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Arlene L. Kasarjian

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Estate Planning for Disabled Children

If your family includes a disabled child or grandchild, there are special considerations when making an estate plan. A primary concern is to assure that that the disabled child (minor and adult) is provided for financially, so that he or she has an adequate quality of life and standard of living. There are two types …

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Tax Free Gifting

You may be aware that the federal estate tax, which was repealed for 2010, resumes in 2011 on estates with assets exceeding $1 million dollars. The Massachusetts estate tax remains in effect and also taxes estate assets over $1 million. In addition to worrying about estate taxes, the law also requires you to pay a …

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Informal Probate is Coming to Massachusetts

The laws in Massachusetts affecting the probate of Wills, dying without a Will (intestate), and the administration of estates have undergone a complete transformation. Effective on July 1, 2011, the Massachusetts Probate Code (the “Code”) repeals the majority of the existing chapters and statutes on probate law in an effort to simplify, streamline and clarify …

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Probate: Sweeping Changes to Guardianship Law

Article V of the newly adopted Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code (the “Probate Code”) enacts long overdue changes intended to modernize the guardianship and conservatorship laws in Massachusetts. Effective July 1, 2009, the Probate Code seeks to protect the individual’s fundamental rights and minimize government intrusions imposed by the Probate Court when court involvement is necessary. …

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New Developments with Intercountry Adoptions

Approximately 20,000 intercountry adoptions are completed every year in the United States. Intercountry adoptions are governed by both the laws of the child’s home country and the laws of the United States, including federal law and the laws of the adoptive family’s state of residence. Recently the United States joined The Hague Convention on Protection …

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Understanding the Nuts and Bolts of Wills

Do you need a legal will? Yes! A will allows you to determine who will receive your assets at your death and when they will receive it. For example, your will can give assets directly to specified recipients or direct your assets to a trust until the beneficiaries of that trust reach a specified age. …

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Estate Planning and Considerations for Adoptive Families

In April, Arlene Kasarjian presented the “Estate Planning for Adoptive Families” workshop at the annual conference of the Adoption Community of New England, Inc. (ACONE). ACONE is a Massachusetts-based organization that provides information, advocacy and support for all those touched by adoption. Everyone needs an estate plan, regardless of age, marital status and financial status …

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10 Things Estate Planning Can Do for You

1. Provide for your immediate family. 2. Provide for other relatives who need help and guidance. 3. Get your property to beneficiaries quickly. 4. Plan for incapacity. 5. Minimize expenses. 6. Choose executors/trustees for your estate. 7. Ease the strain on your family. 8. Help a favorite cause. 9. Reduce taxes on your estate. 10. …

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