Westwood Elder Law Attorney
Estate planning encompasses a wide range of interests, including planning for the distribution of one’s estate after death and planning for a period of incapacity that could occur at any age. Elder law deals more specifically with issues that affect individuals and families as they get older. In Westwood, elder law attorney Linda K. Fisher and her team help individuals and families with a variety of elder law needs including long-term care (Medicaid or MassHealth) planning, guardianships/conservatorships, and veterans benefits. If you are concerned about long-term care or other elder law issues for yourself or a parent, call Fisher Law LLC to speak with a professional Westwood elder law attorney.
Long-Term Care Planning in Westwood
Most adults will need long-term care, also known as nursing home care, at some point in their lives. The costs of long-term care are extraordinary, and an individual or couple could use up their savings trying to afford care for themselves or a loved one. Private health insurance and Medicare offer very little in the way of coverage for a long-term stay in a nursing home. Unless you purchased long-term care insurance when you were younger, this is probably not an affordable option. For many people, Medicaid is the only way they can afford long-term care. Unfortunately, going on Medicaid (MassHealth) requires you to spend down your assets until there is practically nothing left. Only then will the government step in and provide this valuable benefit.
With the help of the Westwood elder law long-term care planning attorneys at Fisher Law, we can help you strategize and find ways to afford long-term care, including becoming MassHealth eligible without having to go broke first to qualify for it. Whether planning for the future or if you find yourself in crisis and needing a Westwood nursing home admission right away, call Fisher Law to discuss your options for affording this critical care.
Guardianships and Conservatorships in Westwood
If you or your loved one can no longer manage their own affairs or is nearing that point, a guardianship or conservatorship might be appropriate. We can help you fashion a guardianship or conservatorship so that it is as least restrictive as possible, helping the ward retain as much freedom and independence as they can exercise while protecting them from scam artists, bad financial mistakes, or physical harm. We can help you seek the appropriate guardianship or conservatorship for yourself or the person or estate of a loved one, including Rogers guardianships where extraordinary medical treatment is required.
Westwood Veterans Benefits Assistance
Qualifying veterans can access a benefit known as Aid and Attendance (A&A) that helps pay for assistance with activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, eating, ambulating, and toileting for veterans that served our country during specific wartimes. A&A is tax-free income that is paid in addition to one’s Social Security and/or pension and can help with home health care, assisted living, or nursing home care. While A&A can be used to subsidize the payment of nursing home or skilled nursing care, MassHealth covers more of the skilled care cost at a nursing facility, and thus A&A is more commonly used to subsidize the cost of assisted living and home health care. While a veteran can receive both A&A and MassHealth, the A&A is significantly reduced when “otherwise eligible” for MassHealth and approved for that program. We can help you determine whether you or your family member is eligible for A&A and help you through the complex process of applying for benefits. You served your country and should receive every benefit to which you are entitled. Fisher Law LLC provides smart, strategic assistance to help you be successful in this challenging area of government assistance.
Help With the Full Range of Elder Law Matters in Westwood
Elder law has a lot of moving parts, all of them focused on helping you or your elderly loved one age with dignity and the maximum of independence while also putting plans in place to deal with common aspects of aging we all face. Fisher Law is dedicated to helping our Westwood elder law clients set goals and achieve them so they can enjoy their lives with peace of mind and security knowing they will be properly taken care of while also providing for a spouse living in the community and then later leaving a legacy for their children and grandchildren. For help with elder law matters in Westwood, contact Fisher Law LLC to schedule a consultation with a skilled and experienced Westwood elder law attorney.
