Estate Planning

While no one wants to consider the end of their life, proactive steps in the form of estate planning can provide a level of comfort for your children and other loved ones. Ignoring the need for a will or trust or putting off the drafting of such essential documents...

As our parents grow older, underlying health conditions become more apparent as the symptoms of these diseases begin to affect their quality of life. Although the focus of estate planning in Massachusetts and elsewhere is usually on the allocation of financial assets...

MassHealth administers Medicaid for Massachusetts residents. It has the advantage of offering coverage for long-term care needs such as nursing homes or assisted living. However, it is not easy to qualify for, due to its strict asset and income limits. In order to...

Many people reading this blog post may already understand that one of the most effective estate planning tools is forming a trust. A trust not only helps avoid probate and save on estate taxes but also provides privacy, protection and proper distribution of assets. In...

When a person has a physical or mental disability, he or she may benefit from a special needs trust. The special needs trust allows a trustee to manage property for the person and is created with his or her needs and lifestyle in mind. For example, the trustee can...

Most people have basic knowledge of the estate planning process and what it entails. However, this knowledge is rarely more than a superficial understanding. For this reason, estate planning myths have become commonplace. This is part of the reason so many people...

Once we finish our own estate plan, we often then start to think about whether our parents and other older family members have also finished their estate plan. However, it can be awkward conversation, but it does not have to be. Focus on the reasons for an estate plan...

When you are young, you just want to spend time enjoying life and you don’t always plan for 10 or 20 years in the future. But as you grow older, you start to plan to move up in your career, to buy a house and to save for retirement. Yet, you still may avoid one...

A lot of people think that they don’t have enough assets or a complex enough distribution plan to warrant engaging in estate planning. This is dangerous thinking. After all, if you pass away without an estate plan, then the state of Massachusetts will dictate how your...