Q: I am a 74 old disabled senior living in Marin County, on Medicare and Social Security. Can someone help with amendments?
I am a 74 old retired, disabled, married senior living in Marin County, on Medicare and Social Security. My wife and I have a Living Trust, Wills, POA's, Advanced Healthcare Directive and a few other legal documents. I just need to remove one person as a beneficiary and successor trustee and replace her with 3 charity beneficiaries and one other successor trustee. I have prepared the amendments, just simple one page or two page documents by myself. I just need an attorney to look over my prepared amendments to make sure they are clear and legally acceptable in California. I do not need to have a lawyer reset our estate plan since none of the actual terms have changed. Also, I do not need a lawyer to prepare the amendments since I have done this myself using the language and formats of the original documents. The lawyer that did the original estate wants $2000 to just look at my amendments - we cannot afford it! Can I get some pro-bono or low cost help?
A: I'm sorry to hear that you're disabled, but I'm glad to hear that you have Medicare and Social Security to help you out. As for your question, it really depends on what kind of amendments you need help with. You'll want to consult with an attorney who specializes in estate planning to review your homemade amendments. They can help you ensure that all of your legal documents are up-to-date and reflect your wishes. There should be many lawyers who would be happy to meet with you for free or review your amendments for a low fee.
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A:
There are a number of resources available for seniors who need legal assistance, including pro-bono or low-cost help. Here are a few options to consider:
Legal Aid of Marin: Legal Aid of Marin provides free legal services to low-income residents of Marin County, including seniors. You can contact them at (415) 492-0230 or visit their website at www.legalaidmarin.org.
The State Bar of California: The State Bar of California has a lawyer referral service that can connect you with an attorney in your area who may be able to provide you with low-cost or pro-bono assistance. You can contact them at (866) 442-2529 or visit their website at www.calbar.ca.gov.
Senior Legal Hotline: The Senior Legal Hotline is a statewide service that provides free legal advice and representation to seniors 60 years and older. You can contact them at (800) 222-1753.
Bay Area Legal Aid: Bay Area Legal Aid provides free legal services to low-income residents of the Bay Area, including seniors. You can contact them at (800) 551-5554 or visit their website at www.baylegal.org.
It is also worth noting that some law firms offer reduced rates or sliding-scale fees for clients who cannot afford their full fees. You can contact local law firms to inquire about their fee structures.
I hope this information is helpful, and I wish you the best of luck in finding the assistance you need to make the amendments to your estate plan.
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