Assuming the decedent was a Massachusetts resident for this response- this would seem to be an easy question, but oddly it is not. As the child of the deceased you would need to be notified whether there is a Probate Petition filed regardless of whether there is no Will or If there is a Will and... Read more »
The CDC moratorium forbids landlords from attempting to evict tenants for non-payment of rent if the tenants meet certain financial hardship guidelines:
- Make less than $99,000 (or $198,000 if they file a joint tax return)
- Be unable to make full rent “due to substantial loss of... Read more »
I am a 53 year old male who has acquired over $1 million dollars so far in net assets. $700k retirement and $400k home equity. I am still working and will for another 10 years and currently max out my retirement.
I have life insurance while working but I developed a serious cardiac... Read more »
There are several options that can help protect your family. You not only want to think about your medical expenses but also estate taxes because your assets appear to be over the $1 million estate tax exemption. This situation is one that you would be better discussing with an estate planning... Read more »
My husband is Durable POA, we need to get my FIL into more suitable housing (without stairs) and found a place, and plan to use a HELOC on his current residence (free and clear) to finance about 25% of the purchase. Then once he’s transitioned we will sell the current residence which will... Read more »
Your question was very confusing but you seem to be asking how to determine if the power of attorney instrument was recorded in the Registry of Deeds? If so, there is a public records check system on line through the Secretary of State's Office. If the document was not recorded it can be... Read more »
Bills to the state for long term facility care which he was never in one how do we go around this? It’s been impossible to get a straight answer from any attorney so far -
Regardless of whether there was a Will or not the Division of Medical Assistance Estate Recovery Unit has an automatic lien at the elderly recipient of MassHealth/Medicaid services death on the decedents assets. The Estate Recovery Unit can open an estate to recover the lien for said services ,... Read more »
My father died with a bank account with the name of an ex-fiancee still on it as a joint holder. She hasn't ever used the account as far as I can tell. She (and her current husband) want the money in the account to go to myself and my sister. Unfortunately she doesn't have an online login... Read more »
Assuming your father was a Massachusetts resident for the comments: Are you the Personal Representative of your father's estate? If so, you need to contact the bank involved and provide them with your Letter of Authority and Federal Taxpayer ID for the estate and some form of authorization by... Read more »
I am afraid my husband will leave me out of his trust due to the acquisition of property he and his sister just inherited from his father due to his death.
A spouse can create a trust for him or herself without including the other spouse in it as long as that property belongs only to that person. If a husband inherits property he may create his own trust unless there was a stipulation with the inheritance that he had to include his wife as a... Read more »
It's over 40 pages of legal writing I do not understand and haven't heard a word from either her husband my stepfather, or the trustee The woman who is co trustee, and drew up the will. It's a wealthy will. I need to know what my rights are and what were entitled to if anything. Can... Read more »
It is not possible to tell you what your rights are under the will without reviewing the will. Take the will to a probate attorney in your area for review and advice. Most likely a probate (court) case will need to be commenced to administer the terms of the will.
She called to say she is his sole heir.
How do I find out if this is legit?
He lived in CT.
If your brother did not have a will, then her statement is not legitimate. If your brother had a will made after he divorced her, then it is theoretically possible (but in my experience not likely).
It sounds like you are the next of kin. You can hire a probate attorney to open a... Read more »
A beneficiary can become the Trustee if the Trust allows for such an occurrence. One would want to have a new Beneficiary of the Trust and/or a new Trustee appointed as soon as possible because you don't want the Trust to have the same Trustee and Beneficiary if it can be avoided.
I'm a single parent, the father is inconsistently involved and I unfortunately cannot trust him. I would prefer not to grant access to monetary accounts, at least not until I pass away. I'm wondering if I can just name a person to oversee these accounts in my will until my child is of age... Read more »
I can't answer your specific question because we don't have an attorney-client relationship. Generally speaking, I suggest that someone who has children and is worried about any kind of access to the money should consider a trust as a way to have better control over how the money is spent... Read more »
the retirement plan is in mass and she passed away in florida in a nursing home I am the only remaining family member. mass told me to file a small estate affidavit I am not sure how to go about any of this
If you are the named death beneficiary of the retirement plan, then all you need to do is provide a death certificate to the plan administrator. If you don't know if you are the named death beneficiary, provide a copy of the death certificate to the plan administrator anyway. That will get... Read more »
His parents are in their late 70s and they were concerned that there was a five-year hold due to Medicaid if they ever went to a nursing home. But his parents still live in their 1st home.
He can sell it, legally, because it is his. However, a reason for waiting 5 years would be to preserve the ability to maybe cure the gift in case the parents need to apply for Medicaid within that 5 year period. In some states the gift penalty can be avoided by gifting the property back, in this... Read more »
I am legally blind and my husband needs to go into a nursing home due to a stroke. We own our house, Is there any way we can use the equity to pay nursing home costs. I am 86; he is 87
You REALLY should schedule a consultation with an elder law attorney. You might be eligible to have the government pay for his nursing home costs WITHOUT having to sell the house.
How do I probate some stock certificates we came across in my aunt's name that she never transferred to her trust. Since the value is about $20k can I file a voluntary administration probate since that's all that is left to deal with? The rest of her assets were covered in the living... Read more »
Yes, a Voluntary Statement should suffice. There is notice to the estate recovery unit and the form seeks asset information and whether there is a will, etc. You will also need a death certificate for filing and the filing fee.
Hi,
Formal or Informal can depend on a few different factors. Did your father leave a Will? Did the Will allow an executor to sell real estate (if there is any) and did your father reside in Massachusetts or did he reside elsewhere? I often advise toward Formal because that eliminates the... Read more »
she is the executor and I requested to purchase my dads car which is part of the estate but she advised she was taking it - do I have any claim on it?
The Personal Representative has an obligation to maximize the estate and not to self-deal, so she would need to demonstrate that whatever commission for her work as Personal Representative is worth the equivalent of half of the fair market value of the vehicle. If this is an expensive vehicle this... Read more »
We all live in MA, we had twin daughters who are 17 & will be 18 in Feb. He had no children with his girlfriend who lived with him. He definitely had less than $25,000 worth of assets & no will. He had a camper/rv that I was told she transferred the title to herself after his death &... Read more »
You really need to hire an attorney to help you with this. Even if he had a will that left everything to the girlfriend, you at least can make a claim for the unpaid child support. If he did not have a will then most likely his children should get everything.
My father passed away 3/2018, and the executor of my dad's estate is my estranged sister. So far, instead of contacting her, I have called the law office for the case to get updates. But for several months now, it appears that my sister has instructed them to not even answer the phone when I... Read more »
Hire a local probate attorney to look at the file for you and bring you up to date. The attorney can also file for you a request to receive notice of proceedings.
I am a remainderman on my mom's life estate. She sold the house to my brother and I 17 years ago for $1 and kept a life estate. I have lived here for 5 years as her caregiver until she went into a nursing home. We have to sell the house prior to her passing because we can't keep it.... Read more »
Yes, the Section 121 capital gains exclusion applies to remainder interests. Here is an excerpt from that statute:
(8) Sales of remainder interests For purposes of this section—
(A) In general
At the election of the taxpayer, this section shall not fail to apply to... Read more »
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