There are different legal specialties that attorneys are passionate about, and one of them is elder law. This is a very important area of the law at the present time, because an unprecedented number of Americans are attaining senior citizen status at the same time.
You have to take careful steps to prepare for your senior years if you want to be comfortable and secure. Elder law attorneys help people who are preparing for this stage of life.
There are some elder law issues that are very relevant that you may not be fully aware of, and this is why you may want to discuss everything with an elder law attorney. One of them is the matter of long-term care.
When you know that you’re going to qualify for Medicare at the age of 65, you may not be particularly concerned about future medical expenses. This is understandable to a large extent, but there is a very big hole in the coverage.
Medicare does not pay for custodial care. This is the type of care that you would receive in a nursing home or assisted living community. Long-term care is very expensive, and most seniors will need it, so this is a very big deal.
An elder law attorney can help you prepare for potential long-term care costs. For many people, the solution will be Medi-Cal. This is a government program that will pay for long-term care if you can obtain eligibility.
You do not automatically become eligible for Medi-Cal if you need living assistance as a senior. It is a need-based program, so you must be able to prove that you have very limited financial resources. To meet these requirements, people often give assets to their loved ones.
This is possible, but you have to act in an informed manner, because there is a 30 month look back in California. To obtain timely eligibility, you must complete your gift giving at least 30 months before you apply for coverage.
However, this does not mean that you cannot qualify if you did not act in advance. Depending on the circumstances, your spouse may be able to retain a significant store of assets, and you may not lose a great deal in the process.
Long-term care is the most pressing elder law issue of our day, but there are others. If you consult with an elder law attorney, you can get all the facts.
We can help if you would like to take action. Our firm offers free consultations, and we care a great deal about the needs of community members who are concerned about the future.
To set up an appointment, send us a brief message through our contact page: Los Angeles CA Elder Law Attorneys.
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If you are interested in the possibility of working with our firm after learning these facts, please select our “Workshops” tab to RSVP for a free estate planning workshop. At that workshop you will be offered a free one-hour consultation with an attorney: www.collinslawgroup.com/seminars/
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