Estate Planning

If you can’t find the original signed will, Massachusetts law presumes the decedent destroyed it on purpose — meaning they intended to revoke it. That presumption can be overcome, but it shifts the burden to whoever wants the will admitted. You’ll need to file for formal probate, present a copy of the will, and offer evidence […]

If you’re not legally married and your partner dies without a will, Massachusetts gives you nothing — even after thirty years together, even with children, even if you owned a home together. The estate passes by intestacy to the decedent’s biological family. There’s no surviving-partner equivalent of a surviving spouse under Massachusetts law. Almost every protection

A standard will works fine for a straightforward family. One marriage, shared children, no competing interests. But if you have remarried, have children from a prior relationship, or are raising stepchildren, a standard will is not just insufficient. It can actively work against you. The problem is not that standard wills are poorly written. The

You and your business partner have probably talked about growth plans, revenue targets, and client acquisition. But have you talked about what happens if one of you dies, becomes disabled, or decides to walk away? If the answer is no, your business is operating without a safety net. A buy-sell agreement is the document that

Estate planning is personal. For transgender individuals, it is deeply personal because the documents that govern your medical care, your assets, and your final wishes need to reflect who you actually are. When those documents contain outdated names, incorrect pronouns, or fail to account for family dynamics unique to transgender people, the consequences can range

For many Massachusetts families, the family home represents decades of hard work, cherished memories, and financial security. So when people learn that MassHealth — Massachusetts’s Medicaid program — can pursue reimbursement from their home after they pass away, the reaction is understandable: “How do I prevent that from happening?” It’s an important question, and the

Divorce changes everything — including your estate plan. But here’s what many people don’t realize: even after a divorce is finalized, your ex-spouse may still have a pathway to your assets. Not directly, but through your children. If you leave an inheritance to your children outright, those assets become part of their financial picture. And

If you are a stepparent in Massachusetts, the law does not recognize your stepchildren as your legal heirs. That is not a gray area. It is the default rule, and it catches blended families off guard every day. Under the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code, only biological and legally adopted children qualify as heirs for purposes