Many of our attorneys here at Samuel, Sayward & Baler are active in the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (MassNAELA). Members of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) are attorneys who are experienced and trained in working with the legal problems of aging Americans and individuals of all ages with disabilities. Established in 1987, NAELA is a non-profit association that assists lawyers, bar organizations and others. The mission of NAELA is to establish NAELA members as the premier providers of legal advocacy, guidance and services to enhance the lives of people with special needs and people as they age. MassNAELA’s mission is to be a leader in both elder law and special needs law in Massachusetts.
MassNAELA is celebrating National Special Needs Law Month in October by distributing copies of the Special Needs Advocacy Toolkit [link here, but should link to our website page where toolkit can be found]. Attorneys who practice in the area of special needs law assist families in financing care, and provide them with the legal tools for financial management such as powers of attorneys and trusts, as well as understanding Medicare and Medicaid, special needs trusts, and a student’s right to an independent educational plan, housing options, and other issues.
Here at Samuel, Sayward & Baler , we assist clients who have family members with special needs to design an estate plan that will ensure their family member is provided for in ways that protect eligibility for public benefits and address other important issues. We also work with disabled individuals to ensure they have appropriate planning documents in place to allow loved ones to assist them as needed and to manage their own assets if appropriate. Special needs trusts, powers of attorney, health care proxies and HIPAA authorizations are all important documents that we discuss and implement for these clients. If you have questions about the legal documents that you or a family member with disabilities should have in place, please make an appointment to meet with one of our attorneys.
October, 2018
© 2018 Samuel, Sayward & Baler LLC