(813) 238-4LAW

(4529)

Nothing contained in this publication should be considered as the rendering of legal advice for any specific situation. Rather, this publication is intended for general informational purposes only.

ELDER LAW

With the aging of the “Baby Boomer” generation and the longer life expectancies, a very important area of law has evolved, known as “Elder Law.” An effective practitioner in the area of Elder Law must be both:

Well versed in many areas of law affecting seniors; and
An exceptional counselor and listener.

Elder Law includes:

Estate Planning.

Wills. Wills Do Not help you avoid probate, but they do allow you to appoint who will be in charge of probating your estate (your “Personal Representative”) and allow you to dictate how your assets will be distributed. Without a valid Will, you are deemed to die “Intestate” and your estate will pass pursuant to the terms of the Florida Statutes.

Trusts. Not everyone needs a Trust (or Trusts) in their estate plan, but unlike a Will, a properly drafted and funded Trust may help you avoid probate. Probate costs money (including court costs and attorneys fees), take time, and make the debts and assets of your estate a matter of public record. Trusts can save you time and money, and help maintain privacy. Trusts may also help avoid, or reduce, estate and inheritance taxes.

Living Wills. Living Wills allow you to dictate that under certain circumstances, you do not wish for artificial life-prolonging means to be used to keep you alive.

Durable Powers of Attorney. These very important instruments can help avoid the need for a guardianship in the event of incapacity. Guardianships take time, cost money to implement and maintain, and also result in your assets and debts being made a matter of public record. A Durable Power of Attorney can be implemented at our Firm for as little as $35.00 for AARP Members!

Designation of Healthcare Surrogate. In this document, you authorize particular individuals to make healthcare decisions for you, in the event that you are incapacitated and unable to consent to medical treatment.

EXPERIENCE.

Suzette M. Alfonso has over a dozen years of experience in dealing with Elder Law matters. In addition to over 11 years of private practice experience, Ms. Alfonso worked as a certified legal intern with the Senior Advocacy Unit of Bay Area Legal Service, Inc. (www.bals.org).

Suzette Alfonso is a participating network attorney for the AARP, and extends significantly discounted rates to AARP members.

Ms. Alfonso is available for public speaking engagements on legal issues affecting seniors.

Also, arrangements can be made for nursing home, ALF, and in-home consultations for those with difficulty traveling to her offices.

For more information, please contact us at:

(813) 238-4529

info@alfonsolaw.com

Call (813) 238-4LAW to set up a FREE 30 minute initial consultation

regarding Elder Law, Wills, Trusts, or Business Law Matter

The hiring of an attorney is an important decision that should not be based soley on advertising. Please feel free to call or write for details on our experience.