Elder Law

Elder Law is not a technical legal designation per se. Instead, Elder Law is defined by the client to be served. In other words, a lawyer who practices elder law may handle a range of issues but has a specific type of clients--seniors. Elder Law attorneys focus on the legal needs of the elderly, and work with a variety of legal tools and techniques to meet the goals and objectives of the older client. Under this holistic approach, an Elder Law Attorney handles general estate planning issues and counsels clients about planning for incapacity with alternative decision making documents. Elder Law Attorneys also assist clients in planning for possible long-term care needs, including nursing home care. Locating the appropriate type of care, coordinating private and public resources to finance the cost of care, and working to ensure the client's right to quality care are all part of the elder law practice. Legal problems that affect the elderly are growing in number. Our laws and regulations are becoming more complex. Actions taken by older people with regard to a single matter may have unintended legal effects. It is important for attorneys dealing with the elderly to have a broad understanding of the laws that may have an impact on a given situation, to avoid future problems. A typical Elder Law Consult The Law Office of David L. McGuffey, LLC is an Elder Law Firm. As described above, we represent Seniors, disabled persons, their families, and their advocates. Our practice includes estate planning (e.g., wills and trusts), estate and trust administration, powers of attorney, advanced medical directives (e.g. living wills, health care powers of attorney), guardianships, conservatorships, and public benefits (e.g., Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and SSI), disability planning, estate, gift and income tax matters, bill paying, Care management (e.g., Life Care Planning and Disability Planning), and fiduciary services. We also handle litigation involving these issues, such as will contests and estate administration disputes. We help Seniors and their advocates or caregivers meet these and other needs. (If you have questions about Elder Law Issues, see our Guide to Elder Law Issues (HTML version) (pdf vesion); call and request a printed copy if you cannot print it offline). In summary, our practice includes: Life Care Planning. A life care plan is a holistic approach to many of the problems described above. It's where many of the working pieces described above come together. One of the things we do with a life care plan is work toward providing peace of mind. With this type of planning, we help the elder or disabled person get assistance with issues that impact their ability plan and preserve assets to pay for health care costs. Medicaid Planning. Get assistance with Medicaid eligibility and with the Medicaid application process. Family Wealth Planning. Family wealth planning doesn't just happen. The Elder Law Practice can help you put together an estate plan that protects your loved ones and those they care about. Special needs protection. Protect disabled loved ones and get informed advice on these important estate planning issues. Guardianships/Conservatorships. Getting court assistance in making decisions for and caring for loved ones who cannot care for themselves. Wills. Prepare a Will or other document to outline your wishes regarding where your property goes after you pass away. Trust preparation and administration. Create a Trust customized to address all of your family's unique needs, and receive guidance when a family member passes away. Estate planning. Receive consultation and planning to ensure that your estate is distributed according to your wishes. Asset protection. Receive guidance on protecting your legacy. Retirement planning. Working in consultation with your financial advisor, we can help you ensure that your tax-deferred accounts are properly structured to give your family the greatest tax advantages possible. Probate assistance. Get the assistance you need when someone with or without a Will passes away. Updating documents. Ensure that your affairs are in order with regular estate reviews. Amend or restate your existing estate plan to ensure its effectiveness. Tax planning. Working with your regular tax advisor, we can help you preserve your wealth and reduce taxes with proper planning. Related Family Business Planning. Although our focus is "Elder Law," if your life care plan or your estate plan involves business property, we can assist you with those needs as well. Elder related litigation. We can provide assistance with litigation related to any of the items stated above. Many clients are concerned about legal fees. Legal fees vary depending on the complexity of what you ask a lawyer to do. However, as a general rule, fees may be estimated and with that in mind, we have posted a fee schedule. Please keep in mind that our fee schedule is a guide. We do not quote fees until we meet with you and discuss your situation. Call today to schedule your family consultation. 706-428-0888 Our law office is conveniently located in Dalton, Georgia. © 2004-2008, Law Office of David L. McGuffey, LLC This page last updated:

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