In today’s tough economy you may not be able to help your parents as much as you want to and the cost of long-term care and medical bills continues to skyrocket so here are some resources you can go to for Senior’s with limited means. There are a variety of free or low-cost legal services out there.

Check Out:

1. Senior legal hotlines: There are 27 states, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico that offer senior legal hotlines, where all seniors age 60 and older have access to free legal advice over the telephone. To find the states that offer this service and their toll-free number, visit legalhotlines.org.
2. Legal services for elderly: Coordinated by the Administration on Aging, this service may offer free or low-cost legal advice, legal assistance or access to legal representation to people age 60 and older. Contact your local Agency on Aging (call 916-486-1878). They can tell you what’s available in your community.
3. Pro bono programs: Usually sponsored by state or local bar associations, these programs help low-income people find volunteer lawyers who are willing to handle their cases for free. You can look for pro bono programs at lawhelp.org.
4. Legal aid: Directed by the Legal Services Corporation, legal aid offers free legal assistance to financially eligible people of all ages. Each community program will differ in the services it offers and income qualifications. See www.lsc.gov/map to locate a legal aid program in your area.
5. AARP Legal Services Network: This service provides AARP members a free legal consultation (up to 45 minutes) with an attorney in your area along with discounts on other legal services you may need. To locate a lawyer near you, visit aarplsn.com or call 866-330-0753.

Extra Tip: The American Bar Association also provides a listing of state resources on its website (findlegalhelp.org or http://law.freeadvice.com/resources/linkbar.htm) to help you find legal assistance in your area.

Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior at www.savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC “Today” show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. The Appeal-Democrat contributed to this column.

Thanks to Appealdemocrat.com for compiling these fantastic resources!