Blended families are becoming more and more common in modern society, yet, estate laws remain largely unchanged and still geared toward a “traditional” family structure. This poses an issue when it comes to leaving an inheritance for step-children in an estate plan. Step-children are often not legally adopted by the new spouse, which means they […]
As a Framingham elder law attorney, I get this question quite a bit. Should I invest in long-term care insurance? The answer is….maybe. Let me explain. First, you should consider the fact that the Department of Health and Human Services estimates that anyone reaching the age of 65 years has a 40% chance of entering […]
Even with the best intentions, most senior citizens don’t plan for a future in which they may be incapacitated. Perhaps they didn’t want to face the prospect of losing autonomy, or perhaps they fell ill before they had a chance to plan. Either way, for those with elder relatives and loved ones who no longer […]
When a child with special needs turns 18, parents must begin to think about sensitive issues such as long-term care planning and how to legally stay in control. Adult guardianship is one such vehicle that allows parents to have legal and financial authority over their children when their parental rights would otherwise be terminated. Petitioning […]
As a Greater Boston Probate Attorney, I’m commonly asked, “What are the most important steps I need to take after the death of a loved one?” While each situation is different, there are eight general tasks that I advise families to start with when attempting to finalize their loved one’s affairs and close out the […]
Being a responsible parent is usually associated with bedtime stories with toddlers, homework reminders for grade schoolers and trying to decide whether or not your teenager is responsible enough to drive to school on his or her own. Creating an estate plan for those children is not something we usually associate with responsible parenting, but […]
Children with special needs, or Children with Special Health Care Needs as defined by the Social Security Act, are eligible to receive a number of government benefits to pay for the aid, care, and services that are available to them. There are many ways a child can qualify as a Child with Special Health Care […]
Not too long ago, a person who decided to leave an inheritance behind for their pet might be considered eccentric, to say the least. Take, for example, the case of Leona Helmsley: when she died in 2007, she left her dog Trouble an inheritance worth $12 million. While there may have been other factors weighing […]
The elderly are too often targets of unscrupulous individuals who may try to take an unsuspecting senior’s money. Seniors are especially vulnerable as they become less cognitively able and thus more dependent on other adults. Unfortunately, as a Great Boston Area elder law lawyer, I am sad to say that elder financial abuse is common […]
When it comes to creating a special needs plan for a loved one with disabilities, it’s the hope that all family members are in agreement and ideally on the same page. But, as a Middlesex County special needs lawyer, I have seen that even if everyone is working together, there can be issues when the […]
A common concern for those who have remarried is that they still want to leave the bulk of their estate to their adult children without abandoning their current spouse. The solution? Create a life estate. A life estate is a tenancy that allows a person to use a property for the rest of their natural […]
Special needs planning in Middlesex County can be daunting if you’re just starting. However, a Middlesex County special needs lawyer can save you the headache of planning and the worry over whether your plan will be executed properly. If you’re new to special needs planning and aren’t sure where to start, check out these do’s […]
When the primary breadwinner dies, his or her surviving spouse, domestic partner and minor children can find themselves without the necessary resources to maintain their current lifestyle. If you find yourself in this position, as a Massachusetts probate lawyer, I can tell you that you do have options. Under Massachusetts laws, you have entitlements in […]
Recent studies have shown that only a little more than half of all Americans have a Will or Trust document in place to direct their estate after they pass away, and that the vast majority of those documents have not been updated in the last five years. Even worse, it’s been reported that most adult […]
There are many misconceptions about what a ‘Will’ does and whether your need one or not. The short answers is that everyone needs one if they care about where their estate will go after they pass. The Will is the governing document of your probate estate, after you have passed away. So what is your […]
What is the intestacy statute? It is a statute here in Massachusetts which sets up the rules of how your estate would be passed down, if you died an executed will. Many people assume “everything will go to my wife” or “I have nothing, so it doesn’t matter.” However, as we all know, assumptions are […]
Graduating from high school is a major life event filled with excitement, anticipation, and sometime a little trepidation. Going off to college is another major life event filled with similar emotions. While you are packing up your room for college, filling out all the school forms, and picking out your classes, you may also want […]
This Mother’s Day, when you are talking with your spouse, mother, or grandmother, ask them if they have an estate plan? In addition to legal documents, have they made arrangements for their passing? Many people do seek legal advice to establish and estate plan, but the planning does not end with the attorney. After the […]