Elder Law

Did you know that the majority of Americans, even those with large assets, fail to take the critical steps needed in order to plan for what comes next in the event of their incapacity or death? It is very important to create a legacy that will protect the wealth you have amassed for yourself and your loved ones. When you work with an experienced Alabama estate planning attorney, he can show you the value in designing the legacy you want to create for both future generations and what you care for most.

In addition, your experienced Alabama estate planning attorney can advise you on the strategies for generational wealth transfers in your Alabama estate plan. Transferring generational wealth in an Alabama estate plan refers to the process of legally and strategically passing on assets, investments, properties, and other forms of wealth from one generation to the next within a family. These are strategies that not all Alabama estate planning firms specialize in as they involve strategically planning for not only the here and now, but require the firm to keep a careful watch on the laws and tax rules that could unravel the estate planning that has been carefully created.

Do you currently have an Alabama estate plan? When was it created? Has it been updated recently? What planning tools are included within it? And, perhaps even more importantly, does your Alabama estate plan reflect your current needs, values, family, and the legacy you want to leave at the time of your passing?

In our years of experience, the majority of the clients we work with understand the importance of creating an Alabama estate plan. Our clients want to proactively decide what should happen in a time of sudden crisis or death, and they do not want to leave their wishes either to chance or the Alabama state mandated process. Unfortunately, though, they do not keep in mind the upkeep a comprehensive Alabama estate plan requires. Your Alabama estate plan is a critical part of not only your estate, but your overall health and well being. With that said, your Alabama estate plan should not be left unattended and, instead, be reviewed at least every three years, if not every year, to make sure it will still work the way you need it to.
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Are you looking for ways to help the seniors in your family, neighborhood and community? Did you know that May is National Older Americans Month?  In fact, this celebration of our Older Americans is to encourage communities, families and loved ones to get involved in learning about the issues that our Older Americans face as they age. Do you have senior loved ones in your family? Do you have neighbors who are seniors? This month think about how you could help the Older Americans in your life by using the ideas below.

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Have you recently had a loved one diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS)? Or do you know someone with multiple sclerosis or wonder what exactly multiple sclerosis is? Multiple sclerosis is a central nervous system disorder that is most often diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 50. MS damages or destroys the protective covering, known as myelin, surrounding the nerves of the central nervous system and causes reduced communication between the brain and nerve pathways. This leads to a variety of health

Are you an Alabama senior? Do you enjoy giving gifts of money to all your loved ones during the holidays? Be aware that as you get older you may need to be careful about giving monetary gifts. In fact, there is an elder law risk when you make monetary holiday gifts. We would like to explain why as you continue to read our blog.

To begin, did you know that monetary gifts can impact Medicaid eligibility?  The fact is, if you needed to apply for Medicaid in the next five years, your gift giving could have significant consequences.  The impact of monetary gifts could be on both the giver and receiver.

Are you familiar with long-term care planning? If you are not, you are not alone. There are a surprising number of Americans who do not know what long-term care is.  Most everyone is familiar with acute care, or addressing an immediate injury or illness, and something that you would regularly see your doctor about, but again, most people are not familiar with long-term care.

As a senior living in Alabama, have you thought about what might happen to you if you became seriously ill or injured and unable to care for yourself or make decisions for yourself? Or as you get older what  will happen if you are no longer able to keep up with your necessary medications, your regular hygiene routine, or basic finances? Often, many seniors believe that a family member could step in and take over any needs they may have. However, it may not be that easy.

Did you know that, beginning in the year 1963, the month of May has been devoted to honoring and supporting the nation’s senior population? Each May, Older Americans Month formally recognizes the value of our older Americans as an indispensable part of our society.