The Role of Elder Law Attorneys

The average life expectancy for a woman is now 85 years and for a man 81 years, meaning that people are living longer than they did even a decade ago. Each year around 12,000 Baby Boomers pass the 65 mark. With increased age brings along possible financial and age-related legal issues.

Because many of the elderly are divorced or have less children, family support has decreased compared to past generations. Public assistance programs are in place to help this problem, but some programs are complicated. Social Security may be straight forward but a person may need the advice of a professional when it comes to the informational mine field that is Medicaid to maximize its benefits. Even when government benefit programs are unavailable due to substantial wealth, asset transfers and management often need a guiding hand of a knowledgeable attorney.

Elder law attorneys focus on the client’s quality of life, autonomy, and making their wishes a nexus for all decisions concerning their possible loss of mental capacity, guardianship, and healthcare decisions. They may work with nurses, social workers, and even personal injury attorneys to make sure that any plan if efficient and customized for their particular client.

See Jaclyn Lee & Lawrence A. Frolik, The Role of Elder Law Attorneys, Wealth Strategies Journal, May 30, 2018.

Special thanks to Jim Hillhouse (Professional Legal Marketing (PLM, Inc.) for bringing this article to my attention.