Legal Services Developer Program

The Montana Legal Services Developer in the Office on Aging, provides elder law training and resources for older adults, family members and social outreach workers. The program also develops pro bono and local legal services referrals, training materials and provides telephone assistance to older adults on related matters. 

If you have questions regarding legal documents or forms, please contact the Legal Services Developer at (800) 332-2272 (Monday - Friday 8 am to 5 pm).           

 2023 Kelly Moorse Memorial Legal Documents Clinic Schedule

The Montana Aging Services Bureau will be hosting the 2023 Legal Document Clinic Season again this year; the program serves older adults aged 60+ as well as any enrolled tribal members.  At the Legal Document Clinics, trained legal professionals assist participants in completing their estate planning documents at no cost to the participant;  legal professionals assist older adults draft, review, notarize and copy each document. Free resources and educational materials also available on site.

Clinic documents include:

  • Transfer On Death Deed
  • Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care
  • Durable Power of Attorney for Financial
  • Declaration of Living Will / Declaration of Homestead
  • Simple Will / Indian Wills

*Our services are not designed to handle complex estates or large assets, and we do not handle any trusts.

Space is limited and appointments must be made in advance of the clinic.

To register or learn more, contact Katy Lovell, Legal Service Developer
(406) 444-7787 or 1-800-332-2272.

2023 Working with Older Adults: Capacity, Exploitation, Abuse, Neglect, and Reporting Training Schedule

Please join the Department of Public Health & Human Services/Aging Services to learn more about working with older adults. The presentation focuses on the tricky subject of senior capacity and how to work with older adults who may have limited capacity. It will also focus on the signs of abuse and financial exploitation and what to do if you suspect it. The presentation is intended for anyone who works with older adults;  we encourage lawyers, nurses, pharmacists, financial professionals, social workers, barbers and hair stylists, and folks from a wide variety of caring professions to attend. Our training has been approved for CLE, CEU and Nursing Contact Hours. 

For information, please contact klovell@mt.gov 

Tools for Senior Victims

Legal Forms

Estate planning is important for adults of all ages to allow you to express your wishes for your care and financial management. Estate planning is also an important tool to prevent financial exploitation. Montana has several statutory forms including the Declaration of Living Will, Declaration of Living Will by Appointment, Declaration of Homestead, Transfer on Death Deed and the Financial Power of Attorney. Other forms have been developed and tested through our program, including the Simple Will for Single and Married Individuals. The model form for the Health Care Power of Attorney was developed by a coalition including the MSU Extension Office and the State Alzheimer’s Working Group. Estate planning can be confusing and these simple forms may not be appropriate for all people and all situations. Consulting a licensed legal professional is the best way to ensure your needs are being met. Individuals 60 years old and older and all tribal members may contact the Legal Service Developer Program with questions. Individuals under the age of 60 years old may contact Montana Legal Services Association or the State Bar of Montana.

 

Senior Defense Grant and Senior Financial Defense Grant Newsletters

Other Resources

Disclaimer

Our publications are not intended to be a substitute for legal advice. Rather, they are designed to help families become better acquainted with some of the devices used in long term planning and to create an awareness of the need for such planning. Future changes in laws cannot be predicted and statements in this narrative are based solely on those laws in force on the date of publication. 

We recommend you seek legal advice for all your planning needs