Understanding the law, real estate tax

SANDUSKY — Legal Aid of Western Ohio is hosting an informational workshop from 1-2:30 p.m. on Jan. 29 at the Erie County Senior Center, 620 E. Water Street in Sandusky. Its purpose is to help grandparents who are 60 and older and are raising grandchildren. While Legal Aid of Western Ohio can assist grandparents under the age of 60, those who are 60-plus may be eligible for additional legal services funded by various grants. According to Denise Zanni, an attorney with Legal Aid of Western Ohio, the workshop and the additional legal services are part of the Grandfamily Legal Assistance Project. This workshop is a general overview of what exists to assist Erie County grandparents raising grandchildren and how to apply for this free assistance. Those who attend will learn basic/general information about: • Legal custody issues • Issues concerning visitation • The forms/paperwork/process for filing for legal custody, without an attorney • The process for addressing educational issues and Individualized Education Plans, also known as IEPs • The forms/paperwork/process to put into place legal documents for the grandparents — such as a living will, power of attorney, health care proxy, etc. — and their grandchildren — such as a caretaker affidavit process and the grandparent power of attorney, which allows the grandparent to care for the grandchild if the parent is temporarily unable to care for the child/children. • Financial assistance and public benefits — such as kinship care funds, Ohio Works First, cash assistance and child support — to help grandparents. Serving Our Seniors will be at the workshop, as a partner with Sandusky Schools, to help older grandparents who want help from Serving Our Seniors with the various application processes and bureaucracies. This workshop is just part of part of Legal Aid of Western Ohio's Grandfamily Legal Assistance Project and to help grandparents learn more about the various legal issues involving raising grandchildren. Legal Aid of Western Ohio is planning to hold three more workshops over the next 12 months as well as individualized meetings with grandparents who qualify for additional legal services. By being familiar with the various processes, grandparents arrive at the court better prepared, which helps to improve the experience and helps the grandparent to feel heard and understood. To reserve your seat for the Jan. 29 workshop, call Serving Our Seniors reservation line, at 419-504-0585, or email mail@servingourseniors.org by Jan. 27. Leave your name, phone number and the name of this event. If the workshop is canceled, for any reason, you will be notified by phone. Understanding real estate tax calculations In response to the significant increase in real estate values, throughout Erie County, Serving Our Seniors is working with the Erie County treasurer Caleb Stidham to help older adults, those who are at least 60, understand how their real estate taxes were calculated. Taxes paid are based upon the unique taxing district, in which one lives. The forum/discussions are scheduled to be for those who live in Groton Township and Oxford Township as follows: • 1:30-3 p.m. on Jan. 27 at Groton Township Hall, 9414 Portland Road; Note that the location bears a Castalia address. • 1:30-3 p.m. on Jan. 31 at Oxford Township Hall, 11104 Ransom Road; Note that the location bears a Monroeville address. Advanced registration is required by calling Serving Our Seniors reservation line, 419-504-0585, no later than Jan. 23. Leave your name, phone number and the date of the forum. If the forum is canceled or the venue changed you will be notified by phone. An audience of 30 is required to justify holding the forum/discussion. If the number of registrations is less than 30, in each location, Serving Our Seniors will cancel the Oxford Township forum and combine the two forums into one. Should this be necessary, a single forum will be hosted in Groton Twp. For more information, call Serving Our Seniors at 419-624-1856. Ask to speak with Brenda Henry or Sue Daugherty.