Free Legal Services for Seniors: 7 Trusted Resources

Helping your loved one navigate legal issues doesn’t have to break the bank. These trusted programs offer free or low-cost legal services for seniors.

Get Free Legal Help for Seniors

As a caregiver, part of your role may be to assist your loved one in managing their legal affairs and ensuring that important documents are complete and up-to-date.

This could include setting up an estate plan or making sure that essential legal documents like a living will and power of attorney are in place.

It may also involve determining how to pay for long-term care, qualifying for Medicaid, or resolving housing issues and other disputes that necessitate legal action.

But legal services can be costly, especially for people on a fixed income.

Fortunately, numerous nonprofit and community organizations offer free and low-cost legal services to older adults.

Here, we’ve rounded up seven sources of free legal help for seniors.

Common Legal Issues Older Adults May Need Help With

Older adults often face legal matters that can affect their health, finances, and long-term plans. Here are some of the most common areas where legal support may be needed:

• Estate planning: wills, trusts, and beneficiary designations
• Power of attorney: for medical and financial decisions
• Advance directives: including living wills and DNR orders
• Guardianship or conservatorship: when decision-making support is required
• Medicaid eligibility and planning: to afford long-term care
• Long-term care contracts: reviewing nursing home or home care agreements
• Social Security and retirement benefits: resolving disputes or claims
• Housing issues: landlord disputes, evictions, or unsafe living conditions
• Consumer fraud and financial exploitation: scams targeting seniors
• Elder abuse or neglect: legal protections and reporting options
• Disability rights: access, discrimination, or needed accommodations
• Public benefits access: including Medicare, SSI, and SNAP
• Tax and property questions: especially for asset transfers or sales
• Family law: such as guardianship of grandchildren or spousal support
• Probate and estate administration: managing a deceased spouse’s or loved one’s estate

These issues can be complex, but free or low-cost legal help is often available to guide you or your loved one through the process.

7 Sources of Free Legal Services for Seniors

1. Legal Aid

Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is a nonprofit organization that provides free legal services to low-income Americans. They fund 133 independent nonprofit legal aid organizations across the U.S.

Typically, LSC-funded programs assist individuals living in households with annual incomes at or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines.

However, income qualifications and available legal services will vary depending on the location.

• –> Find a Legal Aid program in your area. 

2. Local Legal Services for Seniors

Your county’s Area Agency on Aging provides community resources for seniors and caregivers. They’ll be able to connect you to local organizations that offer free and low-cost legal help for seniors.

To search online for community legal resources in your area:

1. Visit the Eldercare Locator
2. Enter zip code and click “Search.”
3. In the drop-down menu, select “Legal Services.”

To speak with someone at Eldercare Locator, call 1-800-677-1116.

3. Pro Bono programs

Pro bono programs pair low-income individuals with volunteer lawyers who agree to take on their cases at no cost.

Find a Pro bono program in your local area through the LawHelp.org directory.

4. LegalHotlines.org

A legal hotline allows seniors to ask legal questions over the phone.

If the question can’t be answered over the phone, the hotline can also help you find the necessary legal aid services in your area.

• Find senior legal hotline programs in your state 

5. National Disability Rights Network (NDRN)

This nonprofit organization provides legally based advocacy services to people with disabilities in the United States.

• NDRN lists various problems that individuals with disabilities may face. This list covers many of the issues that seniors also commonly face.

If your loved one is going through one of these issues, contact your state’s Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and/or Client Assistance Programs (CAP) to get legal help.

• To find the contact information for your area, click on your state in the list on the right side of the page.

Note: If you'd like the printable version of the contact list for P&A and CAP agencies by state, click on the link to download the 2025 PDF. –> Contact List for Protection and Advocacy Systems (Printable PDF)

6. Employer-sponsored Legal Services

Companies and large corporations often offer free or discounted legal services through their Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).

Ask your Human Resources department to determine if legal services or legal insurance are offered as a company benefit.

7. Additional Low-cost Legal Services for Seniors

If timely help isn’t available from organizations that offer free legal services or your loved one isn’t eligible, you may want to find low-cost or discounted legal help. Here are a few options:

• The American Bar Association also offers public-service-oriented lawyer referral programs that will chat with you to understand the issue and provide a referral to a lawyer or a community organization that can help. –> Find a public-service lawyer referral program 
• Contact your state or local Bar Association to see if they can refer you to an attorney who charges reduced fees. –> Find your state or local Bar Association 

Personal legal insurance isn’t well-known in the United States, but it's a legitimate service that can be a more affordable way to access needed legal services.

For a fixed monthly fee, you typically get free phone consultations and certain covered legal services. For legal services that aren’t covered, you may get discounted rates when using attorneys in the company’s network.

Reputable companies like ARAG, LegalShield, and LegalZoom offer legal insurance.

Finding legal help doesn’t have to be overwhelming or expensive. These trusted programs and resources can guide seniors and caregivers through a range of issues, from estate planning to housing concerns.

Whether you're just starting to gather documents or facing a specific legal challenge, start with one of these services for support.

Recommended for you:

• Caregiving Legal Basics: Essential Documents and Tasks
• 5 Smart Tips for Hiring an Elder Law Attorney
• What Happens When Someone Dies Without a Will?

About the Author

Connie Chow

Connie was a hands-on caregiver for her grandmother for 20 years. (Grandma made it to 101 years old!) She knows how challenging, overwhelming, and all-consuming caring for an older adult can be. She also knows how important support is — especially in the form of practical solutions, valuable resources, and self-care tips.