In the year and a half since I last wrote about planning for digital assets not much has changed in Massachusetts.  Our state is still one of a handful of states that has not enacted the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA), although there is a bill pending in the Massachusetts legislature […]

You may be asking yourself “What is a Continuing Care Retirement Community?” A Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) is a community that consists of graduated levels of residential and health care options to accommodate elders who are looking to downsize but remain independent and ensure that their health care needs are met as they “age […]

In February, you’ll get tax forms – use them as an estate planning checklist for reviewing beneficiary designations. By February 15, financial institutions will have sent you all the forms needed for your tax returns.  This nifty pile can help you review your beneficiary designations to make sure they are up-to-date. Beneficiary designations determine how […]

The approach of Valentine’s Day and the recent announcement by Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, that he and his wife are ending their marriage after 25 years, set me thinking about how divorce impacts a person’s estate plan (especially in high net worth couples).  Here are five ways that divorce can impact an estate plan […]

I recently read an article about a man in Washington who donated more than $11 million to several charities after his death via his Will.  It got me thinking about charitable giving and legacy planning, and when it’s a good idea to consider naming one or more charities as the recipients (beneficiaries) of your estate […]

January is a time to make resolutions to do things better in the new year.  Here are five resolutions to make to ensure your estate plan is where it should be in 2019. Resolve to Have an Estate Plan Most of the clients I meet who do not have a Will, Power of Attorney or […]

The holiday season is here and with it comes an excellent chance to talk with your loved ones about your estate plan – really!  The holidays are often the time when family members scattered all over the country for most of the year come together in one place.  In addition to catching up on the […]

As an estate planning attorney, I advise clients about the ways they can pass their assets to their beneficiaries and avoid probate.  This is a desirable goal for most people since probate can be expensive, time consuming, and aggravating for those you leave behind.  There are multiple ways to avoid probate including:  1) owning assets […]

“We will be done with all of this soon, right?” That’s the question I often hear when working with a client who has been appointed as the Personal Representative (PR) of the estate of a loved one who has recently passed away. My answer is to view the administration of an estate as a marathon, […]

Although all citizens or residents of the United States are subject to the federal estate tax at death, the current federal estate tax exemption of $11.2 million per person means that most of us will not pay a federal estate tax at death.  However, Massachusetts has the distinction of being one of only 18 states to […]