As the son of two parents with big health challenges, I know first-hand the importance of competent and determined legal assistance. As someone who knows the challenges that caregivers and family members face, you can depend on me to go the extra mile for you and your family.
-Paul
What is elder law?
Elder law is a diverse area of legal practice focusing on the numerous areas of law that impact aging adults and their loved ones. This includes long-term care planning, estate planning, retirement issues, tax planning, and planning for government entitlements.
Elder law in Georgia often involves advance planning for illness or incapacity to minimize legal problems, preserve assets and maintain the dignity of senior citizens. Sometimes elder law involves crisis planning such as when someone is in need of immediate placement in a long-term care facility such as a nursing home.
Estate planning and advance planning are not just for the elderly. People of all ages should plan ahead and avoid the state making crucial decisions instead of them. An elder law attorney can make sure that their assets and health matters are taken care of and their family members are provided for.
What Clients Are Saying
Mr. Black took an extraordinary amount of time and preparation with my husband and me to prepare our Last Will and Testament, Power of Attorney, and Advance Directive. I compared prices for the same services and feel that I was given a very fair fee for the work that was done for us. I would highly recommend Paul Black.
After talking with Paul, I knew exactly what I needed to do. He has been with me the whole way, from getting her diagnosed with dementia to helping with all of the legal paperwork and consolidating the finances (after having to find all of them first!), and getting her moved into an assisted living home where she is getting top-notch care. If you need a responsive and caring lawyer, hire Paul!!
Paul does an excellent job of making a connection with his clients. He becomes invested in meeting the needs of his clients. He is helpful and friendly and has lots of knowledge about trusts, wills, etc. It is easy to get in touch with Paul, and he makes a point of staying in touch with you. Great experience all the way around.
Why should I plan in advance for long-term care issues?
Advanced planning allows one to greatly minimize legal fees, avoid emotional trauma for family members, and preserve assets. Planning ahead when someone has the ability to do so also allows you, and not a court, to decide in advance what medical care you will or will not receive.
A well-drafted estate plan which includes a medical durable power of attorney and a financial durable power of attorney can avoid the need for court intervention to obtain a guardianship or conservatorship. These court proceedings are time-consuming, costly, and sometimes upsetting.
However, experienced lawyers can assist you and make sure these proceedings go as smoothly as possible. In addition, an elder law attorney can help avoid any legal issues that may arise during the estate planning process.
Who pays for long-term care?
Long-term care in a skilled nursing facility in Georgia currently averages over $80,000 per year. Private health insurance does not cover nursing home care and Medicare only partly pays for skilled care in a nursing home for 100 days after a hospital stay. If one has long-term care insurance it can pay for nursing home care as set forth in the policy. This usually pays for a large part of the total cost (but not all of it). Few people actually have long-term care insurance. In reality, the cost of nursing home care is mostly paid for out of pocket or, if one qualifies for it, by Medicaid.
What is Medicaid?
Medicaid is an entitlement program funded by federal and state government. The Medicaid program for long-term care in a nursing home for persons over age 65 has strict rules regarding both income and assets. There are different income and asset rules for the program depending on whether you are married or single. In Georgia, a single person can only have $2,000 in countable assets ($126,420 for a couple) and certain excluded assets such as a pre-paid funeral, one car (per spouse), jewelry and personal effects, and a principal residence worth $572,000 or less.
“In Georgia, qualified retirement accounts (such as IRAs, 401(k) accounts, or 403(b) accounts) owned by a Medicaid applicant or recipient who is taking distributions, or a qualified retirement account owned by their spouse (whether taking distributions or not) are exempt (non-countable) assets. However, a nursing home Medicaid recipient must apply his or her Required Minimum Distributions or other distributions towards the cost of nursing home care.”
What is Medicaid Planning?
Medicaid planning is a reallocation of assets designed to preserve or maximize someone’s eligibility for Medicaid and to set aside funds for certain items such as:
- A private room in a care facility (something that is vital for a person with advanced dementia)
- Eyeglasses, hearing aids, and dentures, beauty shop visits
- Geriatric care management services
- “Companion” caregivers (as a supplement to often-overworked nursing home staff)
- Cable TV, a telephone line, and other conveniences
Good Medicaid planning allows an individual to optimize the care they receive (whether at home or in a nursing home resident), and pay for some of the relatively basic needs for which Medicaid won’t pay.
I am happy to help you & your loved ones craft a proper asset protection plan that observes Georgia’s intricate Medicaid rules and that will maximize the quality of life for Medicaid recipients and their spouses.
Awards & Associations
Paul Black is an award-winning estate planning lawyer in Atlanta, GA. You can count on his law office for excellent service with elder law, estate planning, trusts, wills, probate, and more. Paul has been named a SuperLawyers “Rising Star” in the area of Estate Planning and as a member of Georgia’s “Legal Elite” by Georgia Trend magazine. He is also a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.
