Estate PLANNING
At Breneville Law Offices, we offer services in the area of Estate Planning and Elder Law. We define Estate Planning as the process of protecting a person’s wealth during his or her life while making sure that wealth is transferred smoothly after death to his or her loved ones. We provide the following services:
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Asset protection planning;
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Medicare, Medicaid (MassHealth), and other public benefits planning;
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Long-term care planning: long-term care insurance use;
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Advanced directives in Health care decision-making and Health Care Proxy;
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Estate Planning and drafting of Wills, Trusts, and Durable Power of Attorney.
Estate Planning
Wills
Having a will, known as the Last Will or Testament, is one of the most important steps you can take to help protect your family and your property. The Will allows you to name a personal guardian to care for your minor children, to name a trusted person to manage property left to minor children, to leave your property to people or organizations, and to name an executor, who will ensure that the terms of your Will are carried out.
If your spouse or parent dies without a Will, Massachusetts law determines who will inherit his or her property. These laws, called intestacy laws, are essentially state-written wills that determine who gets the decedent's property. The word "intestate" describes a person who dies without a will.
Having a will gives you peace of mind because you know that your property will go to the people or organizations you designate or chose and your minor children will be taken care of if you are no longer here. As a wise client puts it: “It is one of the sad tragedies of life that after working hard and having accumulated assets to have your property ends up in the hands of undeserved people or people who have never chosen.”
Health Care Proxy or Living Will
A health care proxy, known as a Living Will, is a document that provides instructions should you become incapacitated and incapable of making decisions regarding your medical care.