-“Estate planning is an essential tool that can help protect elders from various forms of abuse, including financial abuse,” reports Atascadero estate planning attorney, Mary Ann Tardiff. However, with careful estate planning, seniors can minimize their risks and protect their assets and dignity.
As people age, they become increasingly vulnerable to financial exploitation and abuse, particularly from family members or caregivers who have access to their finances. One of the primary reasons why estate planning is so important for seniors is because it allows them to maintain control over their assets and affairs. By creating a will, trust, or other estate planning document, seniors can ensure that their wishes are followed and that their assets are distributed according to their desires. This not only protects their assets from being mismanaged or misused, but it also helps prevent family members or caregivers from taking advantage of their finances.
Another critical aspect of estate planning is the appointment of a trusted executor or trustee to manage and distribute assets according to the senior’s wishes. This individual can act as a watchdog to ensure that the senior’s assets are not mismanaged or misappropriated by unscrupulous family members or caregivers. The Atascadero estate planning attorney, who also advises and represents individuals in matters of elder law, is ready to assist senior citizens set up an estate plan.
Estate planning also allows seniors to plan for incapacity or disability. Many seniors are afraid of losing control of their lives, especially if they become incapacitated or disabled. However, by creating powers of attorney, health care directives, and other estate planning documents, seniors can designate trusted individuals to make decisions on their behalf and ensure that their wishes are followed.
Moreover, estate planning can help protect seniors from other forms of abuse, such as physical or emotional abuse. By creating a durable power of attorney, seniors can authorize a trusted individual to make decisions on their behalf, including removing them from potentially dangerous situations or abusive caregivers.
Unfortunately, scammers and fraudsters often target seniors who are vulnerable and easily susceptible to their tactics. With proper estate planning, seniors can put in place measures to prevent fraudulent activities, such as designating a trusted individual to oversee their finances or putting restrictions on their accounts to limit access.
In addition to the benefits mentioned above, the Atascadero estate planning attorney can also help seniors avoid probate and minimize taxes, which can help protect their assets and provide financial stability in their golden years.
Estate planning is a crucial tool that can help protect elders from financial and other forms of abuse. By taking the necessary steps to plan for the future, seniors can maintain control over their assets and affairs, appoint trusted individuals to manage their affairs, plan for incapacity or disability, and protect themselves from scams and fraudulent activities.
It’s never too late to start planning for the future and taking steps to ensure security and well-being. Mary Ann Tardiff is an experienced attorney who can advise on the most successful ways to achieve estate planning goals.
A properly established estate plan is one legal way to avoid probate court. California probate processes are activated when someone dies without a will or has a will and assets valued at more than $184,500, or the will is contested. The court distributes the assets according to state law, which may not be in agreement with your wishes.
An attorney for over 30 years, Mary Ann Tardiff practices law in a down-to-earth practical manner that works for ordinary daily lifestyles. “I’m a person like everyone else, but I just happen to be an attorney as well,” says Tardiff.
After completing a B.A. at the University of California, Mary Ann attended the Santa Barbara College of Law, graduating with her J.D. degree in 1984. She was admitted to the California Bar Association in 1986. She has served as a commissioner on the Board of Parole Hearings for the California Department of Corrections, as a Judge Pro Tem and practiced law in Santa Barbara before moving to Atascadero. She serves and supports the local communities and all of San Luis Obispo County and Monterey County.
Her broad legal experience and commitment to down-to-earth, affordable and practical solutions for her clients make her a top choice to call for legal services.
Law Office of Mary Ann Tardiff
3540 El Camino Real
Atascadero, CA 93422
(805) 451-6683