Longer lives don’t always mean healthy lives; according to the Alzheimer’s Association, about half of people who live past age 85 will suffer from some form of dementia. Watching a loved one lose their language, reasoning abilities and memories is tragic, which makes it important for them to have an estate plan. When you’re caringRead more
No one wants to think about the end of life, but everyone should put their end-of-life wishes into writing. Making an estate plan isn’t just for the wealthy and it is not limited to a last will and testament. It can prevent unpleasant family disputes, take care of your dependents, and can ensure that you’llRead more
Without a will, state law will determine what happens to your property that goes through the probate courts. This process is referred to as “intestate succession.” Your property will NOT pass to the state; instead, the law directs it to pass to your next of kin as illustrated in the chart below. In Massachusetts, consultRead more
As you go through the process of planning your estate, you will need to designate beneficiaries for certain types of assets, including some insurance policies and accounts. For example, certain retirement plans (IRAs, 401(k)s, etc.), life insurance policies and payable on death accounts will all ask you to name a beneficiary. Beneficiary designations are independentRead more
Writing a will is one of the most critical ways you can protect your loved ones and your assets after you pass away. Sure, there aren’t many people who enjoy spending time thinking about their eventual death and how it will affect those closest to them, but these difficult conversations and brainstorming sessions are necessaryRead more
Whether you consider your estate basic, simple, complex, small or large, an estate planning attorney is someone who is dedicated to mentoring clients on how they can properly organize their estate and affairs to prepare for the eventuality of their death or potential disability. No matter the size or complexity, the tasks associated with estateRead more
While organizing your own funeral might not exactly be a task you take on with great enthusiasm, it is something you can do to help remove some of the burden from your loved ones in the immediate aftermath of your eventual passing. Your loved ones will already have plenty of other decisions to make andRead more
An Advance Directive allows you to dictate the kinds of treatments you do and do not want at the end of your life. It comprises documents such as a health care proxy (or health care power of attorney) and living will. As you prepare your estate plan, you might wonder exactly what you should includeRead more
