Bristol County, MA Estate Planning Lawyers

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Includes: Gift Taxation

James A. Donnelly

Wills & Probate, Estate Planning, Family Law, Child Support
Status:  In Good Standing           

Laurie Phillips Mullen

Estate Planning, Family Law, Criminal, Contract
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  35 Years

Stephen A Lechter

Real Estate, Estate Planning, Family Law, Personal Injury
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  49 Years

Eliot Brais

Wills & Probate, Estate Planning, DUI-DWI, Insurance
Status:  In Good Standing           

Michael P. Costa

Personal Injury, DUI-DWI, Divorce, Estate Planning
Status:  In Good Standing           

Michael Luey

Trusts, Gift Taxation
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  56 Years

Michelle M. Gagne

Estate Planning, Divorce, Juvenile Law, Criminal
Status:  In Good Standing           

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Free Help: Use This Form or Call 800-943-8690

Member Representative

Call me for fastest results!
800-943-8690

Free Help: Use This Form or Call 800-943-8690

By submitting this lawyer request, I confirm I have read and agree to the Consent to Receive Messages from all messaging and voice technologies including Email, Text, Phone, Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy. Information provided is not privileged or confidential.

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Easily find Massachusetts Estate Planning Lawyers and Massachusetts Estate Planning Law Firms for your location. Narrow your Estate Planning attorney search for Massachusetts by major city or a specific Massachusetts city using the city list. Or search for Massachusetts Estate Planning attorneys by county. For more attorneys, search all Estate areas including Trusts, Wills & Probate and Power of Attorney attorneys.

LEGAL TERMS

RESIDUARY BENEFICIARY

A person who receives any property by a will or trust that is not specifically left to another designated beneficiary. For example, if Antonio makes a will leav... (more...)
A person who receives any property by a will or trust that is not specifically left to another designated beneficiary. For example, if Antonio makes a will leaving his home to Edwina and the remainder of his property to Elmo, then Elmo is the residuary beneficiary.

GENERATION-SKIPPING TRANSFER TAX

A federal tax imposed on money placed in a generation-skipping trust. Currently, there is a $1 million exemption to the GSTT; that is, each person may leave $1 ... (more...)
A federal tax imposed on money placed in a generation-skipping trust. Currently, there is a $1 million exemption to the GSTT; that is, each person may leave $1 million in a generation-skipping trust free of this tax. The GSST is imposed when the middle-generation beneficiaries die and the property is transferred to the third-generation beneficiaries. Every dollar over $1 million is subject to the highest existing estate tax rate--currently 55%--at the time the GSTT tax is applied.

PROBATE

The court process following a person's death that includes proving the authenticity of the deceased person's will appointing someone to handle the deceased pers... (more...)
The court process following a person's death that includes proving the authenticity of the deceased person's will appointing someone to handle the deceased person's affairs identifying and inventorying the deceased person's property paying debts and taxes identifying heirs, and distributing the deceased person's property according to the will or, if there is no will, according to state law. Formal court-supervised probate is a costly, time-consuming process -- a windfall for lawyers -- which is best avoided if possible.

EXECUTOR

The person named in a will to handle the property of someone who has died. The executor collects the property, pays debts and taxes, and then distributes what's... (more...)
The person named in a will to handle the property of someone who has died. The executor collects the property, pays debts and taxes, and then distributes what's left, as specified in the will. The executor also handles any probate court proceedings and notifies people and organizations of the death. Also called personal representatives.

INVESTOR

A person who makes investments. An investor may act either for herself or on behalf of others. A stock broker or mutual fund manager, for instance, makes invest... (more...)
A person who makes investments. An investor may act either for herself or on behalf of others. A stock broker or mutual fund manager, for instance, makes investments for others who have entrusted her with their money.

LAPSE

Under a will, the failure of a gift of property. A gift lapses when the beneficiary dies before the person who made the will, and no alternate has been named. S... (more...)
Under a will, the failure of a gift of property. A gift lapses when the beneficiary dies before the person who made the will, and no alternate has been named. Some states have anti-lapse statutes, which prevent gifts to relatives of the deceased person from lapsing unless the relative has no heirs of his or her own. A lapsed gift becomes part of the residuary estate.

QTIP TRUST

A type of trust for wealthy married couples that allows a surviving spouse to postpone estate taxes. A QTIP trust allows the surviving spouse to make use of the... (more...)
A type of trust for wealthy married couples that allows a surviving spouse to postpone estate taxes. A QTIP trust allows the surviving spouse to make use of the trust property tax-free. Taxes are deferred until the surviving spouse dies and the trust property is received by the final trust beneficiaries, who were named by the first spouse to die.

ABSTRACT OF TRUST

A condensed version of a living trust document, which leaves out details of what is in the trust and the identity of the beneficiaries. You can show an abstract... (more...)
A condensed version of a living trust document, which leaves out details of what is in the trust and the identity of the beneficiaries. You can show an abstract of trust to a financial organization or other institution to prove that you have established a valid living trust, without revealing specifics that you want to keep private. In some states, this document is called a 'certification of trust.'

BANKRUPTCY ESTATE

All of the property you own when you file for bankruptcy, except for most pensions and educational trusts. The trustee technically takes control of your bankrup... (more...)
All of the property you own when you file for bankruptcy, except for most pensions and educational trusts. The trustee technically takes control of your bankruptcy estate for the duration of your case.

SAMPLE LEGAL CASES

Dwyer v. Dwyer

... trust. She alleges that, because of drafting errors, the trust as written fails to give effect to one of the donor's principal estate planning goals, that is, to transfer his property to his family while minimizing adverse tax consequences. ...

Shultz v. Shultz

... Hanna and Lucas are the minor children of Arnon. Jean and Samson retained attorney Judah Rubin to implement an estate plan that would achieve their estate planning goals, one of which was the minimization of Federal and State estate taxes. ...

Germain v. Girard

... the lawsuit. Alan conducted all communications with Bowditch & Dewey concerning George's estate plan, initially with Fenton and later with Attorney Maryjo Hart (who prepared the estate planning documents). On November ...