What Should I Know Before Drafting a Last Will and Testament?
The process of creating a Last Will and Testament can feel overwhelming and may trigger feelings of anxiety and concern. Thankfully, working with an experienced Massachusetts estate planning lawyer can help make you feel empowered and protected. Before you sit down with a compassionate estate planning attorney to discuss creating a Last...
How Do You Manage Debts and Expenses in Probate?
Picture this: A kitchen table covered with important papers to review after a loved one's passing. For many who step into the role of executor, this moment marks the beginning of an important responsibility—one where knowledge and guidance can make all the difference. While questions about credit card bills, mortgages, and medical...
No One Should Open Presents Alone: Supporting Seniors This Holiday Season
The holidays bring warmth, celebration, and a chance to spend time with family. But for seniors, this season can be bittersweet, especially if they’ve lost a spouse or other loved ones. It’s easy for loneliness to creep in during what’s supposed to be a joyful time. Being there for the older members...
Revocable vs. Irrevocable Trusts: Which Is Right for You?
A trust is a legal arrangement that allows you to manage and distribute your assets. You place property into the trust, and a trustee oversees it based on the instructions you provide. Trusts help you control how and when your assets pass to your loved ones or other beneficiaries. They also...
Using a Credit Card When You Have a Special Needs Trust
A special needs trust (SNT) allows you to meet your needs while receiving government benefits, such as Medicaid/MassHealth and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). When you have a special needs trust, you can use it to pay for goods and services government benefits do not cover, such as therapy, education,and housing.
Funding a Special Needs Trust with Life Insurance: The Basics
Among the many challenges for families is making sure there will always be enough money to provide lifetime care for their special needs loved one. The costs are daunting: therapies, housing, medical care, and education, to name just a few. One way to plan for this challenge is to set up a...
Trusteeship Misconceptions in a Special Needs Trust
Special Needs Trusts have two primary objectives: Fiduciary management and government benefit eligibility.
Special Needs Trusts provide fiduciary management and oversight for individuals who are unable to take direct custody of property, typically because of a cognitive limitation, lack of judgment, or susceptibility to financial manipulation.
How an ILIT can help offset estate taxes
With the Federal estate tax exemption possibly about to be lowered, it may be time to think about steps you can take to keep your estate from being taxed. An irrevocable life insurance trust allows you to pass on money to your heirs while avoiding both the federal estate tax, as well...
Estate Planning Myths
Myth or Fact? It is acceptable to leave an inheritance directly to minors in your Last Will and Testament.
This is a MYTH!
In Massachusetts, a minor is defined as anyone who has not yet reached the age of majority, which is eighteen (18) years old....
Prevent Estate Planning Blunders
The two most important blunders in estate planning are [1] not making an estate plan at all and [2] not using an experienced, knowledgeable estate planning lawyer to accomplish your goals.
The downside of not planning at all is ignoring the reality that protecting your family for unforeseen circumstances...