Curcio Law, PLLC, is a Michigan elder law firm that provides exceptional representation through our commitment to professional excellence and client support and communication. Elder Law is a broad practice area. According to the National Elder Law Foundation website (NELF.org),“‘Elder Law’ is the legal practice of counseling and representing older persons, persons with special needs, and their representatives about the legal aspects of health and long-term care planning.” These services might include efforts at preserving eligibility for Medicaid or other benefits programs; nominating a surrogate, guardian, or conservator; conserving assets for the benefit of a child or loved one with special needs; or, identifying and protecting against abuse and neglect of vulnerable adults, among many other services. Grand Rapids elder law attorneys play a crucial role in guiding and protecting vulnerable persons through complex legal and practical matters.
It is no secret that aging can be difficult, nor that caregiving for vulnerable persons can take its toll. There are services available to help. Curcio Law, PLLC, is here for your family and provides legal services addressing the following common elder law issues:
Advocacy for seniors can take innumerable forms. Unfortunately, seniors in our society are not always treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. Sometimes, a nursing home, apartment complex, creditor, neighbor, child, friend, relative – the list is infinite – will disregard your rights, and an advocate is needed to ensure you are treated appropriately under the circumstances. Our Grand Rapids, Michigan elder law attorneys can help you navigate these practical issues and understand your legal rights under the circumstances.
Michigan guardianships and conservatorships are formal, court appointed roles for the management of a vulnerable person’s affairs. A guardianship appoints authority over the vulnerable person, i.e. medical, personal, and day-to-day care decisions, while a conservatorship appoints authority over a vulnerable person’s assets. When an aging individual has not put in place estate planning documents to account for such authority in the event of their incapacity, or when a person with special needs reaches the age of majority and cannot completely care for themselves, a Michigan guardianship and/or conservatorship may become necessary in order to appoint that authority and protect the vulnerable adult.
These are roles that can sometimes be ripe for abuse, and it is important that an appropriate, trustworthy individual is appointed. The Michigan guardianship attorneys at Curcio Law, PLLC, can help ensure your vulnerable loved ones are protected and have their needs met.
In many circumstances, individuals with special needs who are receiving public benefits are subject to rules governing the nature and value of assets the individual is allowed to own. That means, despite your desire to assist them financially, an outright gift, either during your lifetime or by means of an inheritance after your death, may cause them to lose their public benefits. Planning tools, such as special needs trusts, are available to help mitigate this problem, to allow you to help support your vulnerable loved ones without negatively impacting their other benefits. The Michigan special needs planning attorneys at Curcio Law, PLLC, are here for your family to ensure they have what they need when you’re gone.
Applying for Medicaid can be a headache – collecting information, determining eligibility, planning for periods of ineligibility, preparing lengthy forms, communicating with review specialists, navigating government red tape. Some estimates suggest that as many as 35% of Medicaid eligibility letters contain errors made by the application review staff. Michigan elder law attorneys can help.
Long-term care planning is all too frequently overlooked. It should come as no surprise that many people will need long-term care, e.g. nursing home care, before they die. Some estimates suggest as many as 70% of individuals over the age of 65 will need some type of long-term care before they die. Assuming that figure is accurate, if you’re married and both you and your spouse are over the age of 65, there is a 91% chance at least one of you will need long-term care before you both die.
Of those that will need nursing home care, estimates suggest that the average stay is just over three (3) years. As of 2021, the median cost of nursing home care, in a semi-private room (you get a roommate), was just over $9,000 per month, and those costs are not going down with time. At Curcio Law, PLLC, we are not mathematicians, but as Grand Rapids elder law attorneys, we believe these are odds worth planning for.
Contact the Grand Rapids, Michigan estate planning attorneys at Curcio Law, PLLC, today for your free consultation to discuss what estate planning solutions are right for you and your family.
Curcio Law, PLLC
625 Kenmoor Ave SE Ste 301
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
(616) 226-1861
jcurcio@curciolawmi.com
We provide unwavering professional excellence and client support in the areas of estate planning, elder law, and family law in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area
P: (616) 226-1861
F: (616) 226-1874
Mon to Friday 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM EST
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