As the name suggests, an elder law attorney in Pennsylvania focuses on the needs of elderly individuals. While this may sound simple, as you dive into the finer details you will find that nothing could be further from the truth.
Most elder law attorneys advise clients regarding a variety of areas, including but not limited to:
- Estate planning
- Retirement
- Estate tax planning
- Medicare
- Medicaid
- Entitlement programs
- Housing
- Elder abuse
- Age discrimination
- Long term care financing
- Medical decision making
- Insurance
- Disability planning
As you can imagine, there is a big difference between hiring an elder law attorney for an age discrimination case and doing so for professional retirement guidance.
When seeking the assistance of an elder law lawyer, there are several details to consider with the most important being experience and knowledge.
Tip: find somebody who has been practicing law in your local area for an extended period of time. Remember, regulations and laws vary from one state to the next.
Questions to Ask an Elder Law Attorney in Pennsylvania
It is easy to believe that one elder law attorney is as good as the next. However, this is not the case. You need to find the person who is right for you, based on your current situation and the type of assistance you require.
Ask the following questions as a means of speeding up the process and ensuring a confident decision:
- How long have you been practicing law in the local area?
- What percentage of your practice is devoted to elder law?
- Do you focus on a particular area within elder law?
- What is your experience and knowledge of the particular matter I am dealing with?
- Are you a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys?
- Do you have enough time in your schedule to assist me?
- What are your fees and how is your rate calculated?
These are the types of questions you want to ask upfront before you consider hiring an attorney. With these answers, you can make an informed and confident decision without any delay.
Don’t Wait
Many people wait entirely too long to contact an elder law attorney. For one reason or the next, they put this off until their situation takes a turn for the worse.
For example, if you need help with medical decision making you don’t want to wait until you are in the hospital. Instead, you want to address this potential concern now so that everything is taken care of in the future.
Even if you don’t feel that now is the time to speak with an elder law attorney, contact a local professional to discuss the basics. You may find that there is no better time than the present to start planning.
Now that you know more about elder law attorneys, including what these professionals have to offer, you can decide which steps to take next.
About Leonard L. Shober
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