Wills

Boston Will Attorney

Every person should have a will to determine how property will be distributed after death and to nominate a guardian for children. I have more than 25 years of experience in guiding families through the estate-planning process.

Estate planning should be a comprehensive process that considers everything you own and everyone who is important to you. In addition to a will, the following are three other important estate-planning documents in Massachusetts:

• A power of attorney to nominate someone to make financial decisions if you are incapacitated.



• A health care proxy to nominate an agent to make health care decisions for you when you cannot make them, including decisions about end-of-life care and the withholding of medical treatment. You can make your health care proxy as specific as you want, to represent your philosophy about end-of-life medical care. This document is known as an advance health care directive or a living will in other states.



• A trust to pass property to your heirs in the manner of your choosing, without going through probate court.

A will is an important part of the orderly administration of your affairs. If you die without a will, Massachusetts has intestacy laws that will dictate how your property is distributed. That may not be what you want, however. For example, if you have minor children, under the intestate laws, the minors would have control of their inheritance as soon as they reach age 18. If you create a will, you can direct that the money go into a trust for the benefit of your children until they are older. If you die without nominating a guardian, a probate court will decide who takes care of your children.

With more than 25 years of experience, I have the ability to guide you through the process of drafting a comprehensive estate plan, including a will, trust, health care proxy (living will), and power of attorney. To set up an appointment, contact Boston estate-planning lawyer Linda Sternberg.