The preparation of wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, living wills, and durable powers of attorney are important at all stages of life. However, as you get older, good financial and medical planning is a must. Our elder law team’s goal is to provide you with peace of mind, supported and informed decision making and strategies for aging the way you want.

As you know, we are living longer than our predecessors. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to plan for issues related to our independent living situations, decision making, quality of life, long term care and asset preservation. We can help you evaluate options regarding aging in place or entering assisted or skilled nursing communities. We can help you put tools in place to allow for surrogate decision making and communicating your wishes to your family and network. We also work with third-party caregivers, including companionship services, household assistance providers, skilled medical care, financial planners and individuals who assist older people with bill paying, home maintenance and security.

Our elder law services are tailored to the assets and families of our clients in eastern Pennsylvania. Some of our clients want us to protect their assets from nursing home and long-term care expenses. Through the use of special-needs trusts and Medicaid-planning, our lawyers can do this. We can guide you through the process and explain the law so it is not a mystery. We can put plans into motion now so that your estate will be protected at the time you, or your spouse, needs assisted living or nursing home care.

In short, we can provide you with peace of mind by helping you plan and make sure your wishes are protected.

Durable powers of attorney have added importance when you are older. If a stroke or other medical condition leaves you incapacitated, you want to have a legal document in place that names a trusted person as your agent who can pay bills and make financial decisions. Without a durable power of attorney, your family members would have to go through the time and expense of a guardianship proceeding to be able to manage your business affairs.

If you don’t have an advance medical directive or living will, you should create one to tell family members and medical care providers what steps you want taken to preserve your life if you are in an end-of-life condition with no hope of recovery. Making your own decisions now can prevent disputes. When you create an advance medical directive, it’s important to share your decisions with family members to reduce the chances that there will be a dispute later.

Updating your will or trust can save your beneficiaries the time and expense of a probate proceeding, reduce or eliminate estate taxes, and keep your family’s financial affairs private.