Welcome To C. Haner Law, PLLC

An Elder Law attorney acts as an advocate for elderly people and their families. The practice of Elder Law can include many different legal matters that affect the elderly, such as long term healthcare planning, guardianship, Medicaid planning, asset protection planning, and estate planning. An Elder Law attorney in Woodbury, NY focuses on the unique legal needs of aging adults, which are different than the needs of an average younger adult.

The duties taken on by Elder Law attorneys can reach much further than overall estate planning and into the everyday lives of senior citizens and their families, when it comes to nursing home care planning and guardianships. An experienced Woodbury, NY Elder Law attorney is equipped to handle very delicate and emotional needs of older, disabled adults and their loved ones. Handling these special needs can become a very important part of the services Elder Law attorneys provide.

How Can a Woodbury, NY Elder Law Attorney Help Me or My Loved One in Particular?

An Elder Law attorney focuses their practice of law on:

• Explaining the importance of wills, trusts and proper estate planning, which includes any necessary planning for minors or adults who have special needs, probate processes and any other matters likely to surface.
• Creating a durable power of attorney and health care proxy to allow someone else to make financial and/or health care decisions for a person who becomes incapacitated.
• Providing guidance on medical care and healthcare planning, including long term nursing home care options and Medicaid planning.
• Expressing the importance of financial planning, including income planning, retirement accounts, asset protection and preventing issues with gifting.
• Assisting with selecting and appointing a legal guardian.
• Helping families to locate long term care facilities for their elderly loved ones and managing costs of assisted living and nursing care.
• Explaining the rights of nursing home residents.
• Drafting a living will or advance directives, which should include a durable power of attorney, health care proxy and living will, along with other estate planning documents.

A will and a trust are both useful estate planning tools and they serve different purposes. Often, combining both creates the most effective estate plan. While a will goes into effect after you died, a trust can take effect as soon as your Woodbury, NY trusts and estates attorney sets it up. A will is simply a document, created with the help of a wills attorney, that states exactly who will receive your property after your death. A will should also appoint a legal representative, who will be responsible for carrying out the directions spelled out in the will.

A will only covers property that is held in your sole name when you die. It does not at all affect property in trust or joint tenancy. A trust is limited by only affecting property that has been properly transferred into the name of the trust. A main difference between a will and a trust is that a will needs to pass through probate. A court must oversee the administration of the will and confirm that the will is valid. A trust is allowed to pass outside of the probate process, without court involvement, which can save a great deal of time and money. A trust can also keep your estate private, unlike a will, which is part of public record. Your trust, on the other hand, is private, and simply administered by your trustee, who typically should seek the guidance of a trusts and estate attorney in Woodbury, NY.