What To Expect When Working With Us

At Surprenant & Beneski, P.C., we consider communication to be at the core of the client-attorney relationship. We are as intent on helping you understand the importance of estate planning and guiding you through the process as we are on paying close attention to your unique personal and financial needs. We not only assess your overall situation through meaningful consultation; we also draft and review all necessary documents. In addition, we form a bond of trust by providing helpful information and appropriate advice. When you work with our highly skilled estate planning attorneys, you can rest assured that your assets will be well-protected, your loved ones well provided for, and your legacy preserved. 

Though we realize that the task of estate planning can seem overwhelming, we pride ourselves on clarifying the steps that must be taken and the choices that must be made. When you work with us, you will never feel out of the loop. Once you consult with us, you will quickly come to realize the importance of having expert counsel from a qualified estate planning attorney. Estate planning is definitely a collaborative enterprise. You will explain your plans and wishes for the future and we will provide you with options concerning how best to achieve them. Our services include:

Organization 

For many people, the hardest part of approaching a project like estate planning is amassing and putting order to the many and varied pieces essential to the task. The larger your estate, the more complicated its details are likely to be, though even moderate estates involve a great many documents. Because the lawyers at Surprenant & Beneski are knowledgeable and experienced, we are adept at helping you to assemble and keep track of your various papers, to ensure that critical documents, like those listed below, don’t go missing:

  • Bank records
  • Investments
  • Deeds of ownership
  • Insurance policies
  • Tax records
  • Contact information for healthcare agents, guardians, executors, trustees  

As you may have already realized in other aspects of your life, it is often easier for professionals to organize your paperwork because they do not have the emotional ties that may prevent you from seeing the big picture on the one hand and the brushstrokes on the other. This ability will keep your stress level to a minimum by putting order to what may have seemed to be miscellaneous financial and emotional priorities.

Strategy

Because our lead attorneys are two out of only 30 Certified Elder Law Attorneys (CELAs) in Massachusetts, we have what it takes to develop a customized strategy to meet your estate planning needs. Estate planning and handling elder law issues are not do-it-yourself projects. They require the steady hands of those with the proficiency and consummate skill that come from in-depth knowledge and comprehensive experience. At Surprenant & Beneski, we will craft a strategy in keeping with your goals, showing you the steps you need to take, and regularly reviewing your progress towards achieving them.

Objectivity

As previously noted, we have the insight that comes with well-developed perspective, including the ability to keep both the forest and the trees in focus. Being outside of the emotions that unavoidably interfere with your objectivity (though they enrich your life), we are here to help you make decisions that will benefit you and your family in terms of foreseeing possible conflicts and avoiding potential risks. We are always available to help you navigate life transitions (births, marriages, divorces, relocations, illnesses, accidents, deaths) by regularly assessing both your particular situation and changes in state and federal law. To accomplish this, we offer you a free, 30-minute review every three years. 

Education 

In order to keep you apprised of current changes in the law, we will examine all aspects of your ever-changing life circumstances and explore what specific knowledge is applicable to your present situation. We will also be on the lookout for ways to improve your estate plan in terms of asset protection, government benefits, and inheritance options as statutes change.

Partnership

At Surprenant & Beneski, we know that being the best possible estate planning/elder law attorneys means working not just for you, but as your partner. We will recommend options to you only once we have taken the time to clearly understand your background, philosophy, needs and objectives, so that we are able to work collaboratively with you and offer transparency around our own costs and compensation.

Value 

Working with a well-respected estate planning attorney will protect you and your loved ones both financially and emotionally. Without proper documents in place, your assets may be threatened by excessive taxation and other unnecessary costs. Furthermore, without careful scrutiny, your estate plan may inadvertently jeopardize your well-being or that of family members in terms of healthcare coverage or receiving government benefits. There is also the disturbing possibility that, without professional oversight, you may cause unintentionally cause friction among your beneficiaries after you pass. 

The Benefits of Working with Surprenant & Beneski

Overall, the advantages of becoming a client of our practice include the following: 

  • Saving on future needs by avoiding cost of conservatorship, guardianship, etc. 
  • Minimizing or avoiding taxes
  • Avoiding probate cost 
  • Facilitating your healthcare in the case of incapacity with pre-arranged documentation
  • Avoiding loss of government benefits for you or your heirs if either require long-term care 
  • Preserving your legacy involving heirs, businesses, charitable contributions, etc. 

Most of all, engaging the services of Surprenant & Beneski gives you the benefit of peace of mind. When you work on your estate plan with our excellent estate planning/elder law attorneys, you can rest assured that you, your assets, your family and your future are in capable hands.