2013 Articles
Reverse Mortgages for the Affluent, Too: Are You Up to Speed on the Advantages and New Regulations for 2014?
- Hyman G. Darling • 2013-12-30
- More and more people are starting to realize that reverse mortgages aren’t just for those struggling to keep their homes. These loans can also work for affluent retirees as a …
A Never-ending Process – Here’s a Helpful Estate-planning Year-end Checklist
- Lisa L. Halbert • 2013-12-16
- As the end of 2013 approaches, this is a good time to take stock and review where you have been and where you want to head. Financial planners encourage annual …
Year End Tax Planning – It’s Not Too Late
- Gina M. Barry • 2013-12-01
- With the approach of Thanksgiving, the holiday season has begun. As you sit down for your holiday dinner, remember that soon Uncle Sam will be visiting you to enjoy his …
The Bay State’s Personnel Records Law Beware – There Are Some Traps for the Unwary Employer
- Kathryn S. Crouss • 2013-11-04
- The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has strict regulations regarding employee records, and non-compliance can be costly for employers. Employers and employees should be aware of certain obligations and rights regarding an …
Eliminating Guesswork: Effective Legal Planning for People with Alzheimer’s Disease
- Todd C. Ratner • 2013-11-01
- Although it is important for everyone to plan for their future, legal planning for those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease takes on heightened importance. Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic, progressive illness …
Things to Know When Your Child is Also Your Caregiver
- Gina M. Barry • 2013-11-01
- It is very common for a child to provide care to an aging parent in order to allow the parent to continue to live at home. A child is most …
The Importance of the Special-needs Trust
- Hyman G. Darling • 2013-10-07
- A special needs trust, or sometimes referred to as a supplemental needs trust, is a document that is established to provide for a family member who has a disability. The …
Estate Tax Update
- Gina M. Barry • 2013-10-01
- When a Massachusetts resident passes away, every asset that he or she owns is subject to estate tax. Estate tax is imposed by both the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (state estate …
Planning for Incapacity: Take Steps Now to Keep the Court out of Your Personal Decisions
- Gina M. Barry • 2013-09-23
- If you were to become incapable of making your medical and financial decisions, do you know who would handle your affairs? Failing to plan for incapacity may mean becoming subject …
An Estate Plan is Only Four Documents Away
- Gina M. Barry • 2013-09-01
- When it comes to estate planning, the old adage is true. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Many people believe that they do not have enough …
Is This the Time to Fight? When Divorce Is Complicated by Serious Medical Concerns
- Melissa R. Gillis • 2013-08-01
- Divorce, parenting time issues, and full blown custody battles are not easy. In fact, they are stressful to say the least. But what happens when one parent is not only …
Same Sex Married Couples Now Enjoy Same Rights Under Federal Law
- Gina M. Barry • 2013-08-01
- Until recently, and even if they were married in a state that recognizes same sex marriage, married same sex couples were treated differently under federal law than heterosexual married couples. …
Bullying in the Workplace: Legislation Seeks to Protect Workers from Abuse, Harassment
- Kathryn S. Crouss • 2013-07-29
- A public hearing was held on June 25, 2013 before the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development regarding HB 1766, proposed legislation entitled “An Act addressing workplace bullying, mobbing, …
Call Your Lawyer: Don’t Put Off Estate Planning for Your College-aged Children
- Lisa L. Halbert • 2013-07-21
- Summer is here and your college aged kids (or grandkids) are on break, or home from school, if only for a short period of time. While these technically “legal” adults …
Deed with Life Estate
- Todd C. Ratner • 2013-07-01
- A person’s home is oftentimes the most valuable asset that they may own. As an estate planning and elder law attorney, I am frequently asked how a home can ultimately …
Estate Planning Myths Explained
- Gina M. Barry • 2013-07-01
- Myth #1 – “If I have a valid Will, my estate does not have to go through probate.” The assets in your probate estate are those that are held in …
Assisted Living or In-home Care? This Can Often Be a Difficult Decision for Your Loved One
- Todd C. Ratner • 2013-06-01
- At some point, many people reach a time in their lives where they need help with day-to-day living. Elders oftentimes have unique emotional and medical needs that must be assessed. …
Considerations for Collectors
- Gina M. Barry • 2013-06-01
- Spring has sprung, and many of us have begun our spring cleaning. As we clean, we often find ourselves clearing the dust off of our collections. Some items we collect …
Does My Child Need Guardianship?
- Hyman G. Darling • 2013-06-01
- As a child with cognitive disabilities nears his or her 18th birthday, parents often wonder whether they should seek a guardianship over their child. The short answer to this question …
Capital Idea: Changes in the Law Greatly Benefit Those Selling Their Homes
- Hyman G. Darling • 2013-05-01
- Your home is likely your greatest investment, and fortunately, the IRS provides significant tax benefits upon the sale of it, which have evolved to greater benefit you. Many people remember …
Special Needs Require Special Planning
- Gina M. Barry • 2013-05-01
- Many people in the United States are currently considered disabled as defined by Social Security. Their disability may entitle them to receive various benefits that are provided by the federal …
Custody of a Special-needs Child: Sometimes, It’s Better to Focus on Quality Parent Time, Not Quantity
- Melissa R. Gillis • 2013-04-01
- Child custody disputes, whether because of a divorce, modification of a prior judgment, or for never married parents who are no longer together, is a difficult, confusing and stressful process. …
You Can’t Take it With You: Consider Charity in Your Final Plans
- Gina M. Barry • 2013-04-01
- Do you donate money to charity each year? Perhaps you donate to an organization dedicated to finding a cure for an awful disease that has affected your life or the …
Organizing Your Estate Plan
- Gina M. Barry • 2013-03-01
- Many people are currently in the process of organizing their financial information in preparation for the completion of their yearly income tax returns. If you have kept your records in …
Regional Law Firm Attorneys Honored as 2012 SuperLawyers & Rising Stars
- Christine Pilch Mancini
Marketing Director
CPilchMancini(at)BaconWilson.com
• 2013-02-21
- Springfield, MA – The Springfield-based regional law firm of Bacon Wilson, P.C. is pleased to announce that five of their attorneys have been distinguished as New England “SuperLawyers” and six …
Estate Planning 2013: Changes That May Affect You
- Todd C. Ratner • 2013-02-15
- On January 2, 2013, after much debate, President Obama signed the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (the Act) into law. The Act makes significant changes that will affect many …
Legal Practice: Law Students and Graduates Gain Valuable Experience as Clerks
- Joseph Bednar • 2013-02-11
- They often work behind the scenes, providing support to attorneys, judges, and others – writing, researching, and otherwise witnessing the mechanics of law. They’re clerks, usually law students or recent …
Cliff Notes – A 2013 Tax Update – What’s Changed, and What Hasn’t
- Hyman G. Darling • 2013-02-01
- It appears that in the short term, Congress and the President have agreed on tax legislation to avoid the proverbial fiscal cliff. Instead of reviewing what would have happened had …
Moving Forward with a Reverse Mortgage
- Gina M. Barry • 2013-02-01
- A multitude of seniors, having paid off their mortgages many years ago, currently own their homes free and clear of any debt. Some are fortunate, and they have a nest …
Estate-planning Myths Explained – To Avoid Problems, Separate Facts from Assumptions
- Gina M. Barry • 2013-01-01
- Certain ideas with respect to estate planning are widely accepted, yet unfortunately, inaccurate. This article will reveal and explain the most commonly stated estate planning myths. Myth #1 – “If …
‘Tis the Season . . . to Review Your Estate Plan: A New Year’s Resolution That’s Easy to Keep
- Gina M. Barry • 2013-01-01
- Have you made your New Year’s resolutions yet? Most resolutions are so cumbersome, they are impossible to keep. A simple resolution to make and keep is to review your estate …