If you live in or around Blue Ash, Ohio, Zimmer Law Firm can provide the personalized help that you need to address issues that arise as you get older. When you grow older, you may find yourself needing more benefits and services, or even needing intensive support, in order to take care of basic routine activities of daily living or to maximize your quality of life.
Zimmer Law Firm can help you to understand your options for programs and services, to qualify for benefits, and to make effective use of legal tools to protect yourself and your loved ones. Give us a call today to find out more.
Activities for Seniors in Blue Ash, Ohio
Blue Ash is located in Hamilton County, Ohio. There are many resources within this county that seniors can take advantage of. To find out more about local programs and services, seniors can visit:
- The Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio: The Council on Aging is funded by Hamilton County taxpayers and it provides many important services for seniors including affordable in-home care services to help keep seniors out of nursing homes. Seniors can find out about their eligibility for programs, can learn about benefits and services in their area, and can find out how to sign up for services.
- Catholic Charities of Southwestern Ohio: Catholic Charities of Southwestern Ohio provides many services, including senior companions programs, an RSVP program to offer volunteer opportunities to seniors, and foster grandparent programs that pairs seniors with disadvantaged young people who are in need of mentors.
Often, seniors will require more intensive support than is available through these community-based programs. For example, seniors may become unable to live independently and may need nursing home care or long term care at home. Zimmer Law Firm can offer assistance in exploring benefits programs that are available.
Probate Resources in Blue Ash, Ohio
Because Blue Ash is in Hamilton County, the probate process when someone passes away will take place within the Hamilton County court system. Seniors should understand how the probate process works so they can make fully informed choices about whether to try to transfer assets outside of the probate process and about whether they should make an incapacity plan so their loved ones won’t need to go to court to seek guardianship and conservatorship.
Helpful resources to learn about probate issues include:
- The Hamilton County probate court website: On this site, you can find out about the kinds of cases probate courts in Ohio hear and about what you’ll need to do in order to actually go to probate court.
- Instructions for guardianship: This page on the probate court website provides details about guardianship proceedings, information on what the guardianship process entails, and advice for individuals who are seeking guardianship of an incapacitated loved one.
Handling probate court issues can be complicated, but Zimmer Law Firm can provide assistance throughout your involvement with the probate court.
Medicaid Resources for Seniors in Blue Ash, Ohio
Many seniors in Blue Ash will come to require custodial care in a nursing home setting as they get older. Custodial care, or routine help with activities of daily living that doesn’t require specialized medical training, can be really expensive and it’s not covered by Medicare or by most private insurance. If you don’t have long term care insurance and you have too much money to qualify for Medicaid, you’ll have to pay for custodial care out of pocket.
However, if you work with Zimmer Law Firm to make a Medicaid plan, you can get qualified for Medicaid, protect your assets, and get Medicaid to pay for your nursing home care or long term care. To understand more about how Medicaid eligibility works and about what kinds of coverage for nursing home care you can get through Medicaid, you can use the following resources:
- Medicaid’s resources for nursing home care: This website provides helpful information on finding a nursing home that is certified to receive Medicaid payments. You can find details on Medicaid coverage for nursing homes and can use the nursing home compare tool to compare different care facilities and find the right one.
- The Ohio Department of Medicaid: This website provides specific details on eligibility rules and on the operations of Ohio’s Medicaid program. Medicaid is run through a federal/state partnership so each state is able to set some of its own rules and regulations.
Estate Tax Resources for Blue Ash Residents
When you begin to get older and start thinking about your legacy, finding ways to protect your assets is vital. Estate tax could result in a substantial amount of your hard-earned money being lost if your estate is large enough to trigger estate tax.
Blue Ash elder law attorneys at Zimmer Law Firm can help you to understand estate tax rules and to take steps to limit the amount of estate tax you may need to pay. You can also refer to the following resources to learn about estate tax issues in Blue Ash:
- The Ohio Department of Revenue: According to the Ohio Department of Revenue, there is currently no estate tax in Ohio. This means you should not have to worry about the state taking your assets that you hope to pass on to loved ones.
- The IRS Estate Tax website: There is, however, still estate tax charged by the federal government on large estates although tax reform has made important changes to who will be taxed by the IRS after death. You should refer to the IRS website to find the latest information on estate tax obligations.
If you are going to owe estate tax on the federal level, you should work with Zimmer Law Firm to find ways to protect assets from being lost to the government. You should also work with our legal team to keep up-to-date on any new developments in the law that could impact what your estate may owe in taxes after you pass on.
Getting Help from Blue Ash Elder Law Attorneys
To find out how Blue Ash elder law attorneys at Zimmer Law Firm can help you, join us for a free seminar. You can also give us a call at 513.721.1513 today to get personalized help and advice.