Welcome to Old Colony Law
Guiding your path to protect your present—and the future.
At Old Colony Law, our dedicated attorneys specialize in estate planning services tailored for individuals, married couples, and families across Massachusetts—from the North Shore to the Connecticut River Valley—and into New Hampshire.
With the unique advantage of having a dual-licensed attorney-CPA on our team, we prioritize effective estate tax minimization strategies. We also employ sophisticated planning techniques designed to safeguard inheritances for children, particularly in situations where assets may be at risk due to high-risk behaviors, marital challenges, or substance use issues.
Beyond just reducing estate taxes and protecting your assets, estate planning with Old Colony Law serves to alleviate burdens on your loved ones, ensure the preservation of inheritances, and create a lasting legacy— all while minimizing government intrusion in your affairs. Trust us to navigate the complexities of estate planning with clarity and compassion, so you can focus on what truly matters.
We take a personal approach with each and every client we serve. We’re more than just estate planners, we work as guides helping you prepare for the future in a meaningful way. We’ll work one on one with you to understand your unique needs and hopes for the future so we can deliver. At Old Colony Law, you’re in good hands.
67% of Americans have no estate plan in place whatsoever
DID YOU KNOW:
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Without an estate plan, you forfeit control over who receives your property, wealth and assets after your death—even if you intended otherwise.
Without a comprehensive estate plan, your family may face a longer, more complex court process for asset distribution, while missing critical opportunities to minimize or avoid estate taxes in Massachusetts. Assets like retirement funds, life insurance, and real estate are included in your taxable estate, even if they transfer automatically.
In Massachusetts, not having a will means your assets will be distributed according to state intestate succession laws, which may not reflect your wishes. This can lead to family disputes, complications with inheritance taxes, and a longer, more complicated probate process. This is why adults of any age or asset level can benefit from stipulating their wishes for their assets and care.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU:
We believe that every family deserves a secure future, and we are dedicated to crafting estate plans that reflect our clients' unique circumstances, values, and aspirations.
At Old Colony Law, we help empower individuals, couples, and families throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire by providing comprehensive, customized estate planning solutions. Our approach combines professionalism, trust, and a commitment to protecting inheritances, minimizing estate taxes, and preserving legacies for generations to come. We take pride in our unique perspective, ensuring that our clients feel confident and supported every step of the way.
│Our Core Values│
We build lasting relationships with our clients based on integrity and transparency. Our commitment to honest communication fosters a strong foundation of trust, ensuring that clients feel secure in their decisions and confident in our guidance.
Trust and Integrity
Confidence & Expertise
Our clients can rely on our expertise and experience to navigate complex estate planning processes with assurance. We provide knowledgeable advice and tailored strategies, empowering clients to make itnformed decisions about their legacy.
Professionalism & Support
We maintain the highest standards of service, creating a respectful and supportive environment for our clients. Our dedicated team is committed to understanding each client’s unique needs and offering compassionate assistance throughout the planning journey.
Customized Approach
We take pride in our distinctive approach to estate planning, crafting personalized solutions that reflect each client’s individual circumstances and aspirations. Our comprehensive services ensure that every aspect of a client’s estate plan is addressed thoughtfully and thoroughly.
Our Approach
Old Colony Law attorneys provide estate planning legal services to individuals, married couples, and families throughout Massachusetts, from the North Shore to the Connecticut River Valley. We also serve New Hampshire.
With the added value of a dual-licensed attorney-CPA on our team, we emphasize estate tax minimization planning. We incorporate sophisticated techniques to preserve inheritances for children when assets may be particularly vulnerable due to high-risk behavior, marital issues, or substance abuse problems.
In addition to minimizing estate taxes and protecting assets, estate planning with Old Colony Law helps ease burdens on loved ones, preserve inheritances, leave a legacy, and minimize government intrusion.
Our Process
Old Colony Law takes a modern approach to estate planning by crafting comprehensive and customized estate plans instead of simply producing documents. Your assets, family, and final wishes are too important to be treated as mere paperwork.
Consultation: Our process begins with a consultation to understand your goals and concerns. We learn about your family, assets, and unique circumstances to provide options tailored to your needs.
Review: In our second meeting, we ensure that your estate plan reflects your final wishes and addresses your specific concerns. We believe you should understand how your estate plan works.
Plan Implementation: We hold a final meeting to sign your new estate plan. Unlike many other attorneys, our work doesn’t end here. We provide guidance and assistance with asset titling, coordinating with your financial advisors and accountants to ensure your estate plan functions as intended, thereby preventing unnecessary probate for your family.
“Thank you for all the help and professional guidance as we mapped out our estate and will planning! You’re both rather exceptional and made the entire process easy and clear to understand, and completely painless!”
– Young married couple in Easthampton
ESTATE PLANNING & ASSET PROTECTION
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A TEAM YOU CAN TRUST
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ESTATE PLANNING & ASSET PROTECTION - A TEAM YOU CAN TRUST -
Meet Our Team
Claire grew up along the picturesque Connecticut shoreline before attending the University of New Hampshire School of Law. Her journey into estate planning began while working at a small, family-owned law firm during her studies, an experience that ignited her interest in the field of trusts and estates. It was here she also discovered her passion for serving and supporting elderly and disabled individuals.
With a diverse background as a public interest attorney and disability benefits advocate, Claire brings a wealth of experience to Old Colony Law. Here, she focuses on trust planning for clients with vulnerable beneficiaries, offering compassionate guidance to those receiving need-based benefits, navigating substance abuse challenges or behavioral addictions, and those in unstable marriages or unhealthy relationships.
In addition to her work at Old Colony Law, Claire serves on the board of the Pioneer Valley Estate Planning Council and is licensed to practice law in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Outside of her professional life, you can often find her running along the scenic Norwottuck Branch Rail Trail, embracing the beauty of the outdoors.
Claire Crowley, Attorney
Ben is a dual-licensed attorney and CPA dedicated to estate planning, with a focus on estate tax minimization, asset protection, and modernizing outdated Wills and Trusts.
He earned his law degree from the University of New Hampshire School of Law and has previously worked with a large Northern New England law firm, representing Fortune 500 companies and trade associations. His extensive experience also includes collaborating with nonprofit organizations to resolve financial compliance issues and conduct financial investigations.
Ben’s philosophy is that estate planning is an extension of one’s privacy rights and property rights. Accordingly, enjoys taking the extra effort, sometimes getting creative, to ensure that his clients’ estate planning documents are customized to their situation and wishes; are set up to avoid taxes, probate and other intrusions into personal affairs; and have the full force of law.
As a CPA and former tax lobbyist, Ben also knows all too well the importance of having an estate plan with sufficient flexibility to adapt to an extremely fluid estate tax environment, but with the necessary precision to ensure that a legacy carries on without disruption from potential adversaries, including tax regulators.
Ben Palkowski, Attorney, CPA
Get in Touch
Ready to take the first step in securing your family's future? Contact us today to schedule your consultation!