In an utterly predictable fashion, now that the media has calmed down about his overdose, they have turned their attention to Philip Seymour Hoffman’s will. I can just picture the eager little interns running down to the Manhattan Surrogate Court (which we call the Probate Court here in Massachusetts) to get a copy of his… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Estate Planning
As Your Family Changes, So Should Your Estate Plan
I have noticed that clients sometimes have difficulty making decisions on their estate plan because they can’t see the future. They get stuff on the “what if…” “We could name our friends out of state as guardians now while our kids are babies, but what if when they are older they don’t want to move?”… Continue Reading
Pros and Cons of Having A Revocable Living Trust
A revocable living trust is a legal entity (and a document) to which you transfer all or part of your assets during your lifetime. You retain the power to remove or sell the assets and to change or revoke the trust. It provides for the management and distribution of your property during your lifetime and… Continue Reading
Gifts for Aging Parents (and other people who don’t need more stuff)
I remember when I was little trying to figure out a gift for my nana at Christmas. My mother used to to tell me that my grandmother didn’t want more stuff, but rather something from our heart. A picture, a sleepover (where she let me cheat at go-fish and eat chocolate chips) or some help… Continue Reading
How To Talk About Your Wishes With Your Family
I encourage my clients to speak with their families about their estate plans and end of life wishes to make things easier on everyone during a crisis. I sometimes suggest that far flung families do this during get-togethers over the the holiday season. There are even services like Death Over Dinner that can help you… Continue Reading
I’m Retired, Now What?
Clients often come to me when they are nearing retirement, or shortly after, to update their estate plans. They find themselves with enormous amounts of paperwork from their former job about their various retirement benefits, have started getting mail from organizations who want their money or time and may find themselves dealing with confusing insurance… Continue Reading
Talking To Your Children About Money
The New York Times had a recent article on talking to your children about money. As you work on preparing your wills or trusts, you may find yourself needing to speak with your children about your finances. Although the NYTimes article is geared towards talking to younger children, the tips are the same no matter… Continue Reading
Can I Change My Will Without Telling My Spouse?
Like many things in the law, it depends. In general, you can change your will without informing your spouse. (One big exception to this would be if one of you has filed for divorce and there is a restraining order on assets.) This can sometimes come up if there are marital difficulties and you want… Continue Reading
Your Documents Aren’t Written in Stone
Most of the planning I do with my clients involves planning for contingencies – if your first choice of health care agent can’t serve, who do you want to help you? If a person named in your will predeceases you, where do you want their share to go? We want the documents to be flexible… Continue Reading
What Was James Gandolfini’s Mistake?
As is the custom when a celebrity dies, there is a rush to analyze what he or she left behind, who is getting what and how they are fighting about it. That is certainly the case with actor James Gandolfini, who passed away in June at age 51, leaving a 9 month old daughter and… Continue Reading