What does a homestead protect you from? Everyone has heard the phrase “sued out of house and home.” A proper declaration of homestead protection actually prevents that from happening. A homestead protects against attachment, seizure, execution on judgment, levy or...
For many, starting college often marks the entry into young adult hood. For many students, this will be the first time that they are living away from home. For those young adults who are over the age of eighteen, this is also the perfect time to execute advance...
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court recently decided two cases which touched upon an issue that many medical facilities and health care providers encounter on a regular basis. Specifically, the SJC addressed the issue of what constitutes a health care decision...
Many tax laws passed in 2001 as part of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act (“EGTRRA”) will expire on December 31, 2012. Under this current law, each individual has a federal estate tax exemption of $5.12 million, and the federal estate tax rate is...
By Attorney John Dugan Until recently, a family member or friend had to be appointed conservator to protect or manage property for a minor child or mentally incapacitated adult. This required expensive and time-consuming court filings, appointment of a guardian ad...
Massachusetts recently adopted the Uniform Probate Code (M.G.L. ch. 190B) and the Uniform Trust Code (M.G.L. ch. 203E). These codes are intended to modernize the state’s Probate and Trust laws, and make the administration of trusts and estates less costly and more...
