SSB LLC | Samuel, Sayward, & Baler LLC | Dedham, MA lawyers

Estate Planning for Young Families
2025-11-06 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Samuel Sayward & Baler
Learn about probate, guardians, and what you can do to prepare.

📢 Join us for an exclusive seminar about Estate Planning for Young Families hosted by Attorney Leah Kofos right here in the office at SSB. Learn about probate, guardians, and what you can do to prepare. ✨
📅 November 6, 2025 🕓 6:00 pm📍 Samuel, Sayward & Baler, 858 Washington Street, Suite 202, Dedham, MA
Seats are limited – sign up today!

The Pitfalls of Probate hosted by Attorneys Brittany Hinojosa Citron and Leah Kofos
2025-10-02 18:00 - 19:00 | Samuel Sayward & Baler
Join us for an exclusive seminar on the Pitfalls of Probate hosted by Attorneys Brittany Hinojosa Citron and Leah Kofos right here in the office at SSB. Learn what probate really means, how it works, and what you can do to prepare.
October 2, 2025 6:00 pm Samuel, Sayward & Baler, 858 Washington Street, Suite 202, Dedham, MA
Seats are limited – sign up today! Register here. #ProbatePlanning #EstateLaw #FinancialLiteracy

Family First Estate Planning
2025-02-13 18:00 - 20:00 | Dedham Library, 43 Church Street, Dedham, MA, 02026
Please register here: https://events.dedhamlibrary.com/event/12822905.

Smart Counsel Series Exploring Community Resources
2023-09-14 18:00 - 19:30 | Zoom
To our Clients and Friends:
Please join us for the next presentation in our Smart Counsel Series on Thursday, September 14, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. virtually via Zoom, hosted by Attorney Maria Baler who will moderate a panel on community resources.
Our local cities and towns and regional organizations offer a wealth of programs, resources, and assistance to residents. These include educational, wellness and social programs, home care services, caregiver support, Medicare counseling, assistance with money management, and providing veterans with assistance to gain access to health care and financial benefits that may be available to them. Many residents are not aware of the availability of these resources until they are in need. Join us to explore these resources in detail and learn more about what is available and how they can be accessed.
We are delighted to be joined for this discussion by three individuals who assist local residents every day:
Lina Arena-DeRosa, the Director of the Westwood Council on Aging,
Sheryl Leary, the Director of Planning and Community Development for HESSCO (the Aging Services Access Point (ASAP) and Area Agency on Aging (AAA) for Southern Norfolk County, and
TJ Tedeschi, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.), the Veteran Service Officer (VSO) for the West Suburban Veterans District which encompasses the Towns of Needham, Wayland, Wellesley, Weston and Westwood.
Please join us to learn more about the valuable resources and assistance available to you at the local level.
Contact Kenzie Sayward at 781/461-1020 or kenzie@ssbllc.com to reserve a spot for you and a friend.
Suzanne R. Sayward
Maria C. Baler
Abigail V. Poole
Brittany Hinojosa Citron
Megan L. Bartholomew

Upcoming Smart Counsel Series Webinar The Nuts and Bolts of Reverse Mortgages and When to Use Them
2022-09-15 18:00 - 19:00 | Zoom
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To our Clients and Friends:
Please join us for the next presentation in our Smart Counsel Series on Thursday, September 15, 2022, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. virtually via Zoom.
Learn about reverse mortgages and when they may be beneficial in connection with long-term care planning by joining us for this program, The Nuts and Bolts of Reverse Mortgages and When to Use Them.
Reverse Mortgage (HECM) Loan Specialist Stephen R. Pepe, JD, of Reverse Mortgage Funding LLC and Attorney Abigail V. Poole will discuss the basics of reverse mortgages and when they may be a good option to protect assets from being spent-down on long-term care costs. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions.
Contact Holly Hayes at 781/461-1020 or hayes@ssbllc.com to reserve a spot for you and a friend.
Suzanne R. Sayward
Maria C. Baler
Abigail V. Poole
Megan L. Bartholomew

College Document Bootcamp
2022-08-11 18:30 | Zoom
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As hard as it may be to believe, August is upon us, which means that many of our clients’ children are going to be headed to college, some for the first time. As such, we thought it would be a good time to remind parents of the importance of certain legal documents to allow them to obtain information and assist a child in the event of an unexpected emergency.
Though your child will always be your baby, once they turn 18 they are considered adults in the eyes of the law. This means that, as a parent, you no longer have the legal authority to make decisions on your child’s behalf or to access their medical or educational information without permission. Assuming your child wants you to be able to assist with financial and medical decisions in an emergency and/or would want you to be able to speak with their health care providers and school, here are five things your child should do before they go away to college:

Sign a Durable Power of Attorney. A Durable Power of Attorney appoints one or more individuals to act on your child’s behalf with respect to financial matters without obtaining the approval of a court. By signing a Durable Power of Attorney granting one or both parents the legal authority to act on their behalf, your child is allowing you to deal with many legal and financial matters, such as banking snafus and tax issues, as well as to obtain access to information on credit cards and bank accounts.
Sign a Health Care Proxy. A Health Care Proxy designates a person to make health care decisions for your child if your child is are unable to communicate those decisions themself without obtaining the approval of a court. By signing a Health Care Proxy naming you as their health care agent, your child is allowing you to obtain medical information about, and make health care decisions for, them in the event they have a serious health issue and are unable to make their own health care decisions.
Sign a HIPPA Authorization. A HIPPA Authorization permits the release of your child’s protected medical information by their health care providers to the people listed in the document. By signing a HIPAA Authorization listing one or both parents, your child is allowing their health care providers to speak with you about their medical condition even if your child is still able to make their own health care decisions. This can come in handy if your child is in the school infirmary for a minor medical issue or is hospitalized with a more serious condition but still able to make their own decisions.
Sign a FERPA Authorization. A FERPA Authorization permits the release of your child’s protected academic and financial information by their college or university to the people listed in the document. By signing a FERPA Authorization listing one or both parents, you child is allowing their college or university to speak with you about their academic and financial information, which may include, for example, information about courses, financial aid, tuition, and disciplinary matters.
Attend Samuel, Sayward & Baler LLC’s College Document Bootcamp. If your child is looking for a convenient way to get all of the documents discussed in this article done before going away to college, they should sign up for our first ever College Document Bootcamp, which includes:

A Zoom webinar discussing these documents in more detail on August 11th;
A personal meeting via Zoom on either August 12th or August 16th with Attorney Megan Bartholomew where she will discuss your child’s specific situation with them and the provisions of the documents she will create for them; and
An in-person meeting with Attorney Bartholomew on August 19th, 20th, or 21st for your child to sign their documents.

The Zoom presentation on August 11th is free and open to everyone, but pre-registration is required. There is a fee of $550.00 for the other two meetings (including document preparation) and space is limited. See the flyer included with this article for more information. Of course, if your child can’t make the Bootcamp, they can always call our office to set up a separate appointment to discuss the preparation of their documents with Attorney Bartholomew or one of our other attorneys.
If your child is interested in participating in the Bootcamp or having their documents prepared, please have them call our office at 781/461-1020 or email Victoria Ung at ung@ssbllc.com.

Francis R. Mulé is a senior associate attorney with the Dedham firm of Samuel, Sayward & Baler LLC which focuses on advising its clients in the areas of estate planning, estate settlement, and elder law matters. He is an active member, and the current Chair-Elect, of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division. This article is not intended to provide legal advice or create or imply an attorney-client relationship. No information contained herein is a substitute for a personal consultation with an attorney. For more information visit www.ssbllc.com or call 781/461-1020.
August 2022
© 2022 Samuel, Sayward & Baler LLC

Demystifying Irrevocable Trusts for Long-term care Planning
2022-05-19 18:00 - 19:30 | Samuel Sayward & Baler
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By Attorney Suzanne Sayward
Smart Counsel Series
Demystifying Irrevocable Trusts for Long-term Care Planning
To our Clients and Friends:
Please join us for the next presentation in our Smart Counsel Series on Thursday, May 19, 2022, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm virtually via Zoom.*
If you have ever wondered whether an Irrevocable Trust for long-term care planning is right for you, join us for this program, Demystifying Irrevocable Trusts for Long-term care Planning.
Attorneys Suzanne Sayward and Frank Mulé will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using an Irrevocable Trust to protect assets from having to be spent-down on long-term care costs. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions.
Contact Victoria Ung at 781/461-1020 or ung@ssbllc.com to reserve a spot for you and a friend.
The program is free but registration is required.
Suzanne R. Sayward & Frank Mulé
Maria C. Baler
Abigail Poole
Megan Bartholomew

* Our plans to host this presentation in person have changed and the program will be held only virtually.

Smart Counsel Webinar Fraud Prevention in the 21st Century What You Need to Know to Keep Your Information Safe﻿
2022-02-24 18:00 - 19:30 | Zoom
Join us for our next Smart Counsel webinar on Thursday, February 24th when Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey and Senior Affairs Coordinator Gayle Bellotti, will share their expertise on fraud prevention, cyber hacking, scams and identity theft.
Attorney Maria Baler will round out the panel and will speak to the importance of having updated estate plan documents that permit trusted individuals to assist you if necessary, including the ability to access your digital assets.
In addition to hearing from our panel, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions.
Join us virtually for this presentation on Thursday, February 24, 2022 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm.
Contact Victoria Ung at 781/461-1020 or ung@ssbllc.com to reserve a spot for you and a friend.
The program is free but registration is required.
Suzanne R. Sayward
Maria C. Baler
Abigail V. Poole
Francis R. Mulé
Megan L. Bartholomew

Probate: Haunting Your Family from Beyond the Grave - Webinar October 28th 6PM
2021-10-28 18:00 - 19:00 | Zoom
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Grab your coziest blanket and mulled spiced cider to settle in for a spooky presentation about probates of the deceased that haunted their families from beyond the grave! Join Attorneys Francis R. Mulé and Abigail V. Poole for our next Smart Counsel webinar where they will discuss probate and non-probate assets, the different types of probate, the process of probate, and how to avoid probate so that your family is not haunted by your ghostly presence forevermore.
In addition to hearing from us, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions.
Join us virtually for our next Smart Counsel presentation on Thursday, October 28, 2021, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Contact Victoria Ung at (781) 461-1020 or ung@ssbllc.com to reserve a spot for you and a friend.
The program is free but registration is required.
Suzanne R. Sayward
Maria C. Baler
Abigail V. Poole
Francis R. Mulé

Smart Counsel Webinar - Hot Summer, Hot Market, What Home Sellers and Buyers Need to Know
2021-07-22 18:00 - 19:30 | Zoom
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Welcome to summer 2021 where the weather is hot and the real estate market is even hotter! Join us for our next Smart Counsel webinar where local realtors Adam Hayes of Milestones Realty and Ellen Grubert and Janis Lippman of the EllenandJanisteam/Compass will share their expertise on this very active real estate market, offer tips for sellers and buyers, and talk about what you can expect if you venture into the fray.
Adam and his team have a particular focus on representing seniors who have owned their homes for decades and are now selling that home. Adam will talk about issues specific to this growing population.
Ellen and Janis will talk about the market for first time home buyers and trade up buyers.
Attorney Suzanne Sayward will round out the panel and will speak to some of the tax aspects of selling property and what sellers who own their real estate in trust need to know.
In addition to hearing from our panel, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions.
Join us virtually for this presentation on Thursday, July 22, 2021 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm.
Contact Victoria Ung at 781/461-1020 or ung@ssbllc.com to reserve a spot for you and a friend.
The program is free but registration is required.
Suzanne R. Sayward
Maria C. Baler
Abigail V. Poole
Francis R. Mulé

Join us for our Estate Planning 101 Facebook Live Event!
2021-06-07 18:30 - 19:30 | Zoom

Smart Counsel Series Webinar (Virtual)
2021-01-21 18:00 - 19:30 | Zoom
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To our Clients and Friends:
Do you have children that are planning to go to college in the next year or two? Do you want to help your child find the best college for them? Are you worried about having everything in place for them when they leave home for the first time? If you answer yes to any of these questions, then please join us for the next Zoom webinar in our Smart Counsel Series on Thursday, January 21, 2021, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm, to learn how to find the right fit in a college for your child.
Larry Dannenberg, founder of College Solutions, along with his colleague Aaron Ladd, Managing Director for the Northeast, will discuss how to identify the ideal college from an academic, social and financial perspective — not only for students who are at the top of their class, but also for students who are in the mainstream academically, have learning disabilities, or may possess special athletic skills. Significant changes have occurred in the college admission process in the last year due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Standardized testing has shifted, timing for financial aid has accelerated, and researching and visiting colleges has become very complicated. Join us to learn why starting the process early can offer significant advantages.
Additionally, Attorney Abigail Poole of Samuel, Sayward & Baler, LLC will discuss the importance of having your child execute a health care proxy, power of attorney and HIPAA Authorization upon reaching the age of 18. This has always an important measure for your child to have in place, but it has become far more critical since the onset of the Coronavirus.
Contact Lynne Abe at 781/461-1020 or abe@ssbllc.com to reserve a spot for you and a friend. (Please forward this message to a friend or family member if they have children who plan to attend college.)
The program is free but space is limited so don’t delay!
Suzanne R. Sayward
Maria C. Baler
Abigail Poole
Email abe@ssbllc.com to register

SSB Closed for New Year's Day
2021-01-01 08:00 - 17:00 | Samuel Sayward & Baler
The office will be closed on New Year’s Day.

SSB Closed for Christmas
2020-12-23 12:00 - 2020-12-25 17:00 | Samuel Sayward & Baler
The offices will be closed on the afternoon of December 23rd and Christmas Eve.

SSB Office Closed for Thanksgiving
2020-11-26 08:00 - 2020-11-27 17:00 | Samuel Sayward & Baler
Our office will be closed on Thursday November 26, and Friday November 27th.

SSB Office Open for Veteran's Day
2020-11-03 08:00 - 17:00 | Samuel Sayward & Baler
Our office will be open on Wednesday November 11th.

Smart Counsel Virtual Seminar - What You Should Know About Medicare
2020-09-24 18:00 - 19:30 | MA
To our Clients and Friends:
Join us for the next Zoom webinar in our Smart Counsel Series on Thursday, September 24, 2020, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm, to learn What You Should Know About Medicare.
Whether you’re already on Medicare or approaching age 65, it can be overwhelming to navigate all the options and select the right ones. We are excited to be joined by Camille Barron from Healthassist, who will unravel the complexities and provide a simplified framework for understanding Medicare and making decisions that are right for you.
Camille will share information about some of the most common questions people ask about Medicare:

When should I sign up for Medicare?
What does Medicare cover?
How much does it cost?
How do I choose the right plans?
Are there any tips that will help me avoid problems?
Join us to learn everything you need to know about Medicare before open enrollment in October.

Contact Lynne Abe at 781/461-1020 or abe@ssbllc.comto reserve a (virtual) spot for you and a friend.
The program is free but space is limited so don’t delay!
Suzanne R. Sayward
Maria C. Baler
Julia K. Abbott
Abigail Poole

Navigating Eldercare Without Losing Your Sanity
2020-03-10 19:00 - 20:30 | Dedham Public Library – Endicott Branch, 257 Mount Vernon Street, Dedham, MA, 02026
Do you worry about your parents? Is their home or their health becoming too much to manage? This panel of experts will help advise you. Attorney Maria Baler will be speaking at this event.

Hitching The Estate Plan Wagon To The Right Horse: Who Should Be The Trustee? - NPEPC Breakfast Round Table Discussion
2019-12-10 08:30 - 10:00 | 50 Braintree Hill Office Park, 50 Braintree Hill Office Park, Braintree, MA, 02184, United States
Attorney Suzanne Sayward and Maria Baler will be attending the Norfolk & Plymouth Estate and Business Planning Council event, Hitching The Estate Plan Wagon To The Right Horse.
Who Should Be The Trustee?
This session will focus on how advisors can best counsel their clients on naming the appropriate trustee. We will discuss the various options available along with the pros and cons of each type of fiduciary. The impact of the decision in the Bank of America, N.A., Trustee vs. Commissioner of Revenue case will also be reviewed. Participants should feel free to bring their questions and current client issues relating to trustee selection to the session.
Come join the conversation! A light breakfast will be provided
Get In, have a great round table discussion, get back on your way!
$15 Charge to NPEPC Members, seating is limited. Once capacity is reached, additional sign-ups will be added to a wait-list and be filled upon receipt of cancellations. Non Members can attend at a $30 fee.

Smart Counsel Series: What You Should Know About Home & Auto Insurance: How to Protect Yourself, Your Kids & Your Property
2019-11-21 18:00 - 19:30 | Samuel Sayward & Baler
Our next presentation in our Smart Counsel Series is on Thursday, November 21, 2019, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at our office at 858 Washington Street, Dedham, Massachusetts. Our speakers will be insurance expert John Browne of the Corcoran & Havlin Insurance Group, and Attorney Dina B. Browne a partner in the law firm of Bletzer & Bletzer, P.C., who will discuss What You Should Know About Home & Auto Insurance: How to Protect Yourself, Your Kids & Your Property.

Planning Now For Long-Term Care After Incapacity
2019-10-17 13:00 - 14:00 | Dedham Senior Center at Traditions of Dedham, 735 Washington St, Dedham, MA, 02026, United States
What happens if you need long-term health care in a nursing home but you cannot make important financial and health care decisions on your own anymore due to dementia, serious injury or prolonged illness.
Join Attorneys Suzanne R. Sayward and Abigail V. Poole on Thursday, October 17th at 1:00 p.m. for a presentation on this important topic at the Dedham Senior Center located at 735 Washington Street, Dedham, Massachusetts. Please RSVP to Courtney Daly at (781)326-1650.

Smart Counsel Series - Long-Term Care Insurance: What is It, Do you Need It and Can you Afford It?
2019-09-19 18:00 - 19:30 | Samuel Sayward & Baler
Join us for the next presentation in our Smart Counsel Series on Thursday, September 19, 2019, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at our office at 858 Washington Street, Dedham, Massachusetts. Back by popular demand, the topic for this program will be Long-Term Care Insurance: What is It, Do you Need It and Can you Afford It?

Who Does What, When . . . ? The Role of the Fiduciary
2019-07-25 18:00 - 19:30 | Samuel Sayward & Baler
Join us for the next presentation in our Smart Counsel Series on Thursday, July 25, 2019, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm in our office at 858 Washington Street, Dedham, Massachusetts, for our program, Who Does What, When . . . The Role of the Fiduciary.

Suzanne Sayward and Maria Baler will be presenting on the role of the Fiduciary. What happens after you have created your estate plan documents at the time of your death? What needs to be done and why? When should it be done and how long will it take? What is the role of the Trustee of a Trust or the Executor/Personal Representative under a Will? Have you created documents that name a family member or friend to serve in one of these roles? Have you been named to serve in one of these capacities? Do you have questions about what it means to serve and what will be expected of you?

If you are named as a Trustee or Executor/Personal Representative, or if you want to have a better understanding of the duties the people you have named in your documents will need to perform, then this presentation is for you. We encourage you to bring one or more of the people you have named in your estate plan with you, along with your questions.

Wine, cheese and other light refreshments will be served. Contact Kenzie Sayward at 781/461-1020 or kenzie@ssbllc.com to reserve a spot for you and a friend.

The program is free but space is limited so don’t delay!

SSB Closed for July 4th & 5th
2019-07-03 08:00 - 17:00 | Samuel Sayward & Baler
The office will be closed in observance of independence day on Thursday and Friday.

SSB Closed for Independence Day
2019-06-20 08:00 - 17:00 | Samuel Sayward & Baler
The office will be closed on Thursday, July 4th

Mass Naela Dinner Meeting
2019-06-13 17:00 - 20:00 | MA
* Please note this event is invitation only
Multi State Considerations – Attorneys who practice in New Hampshire, Florida, Rhode Island, Vermont and New York will provide tips for drafting wills to make ancillary probate easier, transferring guardianships and conservatorships, and other tips for practitioners whose clients live in border towns or own real property in these other states.

Your Home v. the Nursing Home What happens to the Home when the Owner needs a Nursing Home?
2019-06-13 13:00 - 14:00 | Dedham Senior Center at Traditions of Dedham, 735 Washington St, Dedham, MA, 02026, United States
One of the biggest fears people have is losing their home to the nursing home. There are many horrifying stories out there, some true, some not, about how someone lost their home after an extended stay in a nursing home.
Join Attorneys Suzanne R. Sayward and Abigail V. Poole of the Dedham law firm of Samuel, Sayward & Baler LLC on Thursday, June 13, 2019, at 1:00 pm when they will share their expertise and answer your questions about this important topic. The program will feature a 30-minute presentation followed by 30 minutes of Question and Answer time.
Attorney Suzanne R. Sayward is a partner with the law firm of Samuel, Sayward & Baler LLC in Dedham, Massachusetts, where she concentrates her practice in the areas of estate planning, probate and trust administration, and elder law. She is certified as an Elder Law Attorney (CELA) by the National Elder Law Foundation. * Suzanne is a member of the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and served as the Chapter’s President in 2009. She contributes a newspaper column on estate planning and elder law issues to the Dedham Transcript on a regular basis and speaks on these topics to local community groups.
Attorney Abigail V. Poole is an associate with Samuel, Sayward & Baler LLC. Abby focuses her practice in estate planning, estate and trust administration and elder law. She is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Women’s Bar Association, the Massachusetts Bar Association, and the Massachusetts Forum of Estate Planning Attorneys.
* The National Elder Law Foundation is a private organization whose standards for certification are not regulated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Retirement — A Legal Checkup for Everyone with Attorney Maria Baler
2019-06-03 10:00 - 12:00 | Westwood Senior Center, 60 Nahatan Street, Westwood, MA, 02090
Sponsored by Samuel, Sawyer and Baler LLC
Monday, June 3, at 10 a.m.
$3 donation – Please sign up in advance so we know how many to expect
This is a great program to make sure you have your legal check list up to date. This important program is for anyone who wants to make sure they have all their legal documents in order.

Dedham Savings 2019 Economic Update Breakfast
2019-05-30 08:30 - 10:00 | Dedham Savings Bank, 55 Elm Street, Dedham, MA, 02026
Thursday, May 30th, Maria Baler will be the Dedham Savings 2019 Economic Update Breakfast

SSB Closed for Memorial Day
2019-05-27 08:00 - 17:00 | Samuel Sayward & Baler
Please note the office will be closed for Memorial Day 2019.
