We may have entered the digital age, but the telephone remains a key weapon in a scammers' arsenals. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received about 1.25 million fraud complaints in 2020 in which a contact method was identified, and in nearly 1 in 3 cases a call was the swindler’s way in....
Estate Planning Blog – Surprenant, Beneski & Nunes
Don’t Be Fearful of Probate — Avoid It
Many of our clients, particularly those with substantial estates, are fearful of probate. They have learned that this process, during which the will of a deceased person is legally validated, can be expensive and time-consuming. When they contact us and begin working with our knowledgeable, highly competent estate planning attorneys,...
Use Estate Planning to Protect Your Family if You Die Without Warning
At Surprenant & Beneski, P.C., we are well aware that working with estate planners is the way to protect your family from the logistical, legal, and financial problems that may beset them when you die, especially if you die suddenly and unexpectedly.
While nobody likes to think about...
Finding Ways To Pay for Your Child’s Education with Your Estate Planner
Even if there are two wage earners contributing to your family’s income, for most families the thought of how to fund their child’s higher education is daunting. If you have several children whose education you’re planning to finance, the prospect can be downright terrifying.
As with most worries about...
Why Are Seniors So Often Victimized By Scam Artists?
Unfortunately, the older we get, the more likely we are to be targeted by cruel financial scams. This is basically because criminal predators go after the most vulnerable, those more likely to be taken in by their fraudulent schemes. There are many reasons that seniors are easier to victimize, none of them...
Excuses Why People Don’t Have an Estate Plan
Many clients fail to plan because they are under the assumption that estate planning is only for the wealthy. If you have any assets or any children, you have a need to plan. Estate planning is used to protect individuals and their loved ones of all ages and at all stages of life....
Where to Keep Your Legal Documents
So, you’ve planned ahead and have decided how you want your affairs to be handled upon your passing. You have signed all of your Basic Estate Planning documents: a Last Will and Testament, a Durable Power of Attorney, a living will, a Massachusetts Health Care Proxy, and a HIPAA Release. You may...
10 Ways to Deal With Siblings Who Don’t Help With Aging Parents
When the health of an elderly parent starts to decline, typically one sibling steps in to become the primary caregiver. The demands start out small. Care is easy at first. But as care demands more time and money, stress builds and so can resentment toward non-contributing family members. Old rivalries and jealousies...
Estate Planning for a Multi-Generational Family
Times have changed and so has the idea of what a traditional family looks like. Due to economic or practical circumstances, more households have become multi-generational homes with grandparents, parents and children all living under one roof, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of census data. The dynamic of a multi-generational...
Bayada Article: 7 tips for keeping your heart healthy as you age!
Here are some tips for maintaining cardiovascular health according to the American Heart Association; heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US, accounting for about one in every four deaths. Although your chance of getting a cardiovascular disease increases with age, don’t just assume that it’s going to happen!...