New Year’s resolutions are about planning your future and many of us view them as pathways to self-improvement -- to lose weight, exercise more, spend less on frivolous items, respond to emails more promptly. Beyond that, we often conceive of New Year’s resolutions as a means of tackling things we’ve been putting...
Special Needs Alliance Article: Your Special Needs Trust (“SNT”) Defined
You have a special needs trust— or you have been designated as the trustee of a special needs trust— or your child has a special needs trust. What is a trust? What is a trustee? What is a beneficiary? What are all these terms you’ve never used before even though your first...
AgingCare Article: Is Aging in Place Always the Best Option for Seniors?
As we age, most of us claim we want to age in place—to stay in the familiar homes we love throughout the rest of our lives. But many seniors don’t think this decision through and wind up unsafe, unsupported, lonely and even housebound.
“Elder orphans” is the phrase du...
Your New Year’s Legal Check-up
Written By: Attorney Erin L. Nunes, Esq.
Thankfully, a New Year is here, and with it comes a host of resolutions. A Neilson survey found that the top goals for the new year included: 1) staying fit and healthy, 2) losing weight, 3) enjoying life to the fullest, 4)...
AARP Article: How to Stop Stalling On Getting a Will and Estate Plan
Simple, essential steps for putting your affairs in order
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Written by Sarah Mahoney and Sheila Anne Feeney
The steady drone of coronavirus news these past nine months has spurred countless older Americans to face a long-procrastinated task: writing — or rewriting — their wills. But millions of...
CNBC Article: Former Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh died without a will, reports say. Here’s why you should plan for your own death
Estate planning, which includes drawing up a will, does not only apply to wealthy people.If you pass away without a will, a state court generally decides who gets your assets and, if you have children, who will care for them.Some assets need to be addressed separately, including retirement accounts and life insurance.
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USA Today Article: Don’t leave grieving relatives searching for your passwords
Here's how to organize your digital life before you die
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There was a time when you didn’t worry much about your email account, or the website you bought years ago, or your usernames and passwords for various financial and other accounts.
But now you do....
Kiplinger Article: Should I Start Gifting Money (or Even My House) to My Kids?
As for giving away your money while you’re still alive to see it go to the ones you love, there are pros and cons to think about. But when it comes to your house, giving that away is probably a really bad idea.
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When thinking about estate planning,...
Is There a Downside to Being an Executor in Massachusetts?
Perhaps someone has approached you to be his or her personal representative (aka executor), or perhaps you have been named earlier by someone who recently passed away. Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed or confused? If so, you are hardly alone. The best step to take if you find yourself in this...
Common Estate Planning Mistakes
Estate planning mistakes are all too common. The best way of avoiding them is to engage the services of a highly qualified estate planning attorney. If you live in Southeastern Massachusetts or Cape Cod, Surprenant & Beneski, P.C. has several talented attorneys well-prepared to assist you. Each of us is adept...