When a loved one is diagnosed with a debilitating disease such as Alzheimer’s or dementia, it is important to contact an elder law attorney as soon as possible. An elder law attorney can ensure that all necessary legal documents are in place while the loved one is still competent and assist you in applying for government benefits. This guide to protecting a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia is designed to help provide you with basic information and hopefully answer some

As the founder of the Elder and Estate Planning Law Firm, I specialize in helping Michigan families protect their estates. Whether you are worried about nursing home expenses that average nearly $9,000.00 per month, assisted living expenses, having your estate avoid probate court or planning for a special needs child or grandchild, I have helped thousands of families obtain peace of mind when faced with such issues. Often this involves qualifying for Medicaid or VA benefits,

STAGE 1: THE HEALTHY SENIOR At this stage you are likely using Medicare or private health insurance to pay for the treatment of any health related problems. You should consider long term care insurance in the event that you should later require assisted living or nursing home placement. It is important to make sure that you have properly planned your estate with a trust or will and financial and medical powers of attorney. STAGE 2: THE DECLINING SENIOR Once you enter an assi

Although often misunderstood, trusts are commonly used to plan an estate. With the estate tax exemption nearly $12 million, the primary advantage of a trust for most clients is no longer minimizing estate taxes, but rather the avoidance of probate. However, trusts often provide only limited parameters for how the assets are to be used for the beneficiaries. A trust may, for example, provide that the trustee has absolute discretion to distribute the assets for the “health, edu