Northborough, Massachusetts Elder Law Blog
Does a Domestic Partner Have the Same Rights as a Spouse When It Comes to Estate Planning?
The short answer to whether couples in a domestic partnership have the same rights as married couples when it comes to estate planning is probably not. To a large extent, the state in which you live, and maybe even the city or county, determines domestic partners’...
Yours, Mine, and Ours: How Including a Pour-Over Trust Can Simplify Your Planning
A number of married couples think about their accounts and property as “yours, mine, and ours,” especially if either or both spouses have gotten or will be getting remarried, married late in life, or have brought or will be bringing significant amounts of money and...
What to Know about Nonfungible Tokens
A nonfungible token (NFT) is a unique digital code that represents a digital item such as art or music, as well as a growing number of physical items, that runs on the blockchain (a secure, decentralized, and cryptography-backed online ledger) and provides proof of...
Myths We Tell Ourselves about Estate Planning
Estate planning can be a very difficult process. While it is not brain surgery, making the decision to move forward with an estate plan requires us to face the fact that we will not live forever. This thought stops many people in their tracks. Others talk themselves...
Important Questions to Ask When Investing in a Vacation Property
According to the National Association of Home Builders, in 2018 there were approximately 7.5 million second homes, making up 5.5 percent of the total number of homes.[1] These homes are not only real estate that must be planned for, managed, and maintained, they are...
Estate Planning Lessons We Can Learn from Encanto
Not only is Disney’s award-winning animated film Encanto hugely entertaining, it also contains the following valuable estate planning lessons: Leaving a family legacy is important and can have an impact beyond your immediate family. Be sure to consider the...
Do You Update Your Estate Plan as Often as Your Resume?
A resume is a snapshot of your experience, skill set, and education that provides prospective employers insight into who you are and how you will perform. Imagine not updating your resume for five, ten, or even fifteen years. Would it accurately reflect your...
Don’t Have a Lot of Money? Here Are Seven Ways You Can Still Leave Your Family a Great Legacy
Although the word “inheritance” usually conjures up images of property or accounts with significant monetary value, you can leave your family an even longer-lasting inheritance by doing these seven things, whether or not your bank account is overflowing. Make a Plan...
LGBTQ+ Estate Planning to Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones
Estate planning is for everyone. Regardless of your wealth, age, marital status, gender identity, or sexual orientation, it is crucial to have a plan in place to protect your money, property, and loved ones in the event of an accident, illness, or death. For LGBTQ+...
What Happens to My Spouse’s Debts at Their Death?
A spouse’s death creates a difficult and demanding time for the surviving partner. As much as you might want space and time alone to process your grief, you may have certain responsibilities related to settling your deceased spouse’s affairs, including paying off...