ELDER LAW

Practice Area

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Elder Law Virginia

Elder law is an area of legal practice specializing in issues affecting the aging population. Here at BSR Legal Group, we help people from various backgrounds navigate the complexities of this specialized area of law, which includes planning for healthcare, retirement, and end-of-life decisions.

 

Elder law is a relatively new legal field based on the understanding that aging is not a static condition but a dynamic, lifelong process. 

 

As a matter of fact, few other areas of the law change as quickly or dramatically as elder law. The best way to understand this field is through its components. One of them is elder planning. It refers to a legal process through which all the financial, legal and personal matters, decisions, and goals of an elder are reviewed to ensure all the present and future needs of the elder are met. This includes three components as well. 

 

Short-term care planning refers to all the arrangements that are required to meet the present and future needs of the elder for a few weeks or months. Long-term care planning refers to all the arrangements that are required to meet the future needs of the elder for a longer period of time. 

 

And the third component is estate planning, which refers to the plan that the elder and his family create to meet the elder’s current, future, and long-term needs. You can contact an elder law attorney to discuss elder planning.

What is elder law?

In simple terms, “Elder Law” is the branch of law that deals with the legal needs of senior citizens. Such legal issues would include matters related to nursing homes, resident ownership and other long-term care facilities, guardianship, legal rights, and health care decisions.

 

While there aren’t “exact” definitions, elder law generally refers to a discrete area of the law that addresses the needs of the elderly. This can include creating and managing trusts, Medicaid, estate planning, and so forth. The elder law can also include the drafting and revision of any prenuptial agreements that are entered into by seniors.

 

Elder law is the area of law (or in some jurisdictions all of the law) that provides legal protection and assistance to the elderly and their families. The elder law concerns are comprehensive, including care and protection of those over the age of 65.

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Older people talking

Why do we need elder law?

If you want to know why we need elder law, the answer is the increased longevity in our society. Almost every day we hear about advances in the medical field. People are living longer and it is a great blessing.

What does an elder law attorney do?

Elder law is a legal field that deals with the legal rights of seniors and the elderly. Elder law attorneys advise people on protecting and managing wealth at an advanced age. Elder law attorney assists older adults to negotiate the Medicare and Medicaid processes. Elder law attorneys can also help draft wills, trusts, advance directives, and powers of attorney. They help with various issues, including insurance, planning for the future, and avoiding probate. They also can help with wills (writing them, helping people with them, and finding out if your will is up to date), with guardianship, durable powers of attorney, and other issues.

What is elder law planning?

Elder planning is a process that helps seniors to configure a plan for the future. It’s essential to plan for the future, especially with the volatile economic environment. So, elder planning is a great thing to do. It can help seniors make the right decision regarding their assets and finances.

What is elder law in Virginia?

Elder Law is the branch of law that involves the rights of the elderly. An elder law attorney is a lawyer who specializes in legal matters pertaining to the elderly. Elder law involves legal issues like wills, trusts, and other estate planning tools and medical issues like health care proxies and power of attorney for health care. BSR Legal Group attorneys can help older people plan for their future by ensuring their wishes and desires are accurately documented and carried out after they pass away.

Is family law the same as elder law?

They are two different things. A family law attorney should be familiar with the laws concerning elder law, and vice versa. But there is absolutely no legal requirement for someone to handle both areas of practice. Family law focuses on domestic relationship issues involving property and children, while elder law focuses on providing legal expertise to seniors with aging needs.

 

Family law is an area of law that deals with family and domestic relations. Family lawyers usually represent clients in the family courts, employment agencies, domestic violence courts, and similar government agencies. Family law is not elder law. In some states, the bar groups have divided family law into domestic relations and family law. Domestic relations deals with divorce, annulment, legal separation, dissolution of marriage, child custody, child visitation, child support, alimony, adoption, paternity, guardianship of minors, juvenile delinquency, domestic violence, and paternity. 

 

Family law is a unique area of family law that deals with: 

  • Domestic violence
  • Emergency protective orders
  • Medical and psychological interventions
  • Divorce
  • Annulment
  • Legal separation
  • Dissolution of marriage
  • Custody of minors
  • Visitation
  • Child support
  • Alimony
  • Adoption
  • Paternity and guardianship

What are elder law issues?

Elder law attorneys specialize in the legal needs of the elderly. Elder law attorneys provide legal services to the elderly, who may need help with legal matters about their health, wills and estate planning, income, and property. 

 

Elder law attorneys help with some issues:

  • Setting up or changing a trust or will.
  • Obtaining conservatorship for an incapacitated person or estate.
  • Naming guardians for minor children.
  • Advising on Medicaid and Medicare matters.
  • Providing asset protection.
  • Helping with guardianship and conservatorship proceedings.

What is the difference between wills and estate planning?

The main difference between wills and estate planning is that wills deal with your tangible physical property. Estate planning is about intangible property. Wills have to do with tangible property, so it goes through probate if you have a will. With a will, you appoint someone to be in charge of your estate after you die. Probate is the legal process of going through a will to decide what the person’s wishes are and what they really owned, then distributing that property according to the will.  

 

Estate planning has to do with intangible property. It goes beyond the death of the person. There are trusts and other things that can be done where, if the person passes away, their wishes are carried out for a long period of time. If a person is in a car accident and they are on life support, is the life support being paid out of the estate? Are there gifts that have been given in their life?

What is the difference between an estate attorney and an elder law attorney?

An estate lawyer specializes in the creation, preservation, and transfer of wealth, while an elder law attorney focuses on protecting the health, safety, and financial concerns of the elderly. Typically, an elder law attorney will work closely with one or more estate attorneys, especially when an older client dies or becomes incapacitated, and a legal guardian or conservator must be appointed.

 

Estate planning or estate settlement is the process of planning for the distribution of property upon your death. An estate attorney can assist you in setting up a will, revocable trust, and other estate planning documents. An elder law attorney’s practice encompasses the legal issues of elderly persons and people with disabilities. An elder law attorney can also help you with Medicaid eligibility, guardianship, long-term care planning, and asset protection.

Are wills and estate planning the same?

Estate planning and wills aren’t the same, though they are closely related. Wills are only one type of estate planning. A will is a legal document that lets you decide how to distribute your property when you die. It can also name your child’s guardian if you die without a living spouse. Wills are regulated by state law, so you should consult a lawyer about the specific rules for your state. 

 

The process of creating a will may sound pretty straightforward, but it’s not always so. You have to gather information about your assets and your family and get all of your essential documents together. If you have a living trust, it may take the place of a will. A living trust is also a legal document that lets you name who will inherit your property after you die. But unlike a will, a living trust can also control the disposition of your property while you’re alive. If you have a lot of property or your family has many members, it may be hard to get everything taken care of with a will. A living trust can help you avoid those problems.

What is the difference between a probate attorney and an estate planning attorney?

The main difference between a probate attorney and an estate planning attorney is that a probate attorney generally focuses on estate administration and probate administration in the court system. Probate attorneys typically handle the legal side of the process after a person passes away. If there is a will, the probate attorney prepares the papers required to give the executor powers over the estate, oversees the distribution process of the estate, and performs other legal tasks such as suing creditors for the repayment of debts.

 

Probate attorneys specialize in handling the legal aspects of a decedent’s estate. They help with the proper execution of the deceased person’s will and the settlement of the estate. Many probate attorneys also offer trust, tax, and bankruptcy services. Estate planning attorneys also handle several legal concerns for the client, but they focus on estate planning, including trusts, trusts planning, and wills.

What’s the difference between a will and estate planning?

Estate planning is more comprehensive and covers more than just your property and assets. It is a legal strategy utilized to reduce taxes and manage your property to meet your goals. A common estate planning practice is to have a will and also to have a Living Trust. A will is a document that states who gets what property when you die. A will is probated, meaning that it goes through the court system. A Living Trust does not have to go through probate court. It can be a substitute for the beneficiaries.

 

Estate planning is a process of making arrangements and executing documents that will guide the distribution of assets at the time of death and after. Those documents include wills, living wills, and other forms of inheritance. All states authorize a will, but only about half the states allow holographic wills. A holographic will is an informal will handwritten and signed by the testator (the person who makes the will) in the presence of at least two witnesses, who must also sign the will. A will must be signed by two witnesses and notarized in many states. A holographic will is common in some states and some other cases, such as if you are deployed in the military and want to make a will.

What is the difference between a trust and a will?

A trust vs. a will

A trust is an arrangement where money is held in trust to benefit another person, who is called the beneficiary. In contrast, a Will is a document that states how an individual wants his or her assets and property to be distributed upon his or her death.

 

Both are legal documents that enable you to pass your assets to your beneficiaries upon your death. Generally, assets owned by you can be transferred to your beneficiaries through a will under probate, without having to go through court. On the other hand, a trust allows you to transfer assets to your beneficiaries without probate. In order to set up a trust, you must name the trustee and beneficiaries of the trust. You may also specify the assets you desire to be transferred to the beneficiaries through a trust. In short, a will do the probate process, while a trust tries to avoid the probate process.

 

A will is a legal document that lets you state how you want your assets divided after you die. It enables you to decide who will get your property and other assets, who will be responsible for paying debts, who will care for your minor children, and name executor, guardian, and trustee for your minor children. You can have trust and a will. In fact, many people have both. A trust is similar to a will, except that trust lets you appoint a guardian for your children before you die, with instructions for what should happen to them after you’re gone. It lets you appoint someone who is responsible for looking after your children and making sure they have everything they need.

Estate planning is a process of making arrangements and executing documents that will guide the distribution of assets at the time of death and after. Those documents include wills, living wills, and other forms of inheritance. All states authorize a will, but only about half the states allow holographic wills. A holographic will is an informal will handwritten and signed by the testator (the person who makes the will) in the presence of at least two witnesses, who must also sign the will. A will must be signed by two witnesses and notarized in many states. A holographic will is common in some states and some other cases, such as if you are deployed in the military and want to make a will.

Choose Us

We are a group of elder law attorneys in the greater Virginia area. We specialize in elder law, estate planning, and related areas of law. Our goal is to safeguard everyone you love and everything you’ve worked for. 

 

To help our clients avoid the financially devastating consequences of long-term healthcare, we provide the most effective, efficient, and client-centric elder planning strategies available. We specialize in creating tailor-made healthcare solutions, whether our clients are planning ahead or are currently receiving care at home, assisted living or in skilled nursing.

 

Legal Planning to Protect Your Loved Ones

 

Elder law attorneys are essential to ensuring that seniors and their families are protected. The law firm of BSR Legal Group can assist seniors in finding an elder law attorney. BSR Legal Group elder law attorneys help clients with legal planning and elder care issues.

 

Comprehensive Elder Law Planning

 

Our team of dedicated and knowledgeable elder law attorneys will help you create a personalized plan for a secure future. We provide legal advice to families in Virginia and across the United States. We will work with you face to face, in the comfort of your home, or any location where you feel most comfortable.

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