Elder Law and Estate Planning Attorney in Redlands CA
Complete Estate Planning Assistance for Families
Estate planning is not an easy task in any sense of the word. However, most families find that being prepared for the future-- both mentally and financially-- is worth all of the time and effort put into creating an estate plan. The goal of the professional Redlands, CA estate planning attorney at The Elder & Disability Law Firm is to make the process as easy on you and your loved ones as possible. We strive to apply legal knowledge and years of estate planning experience to reduce the stress of complex and emotionally draining aspects of estate planning, such as probate, costs of nursing home care, and establishing powers of attorney. In addition to these focuses, our elder law and estate planning lawyer and professionals can provide for all of the components of your estate plan, including wills, trusts, trust administration, powers of attorney, health care directives, elder law, and more. If you live in Redlands CA, Loma Linda CA, or other surrounding regions of California, contact our firm today to find out how we can make estate planning easier. Often, an estate plan is not complete until you also understand the various government benefits available to you.
Elder Law
The concept of elder law encompasses many different facets of estate planning. These facets affect the aging members of our community, and involve estate planning, administration, Medi-Cal planning, nursing home planning, guardianship, and other concepts that fit your unique needs and preferences. Our Redlands CA elder law estate planning attorney and professional make an extra effort to listen to your concerns and use our experience and legal understanding to customize your estate plan. Our approach to elder law planning is built on the foundation that everyone should have control of his or her future. Our attorney, Esther C. Wang, is a contributing author of a legal treatise, The Elder Law Portfolio Series, published by Aspen Publishers, a national leader in Elder Law legal publishing.
All About Medi-Cal
Residents of Redlands CA, Loma Linda CA, and all over the state of California have the opportunity to apply for a Medicaid program designed exclusively for California citizens. The program is officially titled The California Medical Assistance Program, but is commonly referred to as just Medi-Cal. Medi-Cal serves low-income families, senior citizens, disabled persons, children in foster care, pregnant women, and qualifying low-income adults. Our Redlands CA Medi-Cal planning attorney always encourages our clients to apply for the program as early as possible to ease the costs of long-term care, such as nursing home care. The cost for nursing home care ranges between $6,000 to $23,000 per month in the Inland Empire. Through the Medi-Cal program and with the help of an experienced elder law attorney, you can count on getting the care you need without depleting your hard-earned savings. This means that with proper legal planning, your assets can be protected from nursing home costs.
Nursing Home Planning
According to studies conducted by the federal government, approximately 13 million Americans obtained long-term care in the year 2000. Statisticians expect this number to increase to 27 million by 2050. Although these circumstances are not ideal, you can prepare for the burdensome cost associated with nursing home care through the help of our Redlands and Loma Linda nursing home planning attorneys. In addition to Medi-Cal, our elder law estate planning lawyers can help you plan ahead and provide you with other helpful resources that can enable you to meet the costs of this necessary care.
Wills and Living Trusts
You likely understand the basics of wills and living trusts, but there are some lesser known details of each document that may affect which one is right for you. One of the most notable differences between a will and a living trust is that a trust is a private document that does not require probate court. As a trade-off for this advantage, trusts do not establish guardianship for minors who may be left behind in the event that a legal guardian has passed on, whereas a will does offer this option. Deciding between the two documents when creating your estate plan depends on your unique family dynamics and preferences for the future. A Redlands CA estate planning attorney at our firm can help you determine which one fits your needs best.
Veterans Aid and Attendance Benefit
If you are a wartime veteran or a widow or widower of a wartime veteran, you may be entitled to receive a special pension called Aid and Attendance from the VA. This benefit can be used to help pay for the costs of your assistance living facility or home caregiver. In order to qualify for this benefit, you or your veteran spouse must be a wartime and must have been on active duty service for 90 consecutive days, and one day of which must have been during a period of conflict, including WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War and others. The application process can be quite complicated but it is usually worth it, since you and your spouse may receive monthly income of up to $2,019 for the rest of your life or as long as you need care. For more information, please call our office for a free booklet, How to Qualify for VA Aid and Attendance Benefit.
Social Security Disability Benefit
If you have been working at least 5 out of the last 10 years and find yourself disabled because of an illness or accident, you may be entitled to Social Security Disability benefit. If your application for Social Security Disability insurance has already been denied, yet you are still unable to work, you already know how difficult it is to get approval for the benefit. Increase your chance of success by adding an experienced disability legal advocate on your team. We handle Social Security Disability cases from initial applications to appeals.
Medicare Appeals and Grievances
An appeal is the action you can take if you disagree with a coverage or payment decision made by Medicare or your Medicare plan. Different statutory deadlines apply, depending on the types of appeals. Our experienced Redlands CA attorney and professionals can help you navigate the maze of Medicare appeals.
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