START THINKING AHEAD
Nothing feels worse than being caught unaware. Keeping your long-term care planning in-line is one of the more powerful ways that you can plan for your future, whether that’s near or far. It’s better to have a long-term care plan set in stone now. Start equipping your will and your estate now so that your family doesn’t suffer down the line.
We help our client’s plan for long-term healthcare needs, such as nursing home care, assisted living, and other aspects of care that might be needed as we age. Long-term care planning is not the same thing as estate planning. However, it is something that should be included in your estate plan. Here at The Wheeler Firm, we have over 15 years of experience in long-term care planning, Medicaid applications, and Medicaid compliance. We are highly reviewed on Avvo, licensed by the Florida Bar Association, and are members of the Elder Law College. We stand ready to help you plan for your long-term care needs. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
WHAT IS LONG-TERM CARE PLANNING AND WHY DO I NEED IT?
Long-term care means creating a plan that can be used in the event that you become incapacitated and require long-term medical care in a nursing home. Since every individual has unique circumstances, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to long-term care, and involving an experienced elder law attorney is advisable. As we age, the risk of needing long-term care increases. Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, and other severe conditions can create an unavoidable need for skilled nursing care. This is true even if family care is preferred because family members are often not equipped to provide advanced medical treatment.
THE COSTS OF NURSING HOME CARE
The average cost of nursing home care in Northwest Florida is between $7,000 and $8,000 per month. If you need long-term care in a nursing home, you have three options to pay for those services: independent wealth, long-term care insurance and Medicaid. If you are independently very wealthy or have long-term care insurance, you may be able to withstand the costs of long-term care with little or no planning. But for the vast majority of people, Medicaid will be needed to pay for nursing home care. To qualify for Medicaid benefits, you must meet certain assets and income criteria. As elder law attorneys, we help people position their assets and funds through long-term care planning well in advance of the actual need for Medicaid benefits, thereby helping them qualify for Medicaid while preserving assets and funds. Get in touch with us today to speak with an expert!
CONTACT AN ELDER LAW ATTORNEY IN FLORIDA
These are just a few of the things you’ll need to prepare for your long-term care plan, and are included under the umbrella of “elder law.” Here at The Wheeler Firm, we have over 15 years of experience in elder law and general family law. We are fully licensed in the state of Florida and are always prepared to help Okaloosa County and Fort Walton Beach residents get the legal help they need. Call us today to speak with an elder law attorney about long-term care planning in Florida.