Elder Law Attorney Serving Doylestown

Doylestown is the county seat of Bucks County and home to the courthouse where all guardianship petitions, trust disputes, and Orphans' Court proceedings are heard. For Doylestown seniors and their families, elder law questions tend to become urgent quickly — a fall, a diagnosis, a hospitalization — and the legal tools that protect them need to be in place before the crisis, not during it.

Elder Law Services for Doylestown Families

Powers of attorney are the foundation of any elder law plan. A durable financial power of attorney under 20 Pa.C.S. § 5601 lets a trusted agent handle banking, real estate, insurance, and government benefits when the principal can no longer manage these independently. A healthcare power of attorney with living will directive ensures medical decisions reflect the person's wishes. We draft both documents to meet Pennsylvania's execution requirements and to be accepted by banks and healthcare facilities in practice — not just in theory.

Medicaid planning is the other critical concern for Doylestown families. Nursing home care in Bucks County costs $10,000 to $14,000 per month, and Pennsylvania's Medicaid eligibility rules impose strict asset and income limits. The five-year look-back period, the Community Spouse Resource Allowance, the Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance, and the transfer penalty calculation are all technical areas where mistakes cost families tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Planning ahead — ideally years before care is needed — preserves significantly more family wealth than crisis planning after a nursing home admission.

Guardianship in Bucks County

When a Doylestown resident becomes incapacitated without powers of attorney in place, the family must petition the Bucks County Orphans' Court for guardianship — a more expensive, time-consuming, and public process than using pre-existing powers of attorney. Guardianship requires a court hearing, an independent evaluation, attorney's fees, and ongoing court oversight. The Bucks County courthouse is right in Doylestown, which makes hearings convenient but doesn't reduce the cost or complexity. We strongly recommend proactive planning to avoid guardianship entirely, but when it's necessary, we handle both guardianship of the person and guardianship of the estate.

If you're in Doylestown or central Bucks County and need elder law guidance, call 215-826-3133 for a free consultation.