Category Archives: Estate Planning
College Students Need “Estate Planning” Documents
Estate planning is not the first thought most parents have when their child is accepted to college. But it should be addressed before your child goes off to school. Once your child turns 18, they are no longer a minor. … Continue reading
Joint Ownership Is NOT An Estate Plan
In an effort to make their children’s lives easier when they pass away, many people use joint ownership as a method for distributing their estate. They believe that this will be the simplest way for their heirs to inherit. In … Continue reading
Thinking of Writing Your Own Estate Planning Documents?
Thinking of creating your own estate plan? You may want to think again. In Massachusetts, there are dozens of cases where a Will or Trust has been challenged because an error was made in the signing or the drafting of … Continue reading
Estate Planning With An IRA
Many people have some type of Individual Retirement Account that should be reviewed as part of the estate planning process. Since an IRA is part of the ultimate distribution, it is a good idea to contact the company managing the … Continue reading
Life Circumstances Dictate When To Update Your Will or Trust
WHEN TO UPDATE YOUR ESTATE PLAN As an estate planning attorney, I review lots of existing Wills and Trusts. Many of these documents were done years ago – and many of them still reflect the wishes of the client. However, … Continue reading
Massachusetts in the Top 5 – Of Costliest Retirement States
TopRetirements.com released its 2012 list of the “Worst States to Retire.” It will probably come as no surprise to those of us that live here that Massachusetts finished fifth on the list – behind Connecticut, Illinois, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Among … Continue reading
Codicil or New Will: Which One Do You Need?
Can I just do a codicil or is an entire new will necessary? That is a question I am frequently asked. The answer is: it depends. Although that sounds like a non-answer, the truth is: it really does depend. A codicil is … Continue reading
Estate Planning and Elder Law Newsletter: Special Issue For Women
Every month I send an E-Newsletter that has articles on estate planning and elder law topics. If you would like to subscribe to this E-Newsletter please feel free to sign up. This months topic is “Women: Law and Money.” Although many of the issues … Continue reading
National Health Care Decision Day
I do not know how I missed this, but Saturday, April 16, 2011 was National Health Care Decision Day (NHDD). The idea behind this day is to “encourage patients to express their wishes regarding healthcare and for providers and facilities to respect … Continue reading
Estate Planning and Elder Law Newsletter: Someday I Will do a Will
Every month I send an E-Newsletter that has articles on estate planning and elder law topics. If you would like to subscribe to this E-Newsletter please feel free to sign up. This months topic is “Tomorrowitis.” Many people pass away without any plan in … Continue reading
