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Seminar on March 3, 2020

Significant Change in Rules Applicable to Retirement Plans

On December 20, 2019, Congress enacted the SECURE Act, which contains a significant change in how retirement plan benefits must be paid out to beneficiaries after the participant’s death.  For deaths occurring on or after January 1, 2020,...

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Avoiding Probate Court by Funding Your Revocable Trust

Every estate plan should include a Last Will; however, to avoid probate administration after your death, all of your assets must pass to the beneficiaries without looking at the Will. If the Will needs to be consulted, then it must be done through the...

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Scam Alert – Copy of Your Deed and Other Real Estate Matters

Scam Please be aware that a solicitation from any company offering to obtain a copy (certified or otherwise) of your deed for you for a fee is a scam.  If I have assisted you with the transfer of your property to trust or otherwise, then I have...

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Homestead Declaration

In Massachusetts, up to $125,000 of the equity in your home is automatically protected from creditors. However, with a simple document filed at your Registry of Deeds for $35 ($36 in Norfolk County), you can actually protect up to $500,000 of your...

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Beneficiary Designation Forms

When was the last time you updated, or even reviewed, your beneficiary designations for your retirement plans or life insurance? Periodic reviews are a good idea for several reasons. Companies are human too, so sometimes these forms get lost or...

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Health Care Documents

Who will make health care decisions for you if you are unable to do so for yourself? Will family members disagree about your care, especially in the event of terminal illness and life support systems? In a Health Care Proxy you determine who will make...

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Power of Attorney

A Power of Attorney is a document that operates during your lifetime. This document grants another person the power to stand in your shoes and take any action you can take with respect to your property and other financial rights. The purpose of this...

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Use Your Estate Tax Exclusions!

Each Massachusetts resident can pass up to $1 million at death without a Massachusetts estate tax. This is referred to as the estate tax exclusion. So, it seems to reason that a married couple can pass a total of $2 million to their children free of...

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