Law Office of Arthur H. Baker III

Elder Law

Caring and Committed Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Elder Law Attorney

Elder law encompasses both legal planning and legal issues that may arise for elderly persons and their families or loved ones. When your family is faced with the emotional and financial difficulties of caring for an aging parent, grandparent or other loved one, there are legal actions you can take to protect their estate and ensure the proper management of their financial affairs and medical needs. At The Law Office of Arthur H. Baker III, we have over 29 years of experience in asserting the rights of the elderly and their loved ones in elder law cases. Let this experience work for you.

Legal Issues That Arise for Individuals Facing Older Age Include:

• Estate planning - We work with older individuals to create wills, trusts or advance health care directives and will also modify, update or review an existing estate plan.
• Competency - If an elderly individual is no longer competent, mentally or physically, to handle his or her own financial and medical affairs, we can help a child, spouse or another loved one make a determination of how affairs will be handled. We can assist you if there is an existing power of attorney or if a court-ordered guardianship is needed.

Elder law involves estate planning and the complex legal and emotional issues involving guardianships and the financial or medical needs of a loved one. With nearly 30 years of experience in this area, count on Attorney Arthur H. Baker III to provide you with sound legal advice and guidance on your options.  Contact us for a free initial consultation about your elder law concerns.

How Does a Guardianship Work?

A guardianship involves granting an individual complete control and legal authority over another person's life decisions, including all decisions regarding living arrangements, finances and property. It is established by court procedure, and proceedings are instituted when a person seeking to become a guardian files a petition. The court-ordered guardianship is typically established after a hearing where evidence is presented regarding the individual's situation, competency and best interests. If the court determines that the person is unable or incompetent to handle his or her own affairs, in whole or in part, then the court will name the person who will serve as guardian.

In most instances, a guardianship can be avoided altogether with proper estate planning, including powers of attorney, in advance.

How We Can Help You

We handle a broad range of elder law issues, including:

• Helping you or your loved one create a will, trust or estate plan that will address future handling of an estate, medical care or power of attorney
• Representing you in a guardianship proceeding to obtain legal authority over your loved one's living arrangements, medical decisions and property
• Representing you and helping you increase your authority if you currently only have a limited guardianship
• Defending yourself against a guardianship arrangement
• Advising you on the best ways to avoid a guardianship in the first place

Contact The Law Office of Arthur H. Baker III for a free consultation with a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Morgantown, West Virginia, estate planning and probate lawyer.

Free initial consultations • Home and hospital visits • Weekend and evening appointments available • Pittsburgh office located conveniently one block from the City-County Building

The Law Office of Arthur H. Baker III
Pittsburgh Office
225 Ross St, 2nd floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Telephone: (412) 288-8800
Fax: (412) 391-1271

Morgantown Office
2567 University Avenue
Suite 7022
Morgantown, WV 26505
Telephone: (304) 906-8280
Fax: (412) 391-1271

Arthur H. Baker has offices in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Morgantown, West Virginia, and serves clients throughout Southwest Pennsylvania and the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia in Allegheny County, Washington County, Beaver County, Fayette County, Westmoreland County, Butler County, Allegheny Hancock County, Brook County, Ohio County, Highland County, Wetzel County, Marshall County, Monongalia County, Marion County, Preston County, Harrison County and Taylor County.