Northborough, Massachusetts Elder Law Blog
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...
An Estate Plan Should Not Be a Set-It-and-Forget-It Endeavor
As we all know, life happens. There is really nothing we can do about it. However, some of the most common life events can have a dramatic effect on your estate plan. If you think your estate plan is like a slow cooker and you can set it and forget it, you and your...
Can a Trust Own My Business after I Die?
In general, the answer to the title question is yes, your trust can own your business after you die. However, there are a number of considerations that may impact the answer to this and the following questions. One consideration is the type of business interest you...
Updating Your Estate Plan: How Many Tweaks Are Too Many?
If your life or the law has changed since you signed your Last Will and Testament (Till) or Trust Agreement, you need to update your document. You can make updates to a revocable living trust by way of an amendment or a complete restatement of the Trust Agreement. An...
Dutiful Child or Manipulator of the Elderly?
As parents age and their physical and mental capacities diminish, it is natural for their adult children, recognizing the parents’ decreasing ability to care for themselves, to step in and help them. Often, a specific child will take over the bulk of the...
When a Gift May Not Be a Gift
It is better to give than to receive. But if you give a gift above a certain amount, you might end up owing money to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The federal tax code has very specific rules about how much you are allowed to transfer to others each year—and...
No Contribution Is Too Small
Most American strive to earn a decent-sized paycheck to support themselves and their families when they go to work. Stay-at-home parents, however, work to provide valuable nonfinancial contributions to their families everyday. They make sure that the home runs...
Estate Planning Considerations for Couples with an Age Gap
With couples of similar ages, planning for the future is naturally a joint effort. However, if you are married to someone who is significantly older or younger than you, the future can look different and mean different things to each of you. To protect yourself, your...