You’ve spent decades building wealth worth keeping. The question nobody wants to ask is whether the people you’re leaving it to are ready for it. Not ready in a legal sense. Not “is the will signed” ready. Ready in the way that matters: Do your kids understand money? Do they know what you’ve built and […]
Estate Planning
Crypto and Your Estate Plan: Protecting Digital Assets from Probate
As more wealth is held online, many investors now own cryptocurrency, exchange-based digital assets, non-custodial wallets, and NFTs alongside traditional accounts. These holdings can create estate-planning issues that do not exist with conventional assets, because legal authority alone may not be enough if no one can identify the asset, satisfy a platform’s procedures, or access the wallet […]
What Happens to a Trust After Death? It Depends on the Trust’s Terms
When someone dies with a trust, beneficiaries are often left wondering what happens next. Will assets be distributed outright? Will they remain in trust? Are there tax consequences to consider? The answer depends on the trust itself. Trusts can be structured in many different ways, and the terms of the trust determine how assets are […]
Should You Leave Your Children an Inheritance Outright or in Trust?
Parents often want to help their children while also reducing the risk that an inheritance could be affected by divorce, creditor claims, bankruptcy, lawsuits, or a period of poor judgment. Framed that way, the real decision is not only what age a child should inherit, but whether and when the inheritance should pass into the […]
Massachusetts Professional Corporation Shares: Probate, Trusts, and the 12-Month Rule
The Unique Challenge of Massachusetts Professional Corporation Shares In Massachusetts, professional corporation (PC) shares, such as those in a medical, legal, or dental practice, are subject to special ownership and transfer rules. Chapter 156A generally limits ownership and transfers to people or entities that qualify under the statute, and the applicable professional licensing board may […]
Estate Planning for Physicians and Dentists: Protecting Your Professional Corporation (PCs) in Massachusetts
Owners of professional corporations (PCs), such as physicians, dentists, and other licensed professionals, face specific estate planning challenges in Massachusetts. The law restricts ownership of PC shares to licensed individuals, so a thoughtful plan is essential to ensure that your heirs receive the value of your business, even if they cannot legally own the shares […]
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Massachusetts?
Dying without a will is known as dying intestate. Massachusetts law provides a default inheritance structure based on the relatives who survive you. Beneficiary designations, certain forms of joint ownership, and assets held in trust can still pass outside that process, which is why the complete estate plan matters more than the will alone. How […]