Welcome to the website for Kurt Vander Voort, PLLC, and our latest Partners for the Aging and Disabled legal assistance program. The primary focus of this program is helping those with difficulties understanding and dealing with the legal system as it may effect them and those around them. Often times these will involve the Probate Court, though many people will need to deal with District and Circuit Courts as well. Kurt Vander Voort, PLLC has over 25 years of experience in all three courts. The PFAD LAP can also help Clients complete and submit paperwork for various public or other benefits for which Client may be qualified.*
*Note: To be clear, while various programs may have their own requirements, here there is no test or age qualification for PFAD. Experience simply teaches that some people require more assistance than others. For those who regularly rely on others to assist them with both recurring and one-off situations, and for those who help those needing such assistance, the PFAD approach may be just right for you! Sometimes the Client and Partner are partners already, sometimes they are relatives, and some are simply kind-hearted neighbors or generous souls. All of you are invited to learn how PFAD may make some of those recurring or one-off situations easier to manage!
The PFAD program involves the areas of Organizing and Scheduling, Information Collection and Management, Communications and the resulting Streamlined Efficiency. For those clients who are aging or disabled, or otherwise benefit from the regular assistance from others should be aware that the PFAD approach can offer the Client and the person providing the Partner a more systematic way of assisting the aging or disabled Client with their affairs, sometimes for a flat fee. The PFAD program also allows the Client to choose the level and means of assistance and make whatever designations are needed to allow the Partner to effectively act on Client’s behalf. In particular, this does not mean automatically signing broad powers of attorney or other authorizations. Instead the PFAD method urges more limited means when possible. This protects both the client and the Partner assisting them by making sure tasks are clearly spelled out to most effectively assist the Client.
For example, many Clients have difficulties with organization and record-keeping. Such things can be critical when there are legal consequences associated with failing to remain organized. Forgetting to make payments on time is a common example and while many solve this problem with solutions such as auto-pay arrangements, for many others such options simply are not available for a variety of reasons. That is where our PFAD methods may be most useful.
The Client and the Partner simply sit down and identify the details to be addressed and any obstacles to be overcome, and then, with the assistance of counsel, they can craft a solution that authorizes the Partner to do what is otherwise difficult for the Client, such as make timely bill payments on behalf of Client.
Should a Client be involved in a court case, or even considering becoming involved in one, having a Partner familiar with PFAD methods may be critical to being better able to assure Client’s full involvement with their case and thus a more favorable outcome. Here the Partner might act as an interface between the attorney and client (with the necessary written understandings that the Partner was a legally authorized agent of the Client duty-bound to preserve attorney-client confidentiality, of course). This might simply involve assisting the Client in assembling needed records for a court case and delivering them to Client’s counsel. Simple as it sounds, though, for disorganized person assistance is need to make sure that no deadlines are missed for obtaining and submitting needed records.
Other times a Client may simply be part of a Probate Court case as an heir or beneficiary. In that case the Partner may be more focused on making sure that Client remains informed and completes any needed paperwork to assert and prove the Client’s right to the money or property involved.
Another very common example is the Client who can no longer manage today’s modern technology and thus may be missing out on many of those public benefits offered online. When this occurs there are back-up systems in place for obtaining and submitting paper copies. Again, this is where a well-advised Partner can make a huge difference in terms of speeding up the process, such as by picking up a benefits application in person for a housebound client rather than waiting for mail whenever something becomes time-critical.
For those wondering, the examples above how the PFAD plan can provide cost-effective aid to the Client and the Partner by set out clear goals and guidelines for achieving them using the PFAD methods for Organizing and Scheduling, Information Collection and Management, Communications with the ultimate goal of Streamlined Efficiency in the Client’s legal affairs. The real secret to PFAD is in the fourth step, where the first three items are smoothly combined to more effectively assist the Client through clearly delineated methods of assistance to be provided by the Client’s PFAD Partner. As also mentioned above, some of these services can be provided for a flat fee, and simply provide the Client and their Partner assistance to negotiate basic arrangements, such as having the Partner provide regular shopping, transportation or banking services for the Client. A similar flat fee arrangement can be negotiated for those involved in landlord-tenant cases. Many choose to represent themselves, and PFAD can assist with getting the Client and Partner best prepared for such a case. And should the Client wish to have legal representation in court for a specific trial or hearing. Kurt Vander Voort, PLLC can offer a flat fee for single court appearances when the Michigan Court Rules permit limited representation.
It should also be noted that for situations such as Probate Court, Client may need longer term legal assistance and an attorney to act on their behalf, whether as heirs or as other “interested parties” in the Estate. Again, PFAD can be a boon for the aging or disabled client in this situation. For those cases where the Client merely needs to wait patiently for the Estate to be settled and distributed properly, Kurt Vander Voort, PLLC is available for a flat fee to monitor such proceedings to ensure fairness to Client. If for some reason a court appearance is needed, Kurt Vander Voort, PLLC can be retained on a hearing-by-hearing basis. Finally, in the event the Client’s share of the Estate is sufficient, representation may cost little up-front if the remainder of fees can be paid from the money to be distributed.
So, by now you have probably seen the potential value in having a PFAD program for those whose legal affairs are managed best with assistance with others. Please do not hesitate to contact Kurt Vander Voort, PLLC if you have any further questions about our PFAD plan.
DISCLAIMER: While Kurt Vander Voort, PLLC cannot specifically recommend or endorse particular people to act as Partner for someone needing the assistance offered here. It is up to the Client to choose someone trustworthy to partner with when arranging such a partner’s assistance. Choose wisely! A bad or untrustworthy partner can be as bad, or worse, than no partner.