SECOND EDITION HANDBOOK FOR WASHINGTON SENIORS: Legal Rights and Resources A Legal Voice Publication Legal Voice envisions a world where every woman and girl enjoys economic, social, and political equality. We work toward this world by pursuing justice for all women and girls in the Northwest, through ground-breaking litigation, legislative advocacy, and educational tools to help individuals understand their rights and the legal system. We work to ensure that all women and girls have these fundamental rights: To equal treatment and to be free from discrimination; To decide when and how to form and maintain their families; To be safe wherever they are; To economic equality and independence; and To be healthy and active. ©2016 Legal Voice Seattle, Washington All Rights Reserved Design by Tarsha Rockowitz 2nd Edition Preface The population of people in Washington over the age of 65 is increasing rapidly, and will continue to grow in the coming decades. Seniors and their caregivers often face complex legal issues in multiple areas of their lives: health care, retirement, social security, estate planning, raising grandchildren, age discrimination, and more. Though Washington seniors have extensive legal rights and protections, many in this large and growing population are not aware of their rights or cannot access the resources they need to enforce them. Because Legal Voice specializes in legal issues affecting women and families, we resolved to meet this deepening need among these largely female populations. Legal Voice’s Handbook for Washington Seniors: Legal Rights and Resources provides an overview of legal issues facing seniors and the resources available to help them protect their health and economic security. The idea for the Handbook was born in 2007, and was first proposed at a meeting of the Legal Voice Self Help Committee. The Senior Outreach Workgroup formed to understand and address the needs of Washington seniors. This project has been deeply collaborative from the beginning, engaging professionals across the state to provide their expertise and create a comprehensive resource for Washington seniors and their caregivers. The 2nd edition of this handbook offers a completely revised Health Care chapter, an extended Immigration chapter, and many important updates and additions throughout the book. Resource lists in particular are a challenge to keep up-to-date; if you find a resource listing that needs updating, please let us know by emailing [email protected] or calling 206-682-9552 to leave a voicemail message. Legal Voice is pleased to offer the 2nd edition of this Handbook in the English and Spanish languages, both in print and online at www.legalvoice.org. Similar Handbooks have been produced in a number of states, but this resource is the first of its kind in Washington. A unique focus of the Washington Handbook is our integration of issues and resources of special importance to rural, disabled, immigrant, limited English proficiency, and LGBTQ seniors throughout the Handbook. We are very grateful to the attorneys, paralegals, and social service providers listed in the Acknowledgments who have written, researched, and reviewed the contents of this Handbook. We would also like to extend a very special “thank you” to the donors who have provided funds to help produce this Handbook, including the RealNetworks Foundation, the Norcliffe Foundation, the Department of Social and Health Services, the Older Women’s League, Kristin Kennell, and many other Legal Voice donors. This Handbook would not have been possible without their generous support. We hope that this Handbook is a useful tool for seniors, their family members and caregivers, and service providers in the community who serve seniors. Chloë M. Phalan Editor-in-Chief, Second Edition Breanne M. Sheetz Editor-in-Chief, First Edition Lisa M. Stone Executive Director Caution This Handbook is not intended to be and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice regarding specific factual situations. This Handbook cannot analyze your individual needs and concerns. If legal advice is required, the services of a lawyer should be sought. Please see the Legal Help chapter of this Handbook for information about how to obtain referrals to lawyers and other legal services. While we have attempted to include current information as of May 2016, laws can change and readers should consult a lawyer if they need to be sure that specific legal information is current. Acknowledgments 1st Edition Editor-In-Chief Breanne Sheetz Janet Kovalchik Breanne Sheetz Joy Ann von Wahlde Clint Kruiswyk Tha Win Anne Kysar 1st Edition Copy Editor Michelle Wolkey Stephen Lam Marjorie Charney Emily Yates Midge Levy Evonne Zook Julie Mayer 2nd Edition Editor-In-Chief Robb Miller Reviewers Chloë Phalan Melissa Mitchell Sara Ainsworth Elaine Navratil Annette Anquoe 2nd Edition Copy Editor Lee Op Maren Miller Bam Chloë Phalan Sarah Parkhurst Trisha Barua Vicki Pontecorvo Writers Andrea Bovey Lisa Brodoff Joan Pratt Dena Allen Steven Buzzard Mary Beth Quinsey Joshua Bam Annette Ramos Spencer Bergstedt Teresa Byers Patty Rose Brandon Bianchi Janaya Carter Sara Sheik Sean Bleck Emma Catague Patricia Brady Nicole Chaboude Teresa Shill Marjorie Charney Lisa Chiang Samira Shirdel Mark Chattin Janet Chung Judith Shoshana Jenny Cochrane Wendy Clarke Carol Sloan Anne Counts Breean Cox Leslie Smith Mary Chavez Kristen Culbert Marilyn Smith Julie Dickens Jocelyn Cunningham Brian Sommer Kathryn Decker Deborah Dowd Elizabeth Stephan Paul Deischer Janne Endreo Lisa Stone Tara Dotson Amy Freeman Angel Sullivan Gail Hammer Donna Dziak Jodi Sullivan Amy Hanson Merf Ehman Yoshie Takaoka John Harding John Eric Sandy Holtzman Jerry Fireman Robert Thibodeau Marla Carey Hoskins Sharon Fleming Page Ulrey Lisa Kremer Nancy Foll James Vale June Krumpotick Michelle Fossum Ann Vining Andrea Lee Jennifer Gahagan David Ward Beth McDaniel Tiffany Gorton Heather Warren Amy Michael Kristen Haik Donna Wells Rajiv Nagaich Christopher Henderson Richard Wills Joanna Otero Cathy Hoog Deborah Wilson Chloë Phalan Scarlett Hunter Helen Winkler Lori Rath Chris Imhoff Michael Rembolt Debra Karr Paula Riggert Matthew Kaminski Design & Layout: Lisa Seifert Karen Klein Tarsha Rockowitz Senior Handbook: 2nd Edition 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Health Care 9 Housing 197 Medicare ................................................................................. 9 Homeowners .....................................................................197 Medicaid ...............................................................................20 Landlord-Tenant Issues .................................................207 The Affordable Care Act (ACA) .....................................30 Low-Income Housing Programs ................................. 215 Washington Healthplanfinder (“The Exchange”) ....33 Assistance with Paying for Utilities ..........................221 Private Health Insurance ................................................ 39 Charity Care ........................................................................ 47 Family Relationships 229 Patients’ Rights ..................................................................50 Marriage .............................................................................229 Long-Term Care 59 Divorce .................................................................................233 Domestic Partners and Unmarried Couples.........238 Grandparents and Grandchildren ..............................241 Financial Benefit Programs 71 Personal Finances 245 Social Security ..................................................................... 71 Supplemental Security Income.................................... 85 Banking ...............................................................................245 Veterans’ Benefits .............................................................89 Credit and Debt ...............................................................250 State Financial Benefits .................................................. 97 Pension and Retirement Plans ...................................258 Reverse Mortgages ........................................................265 Planning For The Future 103 Federal Taxes .....................................................................271 Personal Bankruptcy ..................................................... 280 The Importance of Planning ....................................... 103 Estate Planning ................................................................ 104 Age and Disability Discrimination 285 Health-Care Advance Directives .................................112 Powers of Attorney for Financial Matters .............. 118 Elder Abuse 291 Guardianship ......................................................................122 Planning for Death .......................................................... 125 Immigration 297 Life and Death Planning – A Checklist .....................130 Employment 307 Dealing With Death 133 After a Death Occurs – A Checklist ........................... 133 Legal Help 317 Funerals, Burials, and Cremation .............................. 146 Other Resources 325 Probate and Estate Administration ..........................150 Index 331 Consumer Guide 165 Contracts.............................................................................165 Consumer Scams and Fraud ........................................170 Identity Theft ....................................................................179 Insurance .............................................................................183