Novi, Michigan Elder Lawyer
You deserve personalized estate planning and legal advice at every stage of your life. The goals and concerns of a young married couple starting a family differ significantly from those of an adult entering their golden years. There are several physical, cognitive, and financial issues that older adults or family members of elderly individuals need to address that may not be specified in a will or estate plan.
At Bingham Legal Group, our elder law attorneys understand the unique issues that older adults and their family members need to plan for as they age. Our compassionate elder law attorneys have extensive legal knowledge, which helps us effectively evaluate the needs of older adults while using the legal system to address their goals and needs.
Aging can make a person feel vulnerable or like they are losing control. Maintain control over your physical and financial well-being by working with an experienced elder law attorney. Your voice matters, and we want you to be heard. We want to work with you or your family to find legal solutions that work for you. Contact our office today and arrange a confidential legal consultation. We happily serve older adults and family members of older adults living in the Novi, Michigan, area.
Understanding Michigan Elder Law
Elder law is an area of the legal profession where lawyers help older adults with healthcare planning, estate planning, public benefits, and other legal issues related to aging. It can be challenging to confront the reality that as we age, we can suffer health issues, lose physical abilities, and face cognitive decline. There may come a point when an older adult cannot physically or mentally care for themselves or make decisions for themselves.
When you work with an elder law attorney, you retain the power to dictate how you want your assets, finances, and healthcare to be managed, both if you become incapacitated and after you die. Elder care planning involves laying the groundwork for older adults to enjoy their independence and financial stability for as long as possible. It also establishes a person’s wishes for appropriate care and services while preserving their assets for themselves or their beneficiaries.
At Bingham Legal Group PC, our skilled elder law attorneys can help you or your family manage the legal issues that may affect seniors, such as:
- Estate planning
- Asset protection
- Long-term care planning
- Guardianship and conservatorship
- Social Security benefits
- Veterans’ benefits
- Medicaid planning
- Healthcare decision making
It is never too early or late to consider drafting a comprehensive and personalized elder care plan for yourself or a loved one.
Why Do You Need an Elder Law Attorney?
Seniors are supposed to enjoy their golden years. Unfortunately, that may not be possible when healthcare complications require managing finances and juggling care options. An elder law attorney works with seniors or their families to craft a customized plan that addresses an individual’s most pressing concerns.
You should be able to retain as much control over your medical choices and finances as possible. That’s why you need the help of an experienced elder law attorney. An attorney can recommend the legal tools that allow you to clarify the types of treatments you want if you become incapacitated and how and by whom you want your financial affairs handled. These tools can specify who has the authority to make healthcare decisions on your behalf, where you want to live when you need specialized medical or cognitive care, and how you want your assets distributed following your passing.
One of the most complicated aspects of elder law involves setting aside assets to pay for long-term or nursing home care. Some estimates show that Michigan nursing home costs can reach as much as $137,605 annually. An elder law attorney can evaluate your situation and find Medicaid planning tools that help protect your assets while allowing you to qualify for long-term facility care government benefits.
Other legal matters an elder law attorney can help you address include:
- Creating or updating a will
- Creating or updating trusts
- Assigning power of attorney for healthcare or financial decision-making
- Drafting an advance directive or living will
- Filing for Social Security benefits
- Applying for Medicaid
- Protecting your financial assets
An elder law attorney can also help family members establish special needs trusts, investigate and address elder abuse or neglect concerns, and represent you in guardianship and conservatorship proceedings. We care about seniors and their families and provide personalized legal advice to help keep your later years as worry-free as possible.
Elder Law Tools an Attorney Can Help You Consider
Elder law covers a broad range of potential legal practice areas. An attorney has several tools they can use to address the spectrum of issues older adults and their family members need to address as a person ages. That’s why working with an elder law attorney is vital. They can evaluate your specific situation, recommend tools that address your unique concerns, and find solutions that fit your needs. Some of the tools you may want to explore with the help of a skilled elder law attorney include:
- Will
- Trusts
- Special needs trusts
- Power of attorney
- Living will or advance directive
- Medicaid planning options
One tool rarely covers all the bases, so an attorney can help you create a personalized elder care plan for you and your family. We can also help you with business succession planning and ownership issues. Due to our breadth of legal experience in Michigan, we can draft comprehensive plans to identify and resolve pitfalls others may miss.
Novi, Michigan Resources for Seniors
- Ascension Providence Hospital – Novi Campus
- Oakland County Courts
- Michigan Medicaid
- Medicare
- Michigan Department of Adult Protective Services
- Michigan Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
Contact a Michigan Elder Law Attorney Today for More Information
At Bingham Legal Group, our legal team delivers personalized legal advice to seniors and family members in the Novi, Michigan, area. We provide counsel and legal guidance at a time when many people feel at their most vulnerable. Elder law involves more than estate planning. It involves all facets of senior living, from health to finances.
Contact our office today at (248) 594-1919 and request a confidential, no-obligation legal consultation. We have “big firm” experience with small firm compassion and customization for your legal needs.
Directions to Our Office:
You can reach our offices this way:
From the North:
- Take I-75 S towards Detroit
- Take the exit for W 14 Mile Rd
- Turn right onto W 14 Mile Rd
- Turn left onto US-24 S
- Destination will be on your left
From the South:
- Take I-75 N towards Flint
- Take the exit for W 14 Mile Rd
- Turn left onto W 14 Mile Rd
- Turn left onto Telegraph Rd
- Destination will be on the left
From the East:
- Take I-696 W towards Lansing
- Take Telegraph Rd
- Turn left onto Telegraph Rd
- Destination will be on the right
From the West:
- Take I-696 E towards Port Huron
- Take the exit for Telegraph Rd
- Turn right onto Telegraph Rd
- Destination will be on the right