Estate Planning

We create a comfortable environment to discuss the harder topics. After all, estate planning is more than a will.  It is about having the documents in place to allow your family to care for you during your life, in the event of accident or illness.  Further, it is designed to facilitate the care of your loved ones after your death, passing your estate to those you care about.  This is why it’s crucial to consider what is most important to you—so, as a team, Prosperity Law and you can successfully achieve the objectives.

MORE THAN A PLAN — PEACE OF MIND.

At Prosperity Law, we discuss with you a variety of topics underneath the estate planning umbrella.  A few examples are below:

• Consideration of proposed guardian(s) of your children and/or pets
• Establishing a vehicle by which your guardians can care for your minor children financially
• Why a Massachusetts Health Care Proxy is an essential life document
• Your healthcare wishes in multiple scenarios and communicating them to your health care agent
• Softening the impact of your passing to your loved ones
• Your ideal ceremony after your passing
• Establishing fiduciaries who would pay your mortgage or run your business in your absence

Probate & Trust

When a loved one passes away with only a Will in place, or with no estate plan at all, their family is required to put the estate through a court-managed process referred to as probate.  While most of our clients establish a revokable trust to avoid probate, the majority of estates do go through probate, which can be a confusing and grueling process.  We’re here to guide those families through that potentially frustrating process.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT IN PROBATE

No two probates are ever the same, yet some of them involve locating the Will and making a filing with the probate court.  Once the Will has been accepted by the court, the court appoints a personal representative.  All of the deceased’s heirs need to be formally notified in writing.  They will have the opportunity to review the Will and make any appropriate challenges or contests.

After debts and taxes are paid, assets are distributed in accordance with the Will.  Some assets, such as life insurance and retirement accounts, may not be affected by the probate process and would pass directly to the named beneficiary.  Other kinds of assets, like those held in joint tenancy, will pass directly to the other joint tenant.  All these assets are considered part of the estate for purposes of calculating whether taxes could be applied or be regarded as part of any existing or future Medicaid applications.  Additionally, estates over a certain threshold have to be probated whether they are taxable or not.

If you find yourself in probate, Prosperity Law will guide you along the process.  If a loved one has recently passed away and you’d like a no-cost, confidential consultation to discuss the next possible.

Real Estate Services

In order to meet our clientele’s growing needs, Prosperity Law also offers a wide array of real estate services.  These include:

• Real Estate Closings
• Settlement Services
• Refinancing
• Purchases
• Title Insurance
• Residential Property Transactions
• Commercial Property Transactions
• Residential and commercial leases
• Condominium creation and review

As part of our diverse service offerings, Prosperity Law represents buyers, sellers and lenders in all Massachusetts residential property transactions. Real estate law transactions are complex and several issues must be resolved before both parties can finalize.  Tax implications play a critical role for both the buyers and sellers of property.  Rest assured that any and all disputes that may arise will be handled by our team of highly-trained and experienced lawyers.

Prosperity Law works hard to protect your interests as against all other parties involved in residential and commercial property transactions.  We pride ourselves on efficiency of service as well for our clients.  We understand the value of your time and resources.

Contact us and let us know how we can be of service of your next real estate transaction to ensure you walk away with the best outcome.