Tampa Elder Care Attorney
It is no secret that as we age, our needs change in a number of ways. This includes not just our physical and medical needs, but also legal needs. Indeed, Tampa seniors often need to deal with a number of complex legal matters that can seem overwhelming, particularly if they did not take the time to properly plan ahead.
Fortunately, you do not have to end up in this situation. An experienced Tampa elder care attorney can provide you with a wide range of legal services relevant to your changing needs. Knudsen Law is a full-service Florida estate and probate firm that has helped many people such as yourself understand and adapt to their changing legal situation. While there is nothing we can do to stop or reverse the aging process, we can work to ensure you are better prepared legally and financially for what comes next.
Why Do You Need an Elder Care Lawyer?
Elder care law in Florida is most commonly associated with estate planning. This includes preparing a person’s will, power of attorney, advance health care directives, and perhaps a trust. But elder care involves so much more than just these documents. Some of the other elder care issues we can assist you with include:
- Medicaid: Florida has some of the highest costs when it comes to nursing homes and other long-term care. Frankly, such care is beyond the financial means of most Tampa seniors. This is where Medicaid can help. Medicaid provides public assistance to qualified seniors. We can advise you if Medicaid is the right option for you, and if it is not, we can help you develop a different strategy for paying for long-term care.
- Asset Protection: Everyone wants to protect the wealth they spent their entire lives building. This is where having an asset protection strategy is crucial. Asset protection can not only protect you against potential financial exploitation, but also help you to qualify for Medicaid and other public assistance programs.
- Guardianships: Any Florida estate plan should include a power of attorney and a designation of health care surrogate. These documents appoint someone to act in your name with respect to your financial affairs and health care decision-making, respectively, if ever become incapacitated. There are, however, certain situations where it may be necessary to create a guardianship to manage your affairs. A guardian is a court-appointed fiduciary. You have the right under Florida law to contest a guardianship. You can also petition the court for a voluntary guardianship if you believe it is necessary to protect you.
- Trusts: A trust is a flexible estate planning tool that can help you in a number of ways, from reducing the size of your probate estate to saving on taxes or even ensuring that your beloved pet is cared for after you are gone.
Our Tampa Elder Care Attorneys Can Help
Every Florida senior’s needs are different. That is no less true when it comes to their legal needs. Our Tampa elder care lawyers will be happy to sit down with you and discuss your particular situation and explain what we can do to help. Contact Knudsen Law today at (727) 398-3600 to schedule a consultation.
