Peace of Mind Through Comprehensive Elder Law Planning

Caring for the elderly goes beyond routine health, safety and companionship concerns. As people age, planning for their legacies and determining how their estates will be distributed becomes crucial. While individuals can handle these decisions themselves, these determinations often fall to family members when someone becomes incapacitated.

Guiding You And Your Loved Ones

My name is Jeremy Trapp, and as a Smithville elder law attorney, I handle all aspects of elder law for families navigating end-of-life estate issues, including:

• Probate: This is the legal process of distributing a deceased individual’s property. It usually involves examining a will, paying debts and transferring remaining assets to beneficiaries.
• Estate planning: Planning in advance can help you avoid probate. I can assist elders and their families in creating a strategic plan for distributing property and assets after the estate owner’s death.
• Power of attorney: An elderly person with decision-making capacity can designate someone to make decisions on their behalf in case of incapacitation. This person becomes their “power of attorney.” My office can help establish such arrangements.
• Conservatorships/ guardianships: If an elderly or disabled individual lacks the capacity to make decisions or grant a power of attorney, then someone needs to take charge of their finances, assets and debts. This is called a conservatorship or guardianship. I can help establish or contest conservatorships, ensuring that they are truly necessary and preventing financial abuse or undue influence.
• Living will: A living will dictates the level of medical treatment a person would accept if incapacitated. I can explain the process of setting up a living will and the necessary decisions to provide clarity for family members and medical staff if you or a loved one becomes unable to make decisions.

As the founding lawyer of Jeremy D. Trapp, Attorney at Law, in DeKalb County, I can help you assess your goals and determine the next steps.

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

The best time to address elder law issues is before they arise. Call my Smithville, office at 615-988-4035 to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your elder law concerns, or contact me through the email form. Se habla español.