When adult children find out about their family’s estate after the parents die, this limits the extent of what they know about their parents’ wishes. Having financial discussions up front gives more opportunity for planning. Asking the right questions of your aging...
Boston Elder Law Blog
Fighting back against elder abuse
Elder abuse is a growing problem in the United States. Massachusetts has taken steps to protect seniors through a robust elder abuse reporting system. The Centers for Disease Control define elder abuse as an intentional act or failure to act that results in harm or a...
How the law handles estate distribution without a will
A will can be a complex legal document that stipulates the assets and property that a person wishes to bequeath to beneficiaries when the person passes away. Not all wills are complex, though, and many Boston residents can protect their estates and preserve their...
Transferring the parents’ home to their heirs
Transferring assets to family members and heirs is an important part of estate planning. Dealing with your parent’s home can pose additional complications and impact estate administration and probate. Probate If nothing is done, an estate and the parents’ home will...
Remain thoughtful and judicious when selecting an executor
As you lay the foundation for an estate plan, you must understand that you will be responsible for many decisions. A few that immediately come to mind include naming your beneficiaries and determining how much each will receive. Among the other crucial decisions...
Administering a Massachusetts Special Needs Trust
Over the past twenty years, estate planning attorneys in Massachusetts (and elsewhere) have turned to a special type of trust known as a “special needs trust” to help families with a disabled member. The basic purpose of a special needs trust (SNT) is to protect the...
How guardians are appointed in Massachusetts
Throughout people’s lives in Massachusetts they must make many decisions regarding their life. This could be decisions about what to do with their money, decisions about their healthcare, decisions about where they will live and many other decisions. Many of these...
Clearing up misconceptions about wills, trusts and estate plans
Massachusetts residents who are taking the necessary steps to be fully prepared for the future by creating an estate plan might have certain beliefs. From the outset, there are influences that dictate how wills, trusts and other aspects of estate planning are handled....
Differences between revocable and irrevocable trusts
As people grow older in Massachusetts, they may gain a stronger understanding of their mortality and begin to focus on ensuring that they assets end up with the people they intend for them to go to. There are different ways that people can do that though. Some choose...
What events require you to update your estate plan?
After creating your estate plan, you may have found no need or reason to review it. Yet, if you have let yours sit for years, it may no longer reflect your assets, beneficiaries or intentions. Failing to update your plan could create discord among your loved ones once...