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Even though the holidays are a hard-earned chance to relax towards the end of the year and get some time off work, they can produce additional stress and anxiety for people who are concerned about spending greater time with their family.

Family members during the holidays can cause a lot of issues with establishing boundaries and carrying on traditions or creating new traditions. Several tips that can help you to keep the peace with your family members include:

•       Don’t be sensitive. Don’t take everything personally as this can lead to unnecessary issues with your loved ones.
•       Prepare your balancing act. You’ll need to balance time, particularly if you’re married, between your family and your spouse’s family. Establishing traditions and clear boundaries can be extremely helpful. It is often both important to include time to spend around family as well as away from family. Don’t allow one family to occupy all of the time.
•       Take a break when necessary. Make sure that you don’t take time just for both sides of the family, but also to consider time for yourself. Reading a book, going for a run, stepping outside or taking a bath are a couple of ways you can step away from family drama.
•       Avoid political debates. Even though family members can discuss difficult topics like religion and politics, the holidays often enhance the potential for disagreements. The holidays are not the right time to engage in political debates. So leave them to the candidates.
•       Look for the good in everyone. When you can look for the good in each one of your family members, you will be less likely to lash out and get frustrated with their behavior if it rubs you the wrong way. Try to focus on thinking about one to two good things about every person in your family and this will keep your mind off any frustrating events.

If it’s difficult to bring up tough subjects like estate planning, religion, or politics, these may need to be tabled for the future.

Program to Fund Legal Aid Groups and Nonprofits Focused on Helping Massachusetts Veterans

To learn more about this program, the original article can be found here:

http://www.mass.gov/ago/news-and-updates/press-releases/2016/legal-assistance-to-veterans.html

Putting together a will is certainly something that is worthwhile regardless of the size of your estate. Failing to do so could lead to problems and arguments with your family members after you pass away.

There are several common grounds for these kinds of arguments. One of the most common is that the will wasn’t signed in accordance with applicable state laws. Laws vary from one state to another and it is imperative that your estate planning attorney considers not only federal issues like estate taxes but also specific state wide language and other requirements to ensure that your will is valid.

If someone contests your will after you pass away and is able to prove that the will is invalid, this could cause numerous problems in terms of passing on your assets in the way you intended.

Rather than running the risk of having your will being signed not in accordance with state laws or having other ambiguous language that leads to contention down the road, make sure that your will is updated and reviewed by an estate planning attorney on a regular basis. Speaking with a lawyer is strongly recommended so that you can ensure your individual needs are being protected and included in all of your documents.
Make sure your will has been put together by an attorney in Massachusetts with special consideration given to federal and state laws that may apply to your estate. Set up a meeting with a Massachusetts estate planning lawyer today to discuss this further.

There are many different reasons why it’s imperative to consider flexibility in the estate planning process. First of all, life changes are more common now than ever before. With many people entering in second or even third marriages, providing for children from previous marriages and relationships is often a key concern. This can become an entangled and complex issue legally if you aren’t working with the right estate planning attorney.

Another reason to maintain flexibility is because older parents who may wish to pass on assets to adult children may also be concerned about the adult child’s ability to control that money.

This is why many individuals facing this uncertainty might set up a meeting with an estate planning attorney to talk about the benefits of using a trust.

Using a trust, parents can place their valuables into the trust during their lifetime, and have greater control over how these assets are distributed. This helps to protect against an adult child who may be a spendthrift or otherwise feel uncomfortable inheriting a large amount of money at once.

This gives the parents peace of mind that the money will be distributed appropriately and that it will reduce the chances of that adult child becoming out of control with his or her spending.

These are just a couple of the benefits of including flexibility in your estate planning. To learn more, reach out to an experienced estate planning attorney today.

Estate planning can be as complex or as simple as you need it to be. The best way to protect yourself and to ensure that all your bases are covered is to set up a consultation with an estate planning attorney and to meet with him or her regularly.

As your life changes, you may require more complex estate planning or you may need to update existing documents to reflect the addition of new or the removal of old beneficiaries, as an example.

Here are some of the most common estate planning documents you might encounter and what you need to know about them.

Up first is a basic will. It is certainly the estate planning document most people are familiar with, and for good reason. It is a great way to plan ahead for passing on your property and assets.  Another option you might want to consider is using a trust rather than a will. A trust is a great choice if you want to avoid probate or set up trusts for your children and grandchildren after you are gone.

Next is a durable power of attorney in which you name an agent to act on your behalf if you become unable to do so. Usually, this will cover the management of your financial affairs, but speak to your estate planning attorney about what powers you can list here.

A durable healthcare power of attorney can be used to give someone else the authority to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to communicate your wishes.

Finally, your beneficiary designation forms are powerful tools that you should be reviewing annually – at a minimum. You probably have a form for several different accounts, including your IRA, 401(k), and any life insurance policies. Confirm that the primary and alternate beneficiaries are what you want, and make sure the designation forms are with your important papers.

For more information about key estate planning documents you’re likely to need to know about, set up a meeting with a Massachusetts estate planning attorney today.

Setting up an initial meeting with an estate planning attorney is a valuable exercise that can help you uncover where there are gaps in your current estate plan.

There are many different considerations when it comes to thinking about how property will be passed on after you pass away, but there are also issues to be addressed with regard to estate planning while you’re still alive. This is why it is imperative to think of your estate planning attorney as someone more than you visit once every 10 years or so.

In fact, an experienced estate planning attorney should recommend that you meet with him or her on a regular basis. This is because not only will your life change, but the tax codes and the laws of your state can change over the course of time. Having a good relationship with a lawyer you trust can put your mind at ease regarding your emergency plans as well as your long-term plans for your estate.

The estate planning documents you’ve put together today may not represent your wishes a couple of years from now, and this is why it is essential to work with an attorney who is committed to keeping you informed.

A good estate planning attorney should always be prepared meet with you to discuss your current plan and suggest changes that may better meet your wishes. Speaking with an estate planning lawyer in Massachusetts now and keeping the flow of communication open can be extremely beneficial for you and your family.

If you’re new to the concept of estate planning, you are not alone. In fact, far too many people have gone without even the most basic of estate planning documents. However, being unprepared for your first meeting with an estate planning attorney can generate nerves and anxiety if you’re not sure what to expect.

During this initial meeting, bring any documents that you do have with you and any notes that you have about what would you like to happen to your property. Be decisive about your choices, especially when it comes to your estate plan.

A basic understanding of all of your assets can be beneficial so that you can come up with a comprehensive inventory. If you have any specific wishes or questions, note these down in advance as well so that your attorney can help you figure out next steps.

During the initial meeting, the attorney will likely make an effort in order to get to know you, your family’s situation and your business situation if you have one. The attorney will usually take notes and ask follow up questions in order to identify your needs and to come up with a complete picture of your individual situation. From there, the attorney might suggest numerous tactics and strategies in order to develop an estate plan for you.

The attorney should be focused on taking your individual needs and translating those into strategies that can help you and make things easier for your heirs down the line. During this meeting you should also be taking notes as well and noting questions as the attorney speaks so that you can ask them.

At the end of the meeting the attorney will likely suggest next steps. This could be handling one or more of the aspects that he or she has talked about in the meeting itself and further information may be required from you.

Being prepared in advance and having all of your materials organized and written down can make things go much more quickly but it is also a good idea to have an ongoing relationship with your Massachusetts estate planning attorney so that things can be changed as needed.

For more information see Preparing for an Initial Estate Planning Consultation

When you’re hiring a Massachusetts estate planning attorney, you might be under the impression that the process is relatively simple. You might, for example, believe that what you need is a simple will. While it is certainly possible that you may only need a will, it is still an incredibly important process to select the right estate planning attorney. Estate planning in reality is anything but simple. In fact, it is one of the most complex facets of the law in general. It is bound by both state and federal regulations and requires careful planning for your unique needs. Planning for you and your estate, both during the time you are alive as well as after you pass away, is extremely complex. Some of the most important questions you should ask your estate planning attorney include:
• Do you provide comprehensive estate planning services?
• Will you help with additional loss of privacy, delays, costs or other problems associated with probate?
• What percentage of your practice is associated with elder law or estate planning?
• How many hours of continuing legal education programs associated with elder law or estate planning topics do you attend every year?
• Do you properly title, ensure and outline beneficiaries for all assets inside my trust?
• What kind of homework is required from me as the client in order to successfully manage my estate planning needs?
All of these questions can help illuminate whether or not someone is the right fit for you as a Massachusetts estate planning attorney.