According to the National Council on Aging, approximately 49 million Americans are currently 65 and older. On average, it is expected that a 65-year-old can expect to live at least another 19 years. Unfortunately, many of those seniors struggle with physical and mental health challenges that can significantly impact their quality of life. None of us ever expect to end up in a nursing home or have any of the other difficulties in our lives that age can bring—yet many of us do.
Chronic diseases can limit an elderly person’s ability to perform daily activities, resulting in the need for a nursing home, in-home caregivers, or other types of special services. While we rarely want to contemplate our own aging—and the changes advancing age can bring—like most things in life, it’s better to plan ahead for any eventuality. If you are contemplating planning ahead for the future, contacting a Lovett & House attorney can make a significant difference in how that planning is accomplished.
Englewood, OH is a suburb of Dayton, with a population of approximately 14,000. Originally named Harrisburg, Englewood went through two more name changes before sticking with the name Englewood. A group of settlers from Pennsylvania and North Carolina founded the area in 1841 but the village was not incorporated until 1914 and only received a designation as a “city” in 1971.
Agriculture was the main form of income for the residents of Englewood until industries like sawmills, wine distilleries, and gunsmithing came to the area. The Native Americans in the area were rarely hostile, trading goods with the settlers of Englewood. Englewood was named the best community in the Dayton-Springfield metro area according to Smart Moves TM.
There are plenty of outdoor activities in Englewood, including eight parks, one of which contains 2,000 acres! Englewood is a great place to live for young and old alike, however, those who are contemplating getting older could benefit from speaking to an Englewood elder law attorney from Lovett & House.
Why Choose an Englewood Elder Law Attorney from Lovett & House?
Whether you are planning ahead for life as a senior, or you are currently facing a nursing home stay or assisted living, the highly experienced attorneys at Lovett & House can help. We will look at every aspect of your unique situation with the goal of helping your family retain your hard-earned dollars rather than seeing it all go for nursing home care. Our team is knowledgeable about all matters related to aging and is ready to help you plan for the future.
We have helped hundreds of those in nursing home crisis situations, as well as setting up estate plans, and applying for Medicaid, VA Aid, and Attendance benefits for many, many satisfied clients. Attorney George Lovett has spoken and written on Medicaid and nursing home planning issues hundreds of times to lawyers, nursing home administrators, and family members. We have the skills necessary to address the broad range of concerns among seniors and those approaching senior status.
What is Elder Law?
Elder law covers several legal and practical issues that affect seniors, their friends and family members, and caretakers for the elderly. Some of the more common issues for seniors that can be addressed by an elder law attorney include:
- Decisions regarding guardianship
- Health care issues
- Financial planning for the future
- Estate planning
- Decisions regarding end-of-life care
- Planning for future care situations
- Tax issues associated with aging and estate planning
As you can see, elder law can encompass corporate law, family law, tax law, Social Security and disability law, property law, retirement, and estate planning for seniors. Elder law attorneys have a vast knowledge of senior issues, along with experience in many emotionally sensitive topics, making them a primary—and very reliable—source of advice.
What Are the Components of Elder Law Planning?
Elder law estate plans may include the following features and documents:
- An Irrevocable Medicaid Asset Protection Trust or a Revocable Living Trust—Most seniors will have one or the other of these types of trusts, but not both. If protection of assets is required in the absence of long-term care insurance, the MAPT will be used. For those wishing to protect their children’s inheritances from creditors, lawsuits, and divorces, ensuring inheritances pass to grandchildren, Inheritance Trusts can be added to a Revocable Living Trust or a MAPT.
- A pour-over will cancels an older will, providing for any assets that may have inadvertently been left outside the trust. It should be noted that care must be taken to ensure assets left outside the trust are either held jointly or have a designated beneficiary. A pour-over will—like any will—must be probated, so if having a will can be avoided your attorney will help you do so.
- A Power of Attorney document allows you to designate another person to handle your legal and financial affairs in the case of your incapacitation.
- A Health Care Proxy—also known as a Living Will—is like a Power of Attorney in that it allows you to designate another person to make medical decisions for you when you are unable to make those decisions on your own. A living will addresses such issues as end-of-life support systems like feeding tubes and ventilators, as well as organ donation.
- Your wishes for your funeral and burial are often provided in your estate plan, saving your loved ones from making those decisions at a time when they should be allowed to grieve.
- A list of your personal effects—and who you would like those personal effects to go to—is also often included in a senior’s estate plan.
How Can an Experienced Englewood Elder Law Attorney from Lovett & House Help?
At Lovett & House, our Englewood elder law attorneys are dedicated to making your plans for the future as simple and easy as possible. We are highly skilled in all areas related to elder law and can easily handle the legal requirements associated with Medicaid and long-term care issues. The Lovett & House law firm stands out from other estate planning/elder law firms, with decades of combined estate planning experience. George Lovett is a Board-Certified Specialist by the Ohio State Bar Association, and our firm has more than 100 positive Google reviews from satisfied clients. We offer a free 5-minute phone appointment for your convenience, so contact Lovett & House today.
