Savvy Senior: How to find legal help when you can’t afford a lawyer

Dear Savvy Senior,

Can you recommend any programs or organizations that provide free or low-cost legal services to seniors? I believe I need some professional legal help but have limited income and very little savings.

Almost 70

Dear Almost,

Whether you need help drawing up a will or a contract, or you’re facing some sort of legal jeopardy or dilemma, hiring an attorney can be expensive. Most lawyers today charge anywhere between $100 and $300 an hour. Fortunately, there are a number of different programs and organizations that offer free legal advice and may help you find a free or low-cost attorney. Here’s where look for help in your area. 

Legal Aid: Directed by the Legal Services Corporation, legal aid provides free legal assistance to low-income people of all ages. Each community program will differ slightly in the services they offer and income qualifications. Visit LSC.gov/find-legal-aid to locate a program near you.

LawHelp: Powered by Pro Bono Net, a national nonprofit organization, LawHelp.org is a terrific resource that will help you locate free legal aid near you, get answers to your legal questions and even fill out legal documents. These free services are for people with low to moderate incomes. 

Free Legal Answers: This is an online program created by the American Bar Association that matches low-income clients with volunteer lawyers who agree to provide brief answers online for free. This service will not answer criminal law questions and it’s not available in every state. See ABAfreelegalanswers.org to look for a program in your state. 

Senior Legal Hotlines: There are around 30 states that offer senior legal hotlines, where all seniors over age 60 have access to free legal advice over the telephone. To find out if this service is available in your state, go to ProSeniors.org and click on “Resources,” followed by “U.S. Senior Legal Hotline Directory.”

Senior Legal Services: 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 over the age of 60. Your Area Agency on Aging can tell you what’s available in your community. Call the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116 to get your local number. 

Local Law Schools: More than 200 university law schools across the country have pro bono programs that offer free legal assistance provided by law students, who are supervised by their professors. See AmericanBar.org/groups/center-pro-bono – scroll down and click on “Directory of Law School Public Interest and Pro Bono Programs” to locate a program near you. 

Pension Rights Center: This is a nonprofit consumer organization that provides free legal assistance for problems with pension, 401(k) or other retirement plans. Go to PensionRights.org/find-help to search for help in your state.

Stateside Legal: For military members, veterans, and their families, StatesideLegal.org provides access to free legal information and legal assistance in your area.

National Disability Rights Network: This is a nonprofit membership organization that provides legal assistance to people with disabilities through their Protection and Advocacy System and Client Assistance Program. If you are disabled, visit NDRN.org to find help in your state.

Other Options: If you can’t get help from one of these programs, or find that you aren’t eligible, another option is to contact your state or local bar association to see if there are any volunteer lawyer projects in your area or if they can refer you to a low-fee lawyer. To contact your state or local bar association, go to FindLegalHelp.org.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.