Santa Monica Elder Law Attorney

Need a legal assistance with matters affecting your elder or disabled family member in the Santa Monica area? If so, you may want to schedule a consulatation with an elder law attorney. Many people are confused by the term elder law attorney and what we do for our clients. As a Santa Monica elder law attorney, Susan B. Geffen advocates for the elderly and their family members. She handles a very wide range of legal issues that affect the elderly or disabled individuals in Santa Monica and the surrounding areas. These matters include long term planning, health care, retirement concerns, conservatorships, Medi-Cal planning and asset protection, living trusts, and probate.

As an elder law attorney, Susan concentrates on the needs of older adults. The needs of the elderly are much different than the needs of younger individuals. She spends a lot of time helping elder law Santa Monica clients with financial and estate planning matters. She will discuss the day-to-day challenges they face with their care, where they live, if they have to move, assisted living options and making sure they have a solid plan for the future.

Practicing as an elder law attorney also requires Susan to assist elderly clients with their physical challenges and needs, and often their fragile emotional state of mind. Many of her clients are disabled from stroke, beginning stages of Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, and are not able to handle their own affairs. Susan helps them sort things out and makes sure they are safe and secure so they cannot be taken advantage of or be neglected.

Santa Monica Asset Protection and Long-Term Planning

Susan Geffen approaches asset protection and long-term planning as a means of helping you design a lasting legacy for your family. This legacy includes a future in which their needs are met, assets are preserved and protected and your final wishes are recorded and clearly expressed. Susan knows how important it is to prepare these important legal documents now, so your family will be spared immense burdens in the future.

While preparing a will and establishing trusts are some of the basic provisions everyone should have in place, there are other elements of asset protection and long-term planning you should consider. Elderly individuals may be faced with numerous circumstances that will require funding, and so how you preserve your assets should be considered carefully. Some of the elements of asset protection and long-term planning the Santa Monica elder law attorney Susan B. Geffen will discuss with you can include:

• Gifting or retitling some of your assets
• Acquiring insurance coverage to provide future income
• Placing assets in legal trusts
• California land trusts
• Protected retirement accounts
• Foreign trusts to shield assets
• Tax planning
• Medi-Cal planning

Planning for long-term care is also an important consideration. While most people would prefer to avoid long-term care or moving into a long-term nursing facility, this is often the best or only option for them to receive the care they need. However, this type of care is expensive and can quickly drain a lifetime of savings and deplete valuable assets. The time to plan for funding these potential future needs is now. Susan can help you or your loved one review many options for funding long-term care that will ensure proper care for you while preserving your legacy for your loved ones.

Planning for a More Secure Future in Santa Monica

What kind of legacy will you leave behind? Structuring plans to build a more secure future for your family and loved ones speak volumes about how much you care. Susan can help you examine many advanced future planning options that include:

• Special Needs Planning
• Planning for VA or Medi-Cal Benefits
• Tax Planning
• Business Succession Planning

Susan B. Geffen is a seasoned Los Angeles attorney with over 30 years of experience helping the elderly plan for a more secure future. She can share more about these and other measures, and how they can help you create a solid legacy for your family long after you have passed away. Begin planning for your future today. If you live in or near Santa Monica, contact Susan by phone or online, and schedule a consultation at her offices in Encino, South Bay, Pasadena or Los Angeles.