Establishing a special needs trust for a family member who requires help will add to the benefits he or she receives from the government.There are three types of special needs trusts to consider in first-party, third-party and pooled trust formats. First-party...
Movies and TV shows like to vilify characters with trust funds, portraying them as spoiled, entitled and averse to any kind of hard work. This repeated characterization has helped shape society's view of trusts. Most people think that trusts are only useful to the...
The end of another year is approaching in Massachusetts. Thoughts may inadvertently turn to tax time but it can also be an excellent time for some proactive estate planning. The tax law affords one the opportunity to share a portion of one's estate during a person's...
The end of another year is approaching, and people often take time to contemplate the year that has passed and look forward and plan for the year to come. As the population of Massachusetts and the rest of the country continues to age, thoughts naturally turn to...
It is often said that the only certainties in life are death and taxes. Sadly, death does not preclude the need to pay taxes. In addition to the distribution of an estate according to the deceased's will or trust, taxes must be paid by the estate. If the deceased did...
The family dynamic in Massachusetts and elsewhere around the country is changing. This is particularly important to be aware of as people approach retirement age. In prior generations, the majority of people entering retirement and approaching old age relied, to some...
Another year is coming to an end in Massachusetts. With the beginning of 2020, certain parameters and maximums are changing regarding estate and gift taxes. Among these are new limits on estate and gift amounts. Both provide important tools for estate planning.The...
Let us say that you only have a couple of years left before retirement. Your children are out on their own, and your spouse is already making post-retirement vacation plans.You should be happy, but you feel unsettled. Perhaps the time has come to prepare your will and...
Creating an estate plan is becoming more widely recognized as a necessity as the consequences of not having one are made evident by several famous people who died without having a will or other documents in place. In addition to having an estate plan, a person may be...
The makeup of a family has changed considerably over the years in Massachusetts and around the nation. As couples divorce and remarry, blended families have become more and more common where the makeup of a family can consist of half and stepsiblings. Estate planning,...