An estate planning myth shared by many childless couples goes something like this, “We don’t have any kids, so why would we need an estate plan? Whichever one of us lives longest will just inherit everything we own.”The rationale behind this notion is understandable because it embodies another myth about estate planning,...
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Options Available for Professional In-Home Care
The vast majority of elders needing assistance with daily living prefer to remain at home rather than move to an assisted living residence or a nursing home. Helping my clients accomplish this goal is one of the cornerstones of my practice. In the past, I’ve written about the resources available in Massachusetts to...
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Tips to Lower the Cost of Long-term Care Insurance
Given the high cost of long-term care, it should come as no surprise that many people ask me what I think about long-term care insurance. As I mentioned in a previous article, I am a big fan of long-term care insurance. This despite the fact that such insurance has...
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A Common Misconception about Wills and Probate
Many people believe that having a valid will allows their estate to avoid probate. This is not the case. In fact, the probate process focuses on authenticating a decedent’s will (if there is one) and approving the named “personal representative” so that he or she can settle...
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What Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange Must Know about “Service-Connected Disability Compensation” and “Presumptive Conditions”
Let’s begin by defining two terms. Service-connected disability compensation refers to payment to veterans for disabilities resulting from an injury or illness linked to their military service. Typically, a veteran must go through a lengthy process to prove that their disability stems from an injury or illness during their time in service. ...
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National Healthcare Decisions Day is April 16th. (I Wish it was Every Day!)
National Healthcare Decisions Day is April 16. It was created to educate the public about the importance of planning for a medical crisis ahead of time and to encourage adults to put their wishes in writing by creating a health care proxy. I could talk about the importance of this document for hours...
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Please Join Us in Welcoming Suzanne!
Please meet our new associate, Attorney Suzanne Bunszel! We are so happy to have her as a new member of our team.Suzanne began her legal career 28 years ago, earning a bachelor’s degree in Paralegal Studies. After working as a paralegal for five years, she enrolled in law school. Suzanne earned her...
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Lunch & Learn! Elder Law 101: Protecting Your Assets
On Tuesday, March 28, I’ll be making a presentation at The Allerton House at Harbor Park. I’ll be joined by Christine Lappas, Allerton House Sales Director.
Join us for lunch at 11:30 a.m. followed by an informative presentation at 12:00 to learn more about:
Health Care Proxy
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When Choosing a Nursing Home, Look Beyond Its CMS Star Rating
The Five-Star Quality Rating System was created by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide a quick summary of a nursing home’s overall level of quality. It is available on the medicare.gov website, and many families use this information when choosing a nursing home. However, the accuracy...
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Why Would Someone Consider Using a Spendthrift Trust?
A spendthrift trust is typically used to prevent a beneficiary from receiving an inheritance all at once. Why would a grantor (the person creating the trust) want to consider such an approach? The most obvious reason is that the grantor believes his or her beneficiary is a “spendthrift” and will quickly squander...
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