June 2, 2016

Most people have not had the experience of keeping an attorney on retainer. Most of their interactions with a lawyer happened for a specific purpose, like buying a house or handling a sudden litigation issue. That’s why it can be confusing when facing elder law issues, because you need to identify an attorney with whom you can form a relationship.

Your elder law attorney should be someone you can trust, because he or she will be helping you with the planning and decision-making associated with your golden years. As people are living longer, there are more and more complex issues that need to be addressed by people facing retirement age. Having a long-term plan for your assets and your healthcare is important, and an elder law attorney should work with you personally to help identify your individual needs.

That being said, if your interaction with attorneys has been sparse and focused largely on resolving one specific issue, you need to shift gears when hiring someone to help with your elder law needs. You need to first understand how an elder law attorney can help you. An elder law attorney is a lawyer who may help you with some of the specific but also the broader picture associated with your needs as you get older, including:

• Planning for long-term care
• Making sure your estate planning documents match your goals for your life as well as after you pass away
• Coordinating private and public resources to help pay for long-term care, should you need it
• Helping you identify possible locations for care

These are just some of the things that an elder law attorney can help with, but it’s essential that you find someone who focuses on holistic solutions. No two people are the same, and each elder law planning opportunity presents the need for unique considerations. Make sure you identify a New Jersey elder law attorney with experience in the field.