jhonluwis: Choosing a Qualified Attorney to Help You Plan for the Future ...

For seniors, planning for the?future can be complicated,?even overwhelming. Hiring?an attorney who is qualified to advise?you on legal matters that can affect?your family?s financial and emotional?well-being can make things easier.?Elder-law attorneys guide families on?planning for health and personal care,?public benefits eligibility, legal and?financial planning for special-needs,?advice on insurance matters, powers of?attorney, living wills, trusts, housing,?asset protection, veterans? benefits and?retirement issues.

It?s not only important to choose an?attorney qualified to handle these matters,?you should also consult with the?lawyer at the right time. ?When you?plan ahead of time, you can consider?all the options and make better decisions,??says Carol Sikov Gross, a certified?elder-law attorney and partner at?Sikov & Love in Pittsburgh, Pa. ?If?you wait until a crisis hits to do planning,?there are still many things that?can be done, but your options are limited?because the time frame is shorter.?Also, it?s harder to make good decisions?when you?re under a lot of stress.?

If you meet with an attorney whom?you?re considering hiring, it?s best to?communicate in a way that is cordial?but direct. Ask questions about the issues?that are important to you, not only to?get information, but also to determine?whether you can work comfortably with?the attorney. If you don?t like the attorney?s?answers or simply don?t feel at ease,?don?t hire that person. Only if you?re?satisfied with the attorney from the first?meeting will you trust him or her to do ?the best job for you.

Keep Your Goals In Sight

As you work with an elder-law attorney,?don?t lose sight of the results you?want. ?An ideal outcome is that you?ve?put a plan in place to deal effectively?with the situation if you become incapacitated?or disabled,? says Gross. ?You?want a plan that, in the event that you?become unable to handle your own?affairs or pass away, will protect your?family, protect your savings and direct?funds to the issues that you determine?are important to you. By making your?own decisions?as opposed to laying?the burden of decision-making on a?family member?you?re giving a great?gift to your family.?

When it comes to legal fees, attorneys?charge in different ways. Be aware of how?your attorney arrives at their fees and?how often they bill?some bill weekly,?some monthly, and some upon completion?of work. Ask about this at the initial?conference so there will be no surprises.

What?s the best way to find a qualified?elder-law attorney? Check the?websites of the National Elder Law?Foundation (www.nelf.org) and the?National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys?(www.naela.org). The National?Elder Law Foundation website lists certified?elder-law attorneys nationwide.

Also, talk to family and friends to?find out if they?ve used an elder-law?attorney whom they like and trust. If?they refer you to one, check the lawyer?s?website for helpful information?or signs that they?re involved in their?community through public speaking?or teaching other lawyers?those?things indicate they?re committed to?helping seniors and their families.

Other Helpful Tips

Get It Done?Stephen Spano, a certified?elder-law attorney in Boston, Mass.,?and president of the National Elder Law?Foundation, tells why it?s important to?get a plan done now: ?In estate-planning?documents, for example, you can?name someone to help with medical and?financial decisions. But if you haven?t?completed a plan, your loved ones must?go to court and ask to have someone?appointed for you. Would you rather?choose someone whom you trust or go?with the luck of the draw and be subject?to someone whom the court appoints??

Make Sure They?re Qualified?Look for an elder-law attorney who is?board-certified. The National Elder?Law Foundation (NELF) is the only?national authority approved by the?American Bar Association to certify?attorneys in elder law. To become certified?by NELF, lawyers are required to?pass a rigorous, day-long examination,?meet stringent continuing-education?requirements, become re-certified?every five years and spend at least 16?hours per week practicing elder law.

Ask Questions?What percentage?of the attorney?s practice is devoted to?elder law? How much experience do?they have with the specific situations?you are facing? How much elder law?training have they had, and from what?organizations??Review Your Plan Regularly??In the business world, companies?review their business plans every year?to change with the times. Your situation?can change with time too, so?handle your plans the same way?review them annually and make?changes if necessary.

?Planning documents that boardcertified?elder-law attorneys prepare?are the physical manifestation?of your hopes, dreams and desires?for you and your loved ones,? says?Spano. ?These documents aren?t an?end in themselves, they?re a means?to an end, and that end should be?to espouse your values for your family?and to give you and your family?peace of mind.? ?