Old Colony Law is located in the heart of New England, along the Pioneer Valley in Hadley, Massachusetts. Families and companies in Massachusetts and New Hampshire call on us for
- Comprehensive and customized estate planning and business counsel
- Our interstate practice capabilities and experience of a dual-licensed attorney-CPA
- Transparent, gimmick-free legal fees
Our Services
In our view, there are three pillars to the law of asset protection: business planning, tax planning and estate planning. Therefore, most of our work naturally falls within one or more of these areas.

Business Planning
In an increasingly litigious world, business owners are concerned about protecting their personal assets from claims by customers, vendors, employees, competitors and other creditors. They are also concerned about overzealous government regulators, natural disasters, criminal activity and other potentially costly disruptions to business operations.
Legal business planning encompasses evaluating the legal, financial and tax consequences of major transactions and events. It also may include establishing a business entity, such as an LLC, managing risks and creating a succession plan.
Tax Planning
Perhaps one of the more obvious threats to your assets is the government. Income tax, business tax, capital gains tax, self-employment tax and estate tax are some of the types of taxes that the federal, state and local authorities impose on individuals and businesses.
Tax planning can help minimize, defer, and sometimes even avoid taxes, as well as ensure you keep in compliance with tax law. Nonprofits should also engage in some defensive tax planning to help ensure their tax-exempt status is not jeopardized as a result of non-compliance or mistakes.
Estate Planning
Those who do not have an estate plan leave it to the government to determine what happens to their assets. Estate planning can ensure that your assets, including your business interests, are managed and passed in accordance with your wishes at your death or should you be unable to make decisions for yourself.
Comprehensive estate planning also includes ensuring that your loved ones are protected from creditors, divorcing spouses and others who may want to claim their inheritance after you’re gone.
Typical Old Colony Law Clients
- Retired individuals with adult children
- Working professionals and business owners seeking asset protection
- High net worth individuals and families
Meet Us
Our perspective includes that of an attorney who is also a CPA and former tax lobbyist and an attorney with experience crafting complex estate plans for families with high-net-worth and loved ones with disabilities.
“Western Mass values, Boston & D.C. experience.”

Claire Crowley, Attorney
- Attorney in Massachusetts and New Hampshire
- Claire may be contacted at 413 387 0080 or claire@oldcolonylaw.com.
Ben Palkowski, Attorney, CPA
- Attorney and CPA in Massachusetts
- Ben may be contacted at 413 387 0080 or ben@oldcolonylaw.com.
Resources for Other Professionals
If you are a financial advisor, financial planner, CPA, tax preparer, insurance professional, business owner or fellow lawyer, please consider enrolling to receive our Dear Colleague Letters so we can stay in touch with updates and share our thoughts on how we can all best serve our clients.
You are also welcome to top our library of white papers for informational and educational resources for your clients.