Medford Estate Planning

Find the right Wills & Trusts attorney in Medford, MA

In Medford, "estate planning" refers to all of the decisions affecting how a person's property is going to be disposed of after their death, as well as the procedure of implementing those decisions when the time comes.

The problems that estate planning raises are sometimes very convoluted. Without competent legal and financial advice, many problems can pop up, which can quickly throw your entire plan into disarray, and cost your survivors a great deal of time, energy, and money.

In addition to post-death decisions, estate planning also concerns issues that might affect you during your life, such as granting power of attorney to a family member or trusted friend in case you become unable to make your own decisions regarding your finances or medical care. Additionally, effective estate planning can minimize the impact that estate taxes and court fees will have on your final disposition to your loved ones.

If you want to maximize the odds that your wishes will be followed after your death, you should do everything you can to make them legally binding. While this is not always possible, a Medford attorney will be able to make sure that, where it is feasible, it is done.

Common Features of Medford Estates

Will: This is normally a major component in any estate plan. A will is a document in which a person lays out what they want done with their property after their death. These gifts normally have the effect of transferring legal ownership of the property to the named beneficiary.

Living Will: Unlike ordinary wills, a living will contains instructions regarding a person's medical care. Some recent high-profile controversies have illustrated the importance of making a living will, even for younger individuals. In a living will, you can give your family members and doctors instructions about your desired medical care, in case you become incapacitated (comatose or brain-dead, for example) and can't tell them yourself. Some people say that they would not want to be kept alive by artificial means if they are in a vegetative state, and there's no chance of recovery. If this is you, that's definitely something to include in a living will. Of course, if you would prefer the opposite, being kept alive as long as is medically feasible, you can put that in your living will, as well.

Power of Attorney: This is an arrangement in which you give someone else, normally a trusted family member, the authority to make financial and medical decisions on your behalf, in case you become unable to make or express your own decisions.

Funeral Arrangements: Whatever your preference on this matter (if you have a preference) you should make it known to your family both verbally and in writing. If you have very particular wishes regarding the final disposition of your mortal remains, you should not put those instructions in your will. Or, if you do, you should also put them somewhere else. Wills are usually not read for quite some time after a person dies, and the funeral is normally long over by then, so it will be too late to follow your instructions.

Do I Need a Medford Estates Lawyer?

A poorly drafted or executed Medford estate plan can have major negative consequences. For instance, it might be confusing to the people who are most directly affected by it. This confusion can commonly lead to costly litigation. For that reason, the advice of an accomplished estate planning attorney can be invaluable.

Talk to a Wills, Trusts & Estates Law Attorney now!

Life in Medford

Medford is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. It has a population of about 55,000 people.

The first European settlement in the area now known as medford was in 1630, when the area was still part of Charlestown. The town grew slowly but steadily over the next few hundred years. After 1880, the population began to explode, coinciding with the industrial revolution. The expansion in population led to the creation of new government services, such as gas, electricity, and water, along with public schools and a dedicated police department.

While working as a social worker in the 1920s, Amelia Earhart lived in Medford, and there are several memorials and historic sites dedicated to her, including the house in which she lived during her tenure in the city. Medford was also home to the man credited with inventing the roller skate.

Modernly, Medford is home to Tufts University, an extremely well-regarded research university. While once considered a "safety school" for students applying to Harvard, Tufts has become a destination school in its own right, in some niche fields of study.

If you live in Medford, Massachusetts, and need a good lawyer, chances are good that you'll be able to find one. With its diverse and vibrant population, Medford, Massachusetts lawyers have evolved in kind.

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