Elder Law / Retirement Planning

As we are now living longer the issues facing todays retired are changing and can require specialised legal advice.

We are able to discuss with you issues that will become relevant either now or in future such as downsizing your current property, moving into a retirement village, moving into residential care and residential care subsidies, enduring powers of attorney and living wills.

We can assist with:

• Advice on whether you need enduring powers of attorney
• Advice on how to choose your attorneys
• Advice on the restrictions you can add to your power of attorney
• Enduring Powers of Attorney for Personal Care and Welfare
• Enduring Powers of Attorney for Property
• Assistance with Power of Attorney disputes  
• Discussing whether a living will is appropriate for you
• Living wills
• Family trusts
• Wills and estate planning
• Sale of your current property
• Retirement village arrangements whether licence to occupy, unit title or cross lease
• Entering residential care and residential care subsidies

Retirement Villages 
Moving into a retirement village is different from owning your own home.  Our lawyers are able to discuss the main differences with you and the fish hooks you should be aware of. The most common form of retirement village is the licence to occupy and we will explain what this means for both you and your family.

Residential Care Subsidies
One or both partners moving into care can be a difficult experience. We are able to discuss with you the residential care subsidy and your entitlement to this taking into account your personal situation.

Enduring Powers of Attorney
There are two types of enduring powers of attorney, one for property and one for your personal care and welfare. These are important documents that allow you to appoint persons to make decisions for you if you were unable to. We are happy to discuss your options under both types of enduring power of attorney and help you decide the best people to appoint.

The New Zealand Law Society also has a useful guide about enduring powers of attorney which can be accessed here.

Advance Healthcare Directives / Living Wills
Living wills / advance healthcare directives are documents which advise your family and doctors about your preferences for your medical treatment if you were unable to communicate these yourself. We are happy to discuss living wills with you and the benefits of putting one in place.

Asset Planning
We are able to assist you to structure your assets for your personal situation to allow for maximum protection in your specific circumstances. We can do this whether it is a recently acquired asset or whether it is an asset such as your family home that you have owned for a number of years.

If you need legal advice relating to structuring your affairs, enduring powers of attorney, retirement villages or residual care subsidies please contact us today.