Elder law attorneys across Florida are committed to protecting individuals’ interests, autonomy, assets, and legal rights as they navigate estate and long-term care planning. Whether a person is confronting aging, disability, or a chronic illness, pragmatic and strategic estate planning can help protect the safety, comfort, and security of an individual and his or her loved ones.
Unfortunately, fewer than 33% of Floridians have made long-term care plans for themselves or their loved ones. This is a staggering statistic that often places vulnerable disabled and elderly individuals at an increased risk of being actively exploited.
Regardless of your age or status in life, as Florida elder law and estate planning attorneys with decades of experience, we can work with you to protect assets, create long-term care plans, and implement estate plans designed to protect the interests of loved ones. Do not wait for a catastrophic event to happen before thinking about estate planning. Instead, call Flammia Elder Law Firm today to schedule a consultation to learn about your Florida estate planning rights and options.
We encourage you to read through the following estate planning terms as provided by the Florida Bar.
Designation of health care surrogate: A document that identifies who makes your medical decisions if you are unable to make them yourself.
Living will: States your wishes with respect to life-prolonging measures at the end of life.
Durable power of attorney: A durable power of attorney is a written authorization to represent or act on another’s behalf with respect to financial, business, or other legal affairs. The authority granted by this document survives the maker’s incapacity.
Estate planning: The process of anticipating and arranging, during a person’s life, for the management of that person’s estate in the event the person becomes incapacitated and after death.
Exploitation: Illegal use of an elderly person or adult with a disability’s money, property, or other resources for monetary or personal benefit.
Health care advance directives: Legal documents that go into effect should you be incapacitated and unable to speak or make choices for yourself. It helps others know what type of medical care you want. An advance directive also allows you to express your wishes related to end-of-life care.
Long-term care planning: Long-term care planning helps prepare elderly and vulnerable persons for financial freedom and autonomy through financial and estate planning and making choices about long-term care options.
Probate: A legal process that takes place after someone dies that includes proving in court that a deceased person’s will is valid, identifying and inventorying the deceased person’s property, having the property appraised, paying debts and taxes, and distributing the remaining property as the will directs.
Ward: A person who is under the protection of the court or a guardian.
Article provided by Kathleen Flammia, Attorney at Law, one of Florida’s TOP Elder Law & Estate Planning Attorneys. Attorney Flammia is a Member of the National ElderCare Matters Alliance, and she and her firm are Featured in ElderCareMatters.com – America’s National Directory of Elder Care / Senior Care Resources to help families plan for and deal with the issues of Aging.
If you have additional questions about your family’s Elder Care / Senior Care Matters, you can count on ElderCareMatters.com (America’s National Directory of Elder Care / Senior Care Resources) to help you find America’s Top Elder Care / Senior Care Professionals. You can find Local Elder Care / Senior Care Experts by Searching our National Database by City and Service Category. (This Search feature is located on the homepage of ElderCareMatters.com).
The Elder Care / Senior Care Experts that are found on ElderCareMatters.com can provide you with the help you need in a total of 85 different Elder Care / Senior Care Services, including Elder Law, Estate Planning, Home Care, Medicaid Planning, Assisted Living, Care Management, Daily Money Management, Senior Living, Investment Advisory Services, Tax & Accounting Services, Wills & Trusts, Probate plus many other Elder Care Services.
We look forward to helping you plan for and deal with your family’s Issues of Aging.