At Surprenant & Beneski, P.C., we understand the importance of customizing estate plans to meet the needs and goals of each individual. We also know that estate planning evolves as life changes, so estate plans must be continually re-evaluated and updated. Your lifestyle and plans for the future change with significant...
Estate Planning: Don’t Leave An Electronic Mess
Most people begin to downsize as they get older, partly to make their homes more convenient and simpler to manage and partly to avoid leaving an overwhelming number of unusable items for their children to sift through after they’re gone. Many of these same people, however, forget that their home in cyberspace...
What Steps Should I Take as a Personal Representative After the Death of My Loved One?
Being a personal representative (executor) is a serious job. It is also a stressful one since you have to perform your duties while grieving and perhaps overwhelmed by loss. Engaging the services of a skilled estate planning attorney is essential. If you live in Southeastern Massachusetts, the law team at...
Long-Term Partnerships Require Special Planning
Today, it is common for couples, including those with children, to live together without getting married. If you are unmarried and living with a long-term partner, you should be aware of the importance of estate planning in both of your lives. In fact, planning for the future may be even more...
Just Married: Do We Need an Estate Plan?
Marriage is not only an emotional and spiritual union; it is also a legal one. This is why newlyweds need to establish a strong foundation of legal documents to back up their recent vows. To do this, they need a capable, trustworthy estate planning attorney. If you have recently tied the...
Thinking of Naming Minor Children as Beneficiaries of Your Life Insurance Policy? Think Again.
Providing for your loved ones when you pass away is a major motivating factor in estate planning. Nonetheless, making your minor child a beneficiary of your life insurance policy is not a sensible way to do this. In this blog, we will consider the significant drawbacks of taking such an action...
Key Provisions to Include in Your Estate Plan After Having Kids
When you plan your estate, you’re mapping out your future. When you have children, you are also mapping out their future until adulthood. Undertaking this task successfully requires the guidance of an experienced, capable estate planning attorney. If you live in Southeastern Massachusetts, you have easy access to the seasoned lawyers of...
Do I Really Need an Estate Plan? 7 Questions to Help You Answer This One
Many of the clients who come to Surprenant & Beneski are uncertain whether they really need an estate plan and want to discuss what purposes it might serve. During our consultation with them, we often pose some of the following questions to help them understand the many reasons why having an estate...
Don’t Forget to Update Your Estate Plan After Divorce
Getting divorced is life-changing, but many people neglect legal and financial issues that must be addressed. Although there are certainly enough practical matters requiring immediate attention (e.g. relocation, childcare, etc.), too many newly divorced individuals neglect to check in with their estate planning attorneys to update essential documents for too long. The...
Estate Planning When You’re Pregnant or Adopting
At Surprenant & Beneski, our estate planning attorneys are well aware of the excitement surrounding the birth or adoption of a child. Family expansion is one of the primary reasons adults, married or single, feel inclined to contact us and begin planning their future or updating their existing estate plans. After all,...