Sussex County Elder Law Attorneys

For the most part, Americans are living longer and staying healthier than at any time in the nation’s history. Typically, that is a very good thing. However, these developments often present challenges for New Jersey elder law attorneys. Largely since people are living longer, many delay important financial and other decisions until the eleventh hour, and by that time, the number of available options is often greatly diminished. Moreover, because more people are working longer, they often have a larger financial legacy to protect.

While many people may try to put off or avoid end-of-life planning altogether, it is a necessity for people at any age. The good news is, with the help of an experienced estate planning attorney, the process does not have to painful at all. Having a strong estate plan in place will provide you with the freedom and ease of mind to enjoy your life to the fullest. Our attorneys at the law firm of Hollander, Strelzik, Pasculli, Hinkes, Vandenberg & Hontz, L.L.C. have practiced estate planning and elder law for nearly 50 years. We will use our extensive experience to help you with all of your succession and incapacity planning issues, including asset protection, wills and trusts, long-term healthcare planning, powers of attorney, and advance directives.

Why You Should Partner With a Newton NJ Elder Law Attorney

Many people achieve financial success in life by utilizing a can-do spirit of independence and a healthy dose of initiative. That formula often works well in financial and emotional matters, but not in legal matters. Only a New Jersey elder law attorney can give competent legal advice and help you tailor a plan that is suited to your unique needs.

In a similar vein, estate planning should not be a matter of filling in the blanks on a form. A form cannot advise you as to how it should be completed. Furthermore, any error can mean extended probate court litigation.

Furthermore, many estate documents have specific execution requirements. Wills are a good example. Every year, New Jersey judges throw out dozens of wills not because they are poorly drafted, but because they were not signed or executed properly. Many times, the witnesses did not actually see the testator (person who makes a will) sign the document or the testator did not make the correct legal declarations. An attorney solves all these problems with a simple signing ceremony that is professionally supervised.

Finally, you cannot always count on your children or other loved ones to be by your side during a financial or health emergency, perhaps because of geographic distance, or perhaps because of emotional distance. In these situations, strange lawyers and doctors may make important decisions that are against your express wishes, and there is little or nothing that can be done to stop them. Additionally emotional distance can crop up unexpectedly at any moment, and so you may not fully share all your wishes with all your children all the time.

Advocacy That Makes a Difference in Sussex County

It is amazing how people who have worked hard and planned diligently for their entire lives take shortcuts when they near the finish line. As a result, the majority of New Jerseyans are either unprepared or underprepared for important financial and life decisions that must be made at this point.

Fortunately, at Hollander, Strelzik, Pasculli, Hinkes, Vandenberg & Hontz, L.L.C., we are a full-service law firm that does more than just draft documents and wish our clients the best. If things go sideways, and they sometimes do, our legal team is there to stand up for your legal and financial rights. In fact, we routinely handle probate litigation and similar matters throughout northern New Jersey.

No one really wants an expensive and emotionally-charged court battle over a will, trust, or other such instrument, so there is usually a way to work things out. But, our attorneys have never shied away from such a conflict, and they never will.

Our Areas of Practice

At Hollander, Strelzik, Pasculli, Hinkes, Vandenberg & Hontz, L.L.C., we focus our elder law practice area on the items that matter most to the families in our area. We stand ready to assist with:

• Wills and Trusts: These documents are the foundation of a comprehensive estate plan. A will memorializes your wishes as to inheritance, succession, and other such matters. It is imperative that this document be tailored to your specifications and properly executed. A trust allows individuals to change the legal ownership of their assets. This adjustment often has significant benefits in terms of taxation and probate.
• Medicaid Planning: People are living longer, so long-term care is more of a possibility. If that time comes, many families depend on Medicaid to cover these costs so that they do not have to pay them out of pocket. Even if the family has significant financial assets, that vision may still be possible, if an attorney executes a thoughtful plan far enough in advance.
• Power of Attorney and Living Will: Whereas the will and trust cover mostly financial matters, the POA and living will cover mostly medical matters. These documents ensure that your wishes in this regard are clear, so you do not have to depend on strangers to fill this role.

Our attorneys also practice family law, bankruptcy, business law, and other matters because we are interested in deep, long-term relationships with our clients.

Connect with Experienced Lawyers

Older individuals have special legal needs, and we are here to help. For a free consultation with an experienced elder law attorney in Sussex County, contact Hollander, Strelzik, Pasculli, Hinkes, Vandenberg & Hontz, L.L.C. After hours visits are available.