What Is Elder Law
Providing Confidence, Peace, Comfort & Expertise for Families and the Elderly
I know that many people are not comfortable with lawyers. All I can say is that I enjoy getting up each morning, looking forward to meeting with and getting to know people so I can provide peace of mind in estate planning. I work with all ages and especially enjoy working with seniors. Please call me at 303.986.1994 with questions, but if it is easier, drop me an email at dsholden@dsholden.com or a text at 303.888.8183. I look forward to hearing from you.
Doug is a top-performing attorney whose practice encompasses most phases of what is traditionally called "estate planning." He has expertise in elder law, estate and wealth protection, and planning, wills, powers of attorney, living wills, guardianships, conservatorships, probate, trust formation, and administration and special needs planning. As a former law professor, his style is engaging and interactive. He does not rely on others to gather information from clients or to prepare documents. He does that himself and will be with you from the initial appointment to the signing of the documents.
The Basics You Need to Know
ELDER LAW
Elder Law is a broad topic but involves a mixture of traditional estate planning, Medicaid asset protection, special needs, guardianship and conservatorship, probate, and many more subjects. Much of elder law is specific to one’s state of residence. READ MORE
ESTATE PLANNING
There are four basic documents involved in traditional estate planning: The Last Will & Testament, The Living Will, The Medical Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Decisions, and The General Durable Financial Power of Attorney. READ MORE
GUARDIANSHIP & CONSERVATORSHIP
A Guardian is a person who takes care of another person. A conservator is a person who takes care of the assets and income of another person. Depending on the circumstances, only one or the other is necessary. READ MORE
MEDICAID
Medicaid is a federal program that is managed by the state. On the whole, the Medicaid system is “needs-based" and there is a difference between Medicare and Medicaid. Medicaid provides for long-term care for it recipients, but there are qualification factors. READ MORE
PROBATE
Probate is a legal process wherein people get what they are supposed to get when someone dies. In most states, probate can be fairly simple, but in other states, it can be the epitome of what we all fear. In Colorado, we follow the Uniform Probate Code which is fairly straightforward. READ MORE
SPECIAL NEED PERSONS & TRUSTS
Estate planning by parents who have children with special needs is tricky, to say the least. The most pronounced concern is how to protect the public benefits that the special needs person is receiving. A wrong step here could cause this individual to lose or delay public benefits. READ MORE