As estate planning and elder law attorneys, our practice is dedicated to serving our most vulnerable citizens, including seniors, those who are ill, disabled, experiencing mental health challenges and children with special needs.  We deeply understand the anxiety and hardships that the curre...

Doesn't it make sense for a family member to care for a senior who needs help at home, rather than paying someone else or an agency? Or uprooting the senior into an institution? The family member can pay the bills, balance the checkbook, keep the house clean, shop and make meals, and take the...

The short answer: Both share similar concerns. The longer answer? The differences make all the difference.  The Concerns are Similar  No matter what age we're in, life can deliver some hard knocks. Hope for the best, but plan for the worst. We can get into accidents, especially when we're ...

Tomorrow, March 8, it will be time to “spring forward” with the change to daylight savings time.  While it's no fun losing an hour of sleep, it is always a nice reminder the long days of summer are ahead.  I'd also like to remind you all the there are other ways to “spring forward” and take ot...

As a rule of thumb, no one else is obligated to pay the debt of a person who has died. So, in general, you will not be responsible to pay off your deceased spouse's debts. However, there are some exceptions that vary from state to state: If you co-sign on a loan, then you now owe the debt. ...

Say your spouse is living in a nursing home because of advanced Parkinson's. Your spouse is currently receiving Medicaid benefits to pay for the high cost of that care. If you were to pass before your spouse, you wouldn't want your spouse to inherit all your life savings, no matter how much you...

According to the US Census Bureau, more than 51 million Americans are currently aged 65 or older, and the number is steadily increasing while medical and technological advancements are allowing seniors to live longer and better lives than ever before. The expanding needs of the US aging populat...

The silver tsunami of Americans aging into 65 or more years puts additional strain on an already overtaxed US health care system which is running low on doctors, nurses, and caregivers. The surge in baby boomer seniors and near-seniors has put a focus on Telehealth and mHealth technology platfo...

Stephen Worrall and his firm Georgia Estate Plan: Worrall Law LLC were named by Expertise.com as one of the Best Probate Attorneys in Atlanta. Their proprietary research and selection process identifies the top service professionals in over 200 different industries across the top cities in the...

In France, proposals to raise the retirement age are met with street protests. Yet around the world, the retirement age is creeping up; in the United States, it is moving up from 65 to 67. In fact, 2019 research shows that many Americans expect that they might never retire at all. People simply...

Most older adults believe that it's easier for everyone involved – loved ones, beneficiaries, and executors – if they transfer full or partial ownership of their home prior to their passing. However, Marietta GA elder law attorneys will caution you that there are several risks to consider when ...

Here at Georgia Estate Plan: Worrall Law LLC, we are following the news about Coronavirus and a second burst of the traditional flu that's impacting people in our community. While we don't believe that anyone should panic, we do want to encourage anyone with older or immuno-compromised loved o...

There is a wide range of home health care services available from daily household tasks to medical care. Before identifying a health care service for information, get a clear idea of what you are in the market for, be it recovery from surgery or long-term care for a chronic illness. The first s...

Home ownership is the American Dream. People work hard all their lives to own a home, and it is often their most valuable and significant possession. So when health begins to fail and the need for long-term care arises, we often get this fear-filled question from our clients: will they take awa...

Successfully addressing and legally formalizing inheritance of family values and assets can be challenging, especially if parents wait too long to begin instilling family values. Undoubtedly the best time to teach and empower your children as eventual inheritors of your family legacy is during ...

A family caregiving meeting is an essential tool when dealing with the care of an aging loved one. These meetings are beneficial for helping to keep all family members abreast of decisions that need to be made, changes in diagnosis or prognosis, and helps to ensure that all family members feel ...

A Special Needs Trust (also called a Supplemental Needs Trust) is a legal document that holds assets for a person with disabilities, while also providing legal authority for a trustee to manage money and make financial decisions on behalf of the individual with special needs. The Special Needs...

A strong power of attorney is indeed powerful for a condition like Alzheimer's. But it may come as a surprise to learn that a good “basic” advance-directive document needs considerable supplementation when it comes to a dreadful illness like ALS – Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig'...

The National Institute of Health (NIH) Library of Medicine reports the most common form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, accounting for approximately two-thirds of all diagnosed cases of dementia. Alzheimer's is also one of the most expensive diseases to treat and often results in financial ...

Powerful “power of attorney” (POA) documents are essential, if there ever comes a time when you or your elder become unable to manage your finances or make health-care decisions.  Beware if you rely only on POAs that hospitals provide, or that you have pulled off the Internet, or that you ha...

𝓗𝓪𝓹𝓹𝔂 𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓭𝓮𝓷𝓽'𝓼 𝓓𝓪𝔂! What did George Washington's Last Will and Testament provide? Find out in this video.

The traditional senior housing market is undergoing a profound change. In 2018 senior housing occupancy fell to an eight-year low, even as the senior population continues to increase, as competition for the younger baby boomer market is ramping up and forcing a change to more traditional indepe...

The baby boom generation is comprised of those Americans born 1946-1964, and according to the US Census Bureau (Bureau of Census), their numbers are estimated to be 73 million strong. This number represents nearly 20 percent of the American public. As they enter their 60, 70, and 80th decades...

Your parent recently had a stroke and is returning home after a long stay in the hospital and in-patient rehabilitation. The care providers assure you that your parent will be fine returning home, but you still worry. How can you make sure your parent is safe at home? A medical alert system ...

While most people have heard of a basic Last Will and Testament, they may not know what a Pour-Over Will is and how it works with a Living Trust. As a Marietta will lawyer, I'd like to explain this estate planning tool. Essentially, a Pour-Over Will is used in conjunction with a Living Trust, ...