WESTPORT, Conn. – The MetLife Mature Market Institute has updated its “Legal Matters” guide, which focuses on aging-related legal matters, health care planning and financial decisions for older Americans and those who care for them.
The 14-page guide contains a list of legal vehicles recommended for older people, with explanations of them; a resource directory for accessing legal information (including books, publications and Internet sites), and a legal services checklist. The covered topics include wills and trusts, managing financial affairs, living wills and medical powers of attorney, and guardianships.
“It’s essential for caregivers to know the state of their family members’ legal affairs and to be secure in the knowledge that key legal decisions have been made and documented before a crisis occurs,” said Sandra Timmermann, director of the institute. “In some instances, older adults are reluctant to share financial and legal information with adult children. In such cases, it might be advisable that they consult with a neutral third party, such as an attorney, a qualified financial advisor, social worker or trusted friend to address legal issues and then have an attorney prepare the proper documents so that they will be accessible to family members in an emergency.”
The guide is part of the “Since You Care” series, which draws from the experience of MetLife’s Care Coordinators, who work with MetLife’s long-term care insurance customers and their caregivers to help identify and resolve caregiving questions and concerns through counseling and referral. This particular guide was prepared in cooperation with the National Alliance for Caregiving, a nonprofit coalition of 38 national organizations that focus on issues of family caregiving.
MetLife Inc. (NYSE: MET) is a provider of insurance and financial services in the United States, Latin America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Its Rhode Island-based MetLife Home & Auto division employs more than 2,000 people at its offices in Warwick.
The Legal Matters guide – prepared by MetLife’s Mature Market Institute in cooperation with the nonprofit National Alliance for Caregiving – is available free to the public at www.MetLife.com.
