How Old Do You Have to Be to Get Help from an Elder Law Attorney?
By Barry Zimmer on May 3rd, 2016 in Elder Law
When most people think of elder law Cincinnati, they think of services aimed at helping senior citizens. Elder law attorneys do a lot of work for seniors because elderly people often realize the importance of incapacity and estate planning. Those who are older are more likely to develop a medical condition affecting their ability to communicate and manage assets. They are more likely to need nursing home care, and more likely to pass away. Incapacity planning, estate planning, and nursing home planning are some of the services offered by elder law attorneys to help aging seniors address these important issues. 
Elder law attorneys, however, actually do a lot more than just provide services to seniors. Young and middle aged people also need to ensure they are taking steps to plan for a secure financial future, to provide for their kids, and to deal with illness or injury.
Whether you’re 20, 40, 60, or 80, you owe it to yourself to understand how the law can protect you and how you can use legal tools to achieve security for yourself and those you love. Because of the importance of planning for uncertainty, there’s virtually no minimum age for getting elder law help once you have reached adulthood.
The Zimmer Law Firm is a full-service Cincinnati elder law firm that can provide invaluable advice to clients of all ages. Give us a call to find out more about how we can help with your specific life situation.
Who Should Get Elder Law Help?
Elder law attorneys can help young people with the issues that matter. For example, one of the most important issues that you will address when you work with an elder law attorney is what happens if you become incapacitated.
If you are seriously ill or injured and cannot make medical decisions, you should have a plan in place in advance for what kinds of care you will receive and for who will make healthcare decisions on your behalf. Without a plan, your family may not know what to do and there may be fighting over what kinds of care is appropriate.
Incapacity or illness can happen to anyone, even the young. Being unprepared can have serious consequences. A Pew Research revealed 53 percent of Americans indicated they would want to stop medical treatment if they had a terminal illness and were experiencing substantial pain and suffering. By contrast, 34 percent of people in this situation would want everything possible to be done to save their lives. Many young people do not discuss their own preferences, so family members may not know whether you would prefer to get care or not in case of a serious medical emergency.
While 35 percent of people reported to Pew that they have given a great deal of thought to end of life issues and 36 percent said they had given the matter some thought, only 27 percent of people put their wishes in writing and only 29 percent had a living will. An elder law attorney will help you to make your wishes known so if something unexpected happens, your family isn’t put in a tough spot and you don’t end up with medical care you don’t want.
Another important issue an elder law attorney can help with is the creation of a wealth building plan. Investopedia reported that Americans between the ages of 55 and 64 had an average of $104,000 in retirement savings, which would provide $310 per month in income if the money was put into a lifetime annuity. Even combined with Social Security, which Fool.com indicates pays out an average of $1,340 per month, this is not enough for seniors to live on. If you start saving when you are younger and you get help from an elder law Cincinnati lawyer so you can take advantage of IRAs and other tax-advantaged accounts, you can make sure your retirement is a financially secure one.
Incapacity and retirement planning are just a few of the ways that an elder law attorney can help young people. Your lawyer can also assist with making provisions for the care of minor children if something happens to you and as well as with creating a plan to protect your growing wealth.
How an Elder Law Cincinnati Lawyer Can Help You
The services you receive from an elder law Cincinnati lawyer need to be tailored to your specific situation and life stage. The Zimmer Law Firm can offer you the personalized advice you need to help you work towards a secure future. Join us for a free seminar or give us a call at 513.721.1513 to learn more about how we can help.