide range of legal matters affecting elderly people, including health care, guardianship, Medicare/Medicaid, and Social Security.

An elder law attorney does not just handle important financial and estate planning matters, but takes care of important matters affecting the quality of life of their elderly clients, such as life planning and assisted living.

When to Hire an Elder Law Attorney

Here are some situations in which senior citizens must seriously consider hiring an elder law attorney:

  • They are entering a nursing home for long-term care, and want to preserve/transfer assets to secure their spouse’s future
  • They want to file a Medicare or Medicaid claim or a social security and disability claim
  • They are planning to file a claim pertaining to age discrimination in employment
  • They want to plan their estate (management during their life and disposition on death)
  • They are seeking redressal to nursing home issues
  • They are seeking legal solutions to housing issues, including home equity conversions and discrimination

How an Elder Law Attorney Can Help You

Here are some ways in which an elder law attorney can help you:

Help You Understand and Establish Your Priorities and Name Key Decision Makers

Elder law attorneys help their clients focus on their goals. They also help clients plan their legacy.

Your elder law attorney will work with you to identify and nominate secondary decision makers who can make important decisions on your behalf if you become physically or mentally incapacitated.

Assist in Navigating Challenging Family Situations

An experienced elder law attorney can help you find solutions to challenging family situations. Some typical examples include:

  • You have a physically/mentally incapacitated loved one, and want to ensure they are provided for if something happens to you in future
  • You have a high-value estate or have substantial assets in your retirement accounts, and are worried that your family will be unable to pay state or federal estate taxes
  • You have moved in with one of your adult children, and want to create a family care contract
  • You have a child with a spending problem or are worried that one of your children is going to get a divorce and do not want the ex-spouse to inherit half of your child’s inheritance

Care Planning and Coordination

If you have special healthcare needs, your attorney will help you and your family members understand and explore treatment or long-term care options. The professional will help qualify for all applicable federal and state programs to finance the cost of care.

The team at Johnston & Associates Law comprises experienced elder law attorneys in Sonoma County. Every attorney in our team has decades of experience in creating customized legal solutions for their clients. To talk to one of our legal experts, call 707-545-6542.

    Call: +1(707)-545-6542






    By contacting and engaging in an exchange of communications with Johnston & Associates, Attorneys at Law, I understand that no attorney-client relationship has been established between us, and until a written agreement is signed by both of us, Johnston & Associates, Attorneys at Law, has no obligation to represent me or to ensure that legal deadlines are met in my legal matter.

    Yes, I'd like to receive valuable information from the team at Johnston & Associates.