Things happen fast during an emergency. It always helps to have a plan in place before the emergency hits, whether it’s a hurricane, wild fire, or medical event. Even in the field of estate planning, situations arise that must be dealt with completely, but swiftly.
When Terminal Illness Strikes.
Joe learned of his disease last week. He had felt bad for a while but didn’t realize it was cancer. He was even more shocked to learn that his days were extremely limited. Joe knew it was time to get his affairs in order.
If you or a loved one is facing terminal illness, there’s no time to find an attorney, then wait two weeks for an appointment. It may then take the attorney several weeks to draw up your papers and send them to you for review. You don’t have the luxury of exchanging revisions several times before actually signing the documents.
A Trip to the Emergency Room Leads to Emergency Estate Planning.
Nolan ended up in the emergency room after a severe fall at his home. As his family gathered to support him, they all learned that Nolan’s days of living alone were over. He needed either in-home or residential nursing care, possibly for the rest of his life. Nolan had never put together an estate plan and had never done any Medicaid planning. That was now up to his family.
Since Nolan needed to be moved from the hospital in a few days, they started looking for a facility. The costs of staying in a nursing home were stunning. Nolan had very little resources and could never pay the costs of full-time care. They looked for alternatives, but nothing worked and their time was running out.
They finally talked to someone in the local Medicaid office and began applying for emergency Medicaid benefits. The application process confused and dismayed them.
If you or a loved one may be facing the prospect of applying for Medicaid, talk to an attorney now. Working out arrangements for long-term care should be done as early as possible.
Be prepared.
A little planning on your part can prevent emergency estate planning situations. Doing so relieves your loved ones of a heavy burden if something happens to you.
At Miller Estate and Elder Law, our attorneys know how to handle your concerns. Contact us at 256-237-3339 to schedule an appointment. We help clients in Anniston, Talladega, Birmingham, Hoover, Trussville, Gadsden and surrounding communities.
