Cincinnati is located in Hamilton County, Ohio and is the third largest city in Ohio. Cincinnati is also the sixth largest city in the U.S., and is located within a one-day drive of 2/3 of the entire United States population. Cincinnati has a faster growing economy than any other midwestern city in the U.S., and it is also the 28th largest metropolitan statistical area in the country.
If you live in or around Cincinnati, Zimmer Law Firm can provide assistance with preparing for your future, protecting your assets, and protecting your family. Elder law attorneys provide help with retirement planning, incapacity planning, asset protection, legacy planning and more. To find out more about how our firm can help you, give us a call today.
Activities and Services for Seniors in Cincinnati
Seniors in Cincinnati may require help and support to remain independent and to enhance their quality of life by staying connected to the community. There are many different programs and services that seniors can take advantage of. Seniors can find information from:
- The Cincinnati Recreation Commission’s page for seniors: The Cincinnati Recreation Commission runs special programs for seniors that are open to Cincinnati residents age 50 and over. There is a Southwest Ohio Senior Olympics open to seniors, and there is an annual Senior Citizens Hall of Fame that honors extraordinary seniors in the community.
Zimmer Law Firm helps seniors to learn about different programs and supports and provides assistance to seniors in taking steps to qualify for benefits. For example, Medicaid coverage may become necessary if seniors need nursing home care or long-term care at home.
Cincinnati Probate Resources
Because Cincinnati residents live in Hamilton County, probate court proceedings will take place in the Hamilton County probate court. Probate courts preside over the administration of estates and the probating of a will after a death. Probate courts also preside over guardianship or conservatorship proceedings in which a guardian is named for a person who is incapacitated. If there are problems with the trust administration process, a probate court can also resolve the issues that have arisen.
Zimmer Law Firm can provide representation if you must go to probate court. You can also make use of these Cincinnati probate resources to learn more about the probate process and about how probate works in Ohio. Some of these resources include:
- The site of the Hamilton County probate court: This website explains where the court is located, the goal of the court, and the types of cases that the probate court will preside over.
- The Estate Administration Instructions page: This page provides details on full administration of an estate; summary release from administration and relief from administration. It also provides an estate administration pamphlet and a pamphlet about last will and testaments.
- The guardianship instructions page: This page provides instructions for the appointment of a guardian of a minor, the appointment of a guardian of an alleged incompetent, and filing an emergency guardianship. There is also a guardianship pamphlet that provides details about the guardianship process.
Going to probate court can be complicated and there is often a lot at stake. Zimmer Law Firm represents the executor of an estate who has a fiduciary duty to manage estate assets and oversee the probate process. Zimmer Law Firm also provides representation to heirs or beneficiaries whose inheritance is at stake during the probate process.
Medicaid Resources for Cincinnati Seniors
One of the most important services provided by Zimmer Law Firm is Medicaid planning. Medicaid planning becomes important if you need nursing home care or long-term care at home. Medicare will not cover most nursing home care services, so you’ll need to qualify for Medicaid if you want to make sure your care is covered and you don’t have to pay out of pocket. Some of the resources you can reference to learn more about Medicaid and Medicare include:
- The website of the Ohio Department of Medicaid. You can find out about the basics of Medicaid, different Medicaid programs, qualification requirements, and the benefits that could be available to you if you are a Medicaid beneficiary.
- The Department of Medicaid’s site on Receiving Care in a Nursing Facility: This website provides details on choosing a nursing home care facility and on paying for long-term care. You can find the Ohio Long-Term Care consumer guide, a guide to selecting a nursing home, and information on Medicare’s nursing home compare, which is a tool that allows you to find out about specific nursing homes that you are considering moving to.
It’s important to make a Medicaid plan as soon as possible because Medicaid looks back five years from the time you apply for benefits to determine if you gave away wealth or transferred wealth for less than fair market value. This could mean that attempts to protect your wealth from being lost if you need nursing home care could sometimes result in disqualification from Medicaid benefits. You want to work with an experienced attorney to make sure you can get the benefits that you need.
Estate Tax Resources for Cincinnati Residents
Zimmer Law Firm also provides help with making plans to reduce or avoid estate tax if you have a larger estate and you may owe estate taxes. Resources you can make use of to learn about estate tax include:
- The Ohio Department of Revenue: This site reveals that the Ohio estate tax has been repealed so you will not have to pay money to the state of Ohio.
- The IRS estate tax site: Estate tax rules are changing in 2018 so you should refer to the updated federal rules to find out if estate tax will be owed.
Zimmer Law Firm will help you to understand all of the rules associated with estate tax and can help you to take steps to avoid paying these taxes if your estate might owe.
Getting Help from Cincinnati Elder Law Attorneys
Cincinnati elder law attorneys can provide assistance with all of your elder law issues. To find out more about the services we provide, join us for a free seminar. You can also give us a call at 513.721.1513 at any time for help.