Elder law is an area of practice designed to protect the needs and interests of the elderly, and to a lesser extent, their loved ones. Susan B. Geffen has vast experience helping elderly or disabled adults with estate planning, disability planning, elder abuse, health care, retirement concerns, conservatorships, Medi-Cal planning and asset protection, living trusts and probate.
As a Los Angeles elder law attorney, Susan concentrates on the unique needs of older adults. The needs of the elderly are much different than the needs of younger individuals. She invests a significant amount of time helping elder law clients in Beverly Hills and the South Bay area with financial and estate planning matters, as well as discussing the day-to-day challenges they face with their care. This often involves where they live, assisted living options and making sure clients have a solid plan for the future.
Asset Protection and Long-Term Planning
Asset protection and long-term planning is an essential purpose of estate planning. Susan B. Geffen is a seasoned estate planning attorney who can provide valuable assistance in these areas. California has laws that can be used to shield assets from seizure by creditors or through litigation. For example, certain possessions and income are exempt from being garnished or repossessed, including certain wages, the primary family home and some life insurance and retirement accounts.
Asset protection and long-term planning preserve your important assets for your family or other beneficiaries, protecting them from taxes, creditors, litigators or others. Some means for doing this can include:
- Retitling your assets
- Acquiring insurance coverage
- Placing assets in legal trusts
- Investing assets in protected retirement accounts
- Placing assets in a foreign trust outside the United States
Susan can help you review several important considerations as you plan for the future. These will cover how you plan to use your assets in the short term as well as long-term plans. Protecting them can prevent you from using them if needed, so careful planning is needed to prepare for every scenario. If you need to access some of your assets quickly, different measures may be needed for protecting them.
Advanced Planning to Protect the Future
Estate and long-term planning also involves tax planning and preparing for Medi-Cal, California’s version of Medicaid. In addition, it is wise to consider the possibility of needing long-term care sometime in the future. Paying for this care is expensive and can drain a lifetime of savings in a short time. Planning ahead for these costs now is vital.
Susan Geffen knows that many of these issues are difficult to grasp for some elderly individuals. Her calm, professional demeanor and seasoned experience with the elderly are key assets when helping your elderly loved ones undertake sophisticated planning for the future. Her experience and knowledge of elder law in California can help you and your loved one consider these important issues and concerns to prepare for a more secure future.
Redondo Beach Elder Law Attorney – Susan B. Geffen
Susan B. Geffen has over 30 years of experience passionately advocating for the elderly in California. Elderly residents face unique issues, and these often involve complicated legal rules that can be hard to understand. With an experienced elder law attorney like Susan by your side, you and your loved one can get the help needed to understand and benefit from laws and provisions that allow you to protect assets and plan for a more secure future.
Whether you or your loved one has any estate plans in place or not, if you are just considering estate planning and elder law issues, or you find yourself facing imminent needs for long-term care, Susan B. Geffen can help. Contact her by phone or online today to schedule a consultation to discuss your needs.