Providing Legal Advice to Senior Citizens

As you get older, your needs may change, and you don’t want to wait too long to start planning for these inevitable life changes. Otherwise, you could find yourself without the housing, medical care, or freedom you hoped to have after retiring. That’s why it’s essential to discuss elder law issues with a skilled lawyer who will guide you and your family members through important legal matters.

Whether you’re quickly heading toward retirement or have a family member who is, you can count on Mike Massey Law for the answers you seek when it comes to elder law issues. Contact our Houston, TX law firm for a free consultation with knowledgeable elder law attorneys.

What Is Elder Law?

Elder law addresses a variety of legal topics that are of interest to most senior citizens. As you get older, you might find yourself wondering where you will live, how you will afford medical care, and what happens if you have Alzheimer’s disease or other health issues. You and your family deserve to have peace of mind when you think of the future, which is why you should talk to elder law lawyers in Houston, TX about legal matters that include the following:

• Estate planning
• Asset protection
• Guardianships
• Long-term care
• Nursing home care
• Medicaid planning
• Planning for Social Security and other benefits

It’s essential that you create a plan that involves these legal matters now rather than waiting until you become disabled, incapacitated, or otherwise in need of care with no way to pay for it. Our elder law lawyers will explain your options to you and make recommendations to ensure you feel comfortable and well cared for as you age. Contact our Houston law offices to begin planning for your future today.

What Should You Know About Guardianship?

One of the most common concerns is what happens when a senior citizen can no longer care for themselves. This may mean they cannot take care of their own food, clothing, and housing needs due to mental or physical constraints. It can also mean they don’t have the ability to take care of their hygiene, health care, or financial matters. This may occur due to dementia or other relatively common issues that affect seniors.

When it’s determined that a person can no longer care for themselves, they need a trusted guardian to ensure they have access to the housing, food, and medical care they need. The court can appoint a guardian, but it’s best to plan ahead for this possibility and designate a guardian years before it’s necessary.

An elder law attorney can help you choose a guardian you trust to care for you, your estate, or both. This person will need to make decisions relating to your healthcare, finances, housing, and overall well-being. You can use different legal tools to designate your guardian, with a living will and a power of attorney being two common ways to do so. Contact our Houston, TX law firm to begin this process today.

How Should You Plan for Your Health Care Needs As You Age?

If you’re still working and have health insurance through your job now, you might not worry much about you’ll pay for your healthcare needs as you get older. But the reality is that when you retire, you won’t have the same health insurance plan you have now. While you can sign up for Medicare at a certain age, you should be aware that its coverage is limited when it comes to some health care needs.

For example, Medicare only pays for a limited number of days in the hospital, and it only pays for nursing home care for a small amount of people. In fact, the majority of those in nursing homes do not use Medicare to pay for this expense. This means you should plan ahead to find other ways to pay for nursing home costs.

One way to do so is through long-term care insurance, which requires you to buy a plan in advance, meaning you should start looking at options long before you need to use your policy. Another option is Medicaid, which provides health care benefits from the state. The downside is that you won’t qualify for Medicaid if you make too much money.

However, elder law lawyers may be able to find ways to help you qualify with the use of some legal methods you might not be aware of. They can also consider other programs you might qualify for depending on your financial situation, so contact our law firm for help with Medicaid eligibility and other legal services.

How Can Elder Law Lawyers in Houston, TX Help You?

Part of planning for the future is considering what will happen when you’re unable to care for yourself due to your advanced age and any healthcare issues that might come with it. It may be hard to imagine right now if you feel healthy and in the prime of your life. But when that’s no longer the case, you will be glad you planned ahead of time so you have a safe place to live and can afford the necessary medical care as you age.

At Mike Massey Law, we’re committed to ensuring our clients and their family members have a solid plan to abide by in the future. That’s why we’re proud to share our knowledge of the elements of elder law, from financial planning to guardianships. Our goal is for our aging clients and their loved ones to feel as if they’re prepared for just about anything the future might bring, so we’re happy to discuss a wide variety of legal services we can help with. Call our firm at 512-546-699 if you’re ready to talk to caring elder law lawyers in Houston, TX.