Consult A Certified Elder Law Attorney For Peace Of Mind

Elder Law Services Are Not All Created Equal Would you select your brain surThere is also a national certificageon based on who charges the least? tion for elder law, available through Of course not. While there’s nothing the National Elder Law Foundation wrong with finding the best deal, there and conferred only on those with the are situations in which making decirequisite, continuing experience and sions based on price alone is no bartraining. I am both state certified and gain. Estate planning, like brain surnationally certified in this field. The gery, is one of these areas. When you Florida Bar also confers state certificreate an estate plan, you’re making cation on attorneys specializing in some of the most far-reaching deciwills, trusts and estates. At The Karp sions anyone can face. SeLaw Firm, Attorney Ron rious traps await those renFriedman is certified in this dered unwary by their zeal specialty. All of our attorto economize. neys work with our certiUnless you’ve gradufied lawyers to ensure our ated law school, it’s quite clients get accurate, up-toa challenge to compare date information and adquality and legal services vice. among the many lawyers SERVICES: The gold competing for your busistandard when it comes to ness. To help you make an estate planning is just that: Joseph S. Karp, informed decision and deplanning. Most people’s C.E.L.A. cide where the true value lives are not simple, so it is, here are a few simple guidelines. follows that planning can never be a simple fill-in-the-blanks strategy, CERTIFICATION. A significant either. When you see one of those part of my practice involves re-doing advertisements for a “living trust” or estate plans drafted by others that don’t a will at an astonishingly low price, accomplish what people want them alarm bells should sound. Be skeptito, or worse yet, unintentionally crecal about how much “planning” you’ll ate negative consequences for the really get. Will the attorney spend client and heirs. For these reasons, quality time with you asking you about you should seek advice from an attoryour concerns, your needs, your finey whose practice is devoted to this nances, and how the various people field. This means finding an attorney in your life interrelate? Will the attorcertified in elder law and/or estate ney warn you of potential pitfalls, like planning. In Florida, only certified the possible ramifications if one of lawyers are permitted to call themyour children divorces? How to proselves “experts” in their fields. The tect your grandchildren? Will he or Florida Bar uses these criteria to cershe discuss how to protect your astify elder law attorneys (as listed on sets in the event you or your spouse the Florida Bar website): need long-term nursing care? WithEvery lawyer certified in elder law out discussing these important issues has practiced law on a full-time baand arriving at sound solutions, that sis for at least five years. Each certibargain-rate document may not be a fied lawyer has had substantial inbargain at all, but a legal quagmire volvement—40 percent or more—in you and your family may need to dig the practice of elder law during the yourselves out of, at great expense. two years immediately preceding cerRemember: if something sounds tification. To be certified, the lawyer too good to be true, it probably is. was required to have substantial inShop for price, of course, but look for volvement in all aspects of planning quality and service, too. for aging, illness and incapacity in the five years preceding certification. Joseph S. Karp is a nationally certified Each certified lawyer has passed peer and Florida Bar-certified elder law attorney (C.E.L.A.) specializing in the practice of Trusts, review, completed 60 hours of continEstates and Elder Law. His offices are locatuing legal education within the three ed at 2500 Quantum Lakes Drive, Boynton years immediately preceding appliBeach; 2875 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Garcation and has passed a written exdens; and 1100 SW St. Lucie W. Blvd., Port St. Lucie. Call him at 561-752-4550 (Boynamination demonstrating knowledge, ton); 561-625-1100 (Palm Beach Gardens); skills and proficiency in the field of or 772-343-8411 (Port St. Lucie). Toll-free elder law to justify the representation from anywhere: 800-893-9911. E-mail: KLF@ of special competence. Karplaw.com. or website www.karplaw.com