One of the best steps you can take to protect your family and ensure your wishes are carried out is to have a Will or Trust and other estate planning documents.  We understand that investing the time and money into creating an estate plan is something that is easy to put off for another day – or year – when you are busy taking care of the everyday details of life.  Unfortunately, to delay creation of an estate plan can sometimes leave your family without a clear idea of what would have wanted.  For unmarried couples, both same-sex and opposite-sex, the surviving partner can be left particularly vulnerable if there is no official, properly executed document expressly granting the surviving partner decision-making authority or conferring the right to inherit property.  And for parents, estate planning documents create an opportunity to name guardians and trustees who will care for your children or manage funds on their behalf should something happen to you before your children are of an age when they can care for themselves.

The attorneys at Beth Allen Law PC take the time to sit down with you to get to know you, your family, your wishes, and your concerns, so that they can create a plan that is unique to your particular circumstances.  Whether you are doing a simple Will-based plan or complex Trust-based plan, we’ll help you create and implement the documents that will protect your loved ones and help avoid conflict or confusion in carrying out your wishes.

Elder Law
You, Your Family and Elder Law Decisions
As the population grows older, there is a growing need to understand elder law and how it affects each of us and our families. Your family’s elder law concerns are not the same as any other family’s concerns. Each family has its own needs and circumstances. At our law firm, our lawyers listen to you, explain the options and walk you through the decision-making process.

• Medicaid planning: Know the rules: That’s the first rule of Medicaid planning. Make sure you understand the latest regulations and take the necessary steps to be eligible for Medicaid nursing home care.
• Guardianship: Does an aging parent or another loved one need a guardian who can make decisions about day-to-day living and medical care? Talk to a guardianship lawyer. And consider preparing your own power of attorney against the day when you may need someone to make decisions.
• Conservatorship: When a parent, spouse or partner can no longer make financial decisions, who can step in to manage finances? If there is no plan in place (a power of attorney, for example), you may need to establish a conservatorship with the court.
• Tax planning: How can you minimize the taxes on your property? Talk to an estate planning lawyer about gifts and trusts that can preserve the value of your assets.
• Medicare issues: Do you understand your rights under Medicare? Talk to an attorney who can explain them.

If you are concerned about your own elder law planning or about the needs of a spouse, a partner or a parent, talk to an elder law attorney at Beth Allen Law PC in Portland, Oregon.