What is Elder Law?

Elder law is a special area of the law that deals with the needs of the elderly or disabled. It encompasses several areas of law, including estate planning (wills, trusts, etc.); so-called "end of life" issues such as living wills, durable powers of attorney and guardianships; estate and gift tax planning; Medicare and Medicaid; nursing home abuse; fraud against the elderly; long term care financing; retirement benefits; age discrimination; and disability planning and insurance, among others. Elder law attorneys are not specialists in all of these areas, but generally focus on two or three of the areas. Typically elder law attorneys approach a client from a holistic viewpoint, addressing legal, medical, social, financial and family needs at once.