Our Florida seniors are living longer and healthier lives. However, the blessing of an extended life can bring a few challenges. For this reasons, most of our seniors will eventually need a Florida elder law planning attorney.
Why You May Need for a Florida Elder Law Planning Attorney?
Florida Elder Law is a term coined to cover legal practices that places emphasis on those issues that affect the growing aging population
Elder law in Florida encompasses many aspects of other areas of Florida law.
Estate Planning in Florida for Seniors
First and foremost, it is especially important for Florida’s seniors to have an updated Florida estate plan. This means that your last will and testament should be in place and your Florida revocable living trust should be in place AND properly funded to avoid probate in Florida. An experienced Florida elder law planning attorney will approach all of the above from the perspective of including any issues that apply to seniors in the discussion.
Long Term Medical Care Costs and Medicaid in Florida
Planning for long term medical care costs are a major consideration for aging seniors and this therefore becomes a major planning issue. If you’re not among the wealthiest of Americans then planning for these costs should be a matter of great concern. In addition to self pay, long term care insurance and Veteran’s benefits, the Medicaid programs in Florida offer need based benefits when certain criteria concerning assets and income are met. Your ideal Florida elder law planning attorney should also have overlapping experience as a Florida Medicaid planning attorney.
Asset Protection and Florida Seniors
Assets can be preserved and families can be saved from great heartache if certain legal strategies are adopted to protect as much of the estate as possible. Various Florida asset protection strategies are available whether in the context of Florida Medicaid planning or pursuing other Florida estate planning goals. Your Florida elder law should have overlapping experience as a Florida asset protection attorney, in order to determine the appropriate asset protection strategy for you.
Other Healthcare Planning in Florida for Seniors
It is essential that you have a current Florida medical directive. This document is crucial and allows you to designate who will make medical decisions should you not be able to do so. It is also critical to have an updated durable power of attorney in Florida. Without these documents, someone who is mentally incapacitated must have a court appointed legal guardian. This is a costly procedure. Your Florida elder law planning attorney will have the knowledge to integrate these documents into your plan.
If you’re proactive now, you can have a family member or trusted friend make medical decisions and business decisions for you instead without the extensive cost and complications that occur if you leave it up to the court system.
As an experienced elder law planning attorney in all of the above areas, the Gibbs Law Office would like to answer your questions today.
Contact us today to get started OR for a complimentary review of your current estate plan (subject to conditions).
Steven Gibbs is a Florida elder law planning attorney that provides complete Estate Planning, Business Planning, Asset Protection, Elder and Medicaid Planning, Real Estate, Probate and Trust Administration legal services throughout the greater Fort Myers, North Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs and Naples geographic areas and most legal services are available statewide in Florida.
The Gibbs Law Office was founded by Steven Gibbs in January 2009 upon the commitment to provide client-centered legal services.
