Comprehensive Estate Planning Services, Tailored to Your Unique Needs.
At Old Colony Law, we understand that navigating the world of estate planning can feel overwhelming and you don’t want to make the wrong decision or burden your loved ones with unnecessary headaches down the road. That's why we are committed to providing you with personalized, comprehensive services designed to protect your family's future and preserve your legacy. Our experienced attorneys are here to guide you through every step of the process with efficiency and ease, ensuring that your unique goals and values remain at the forefront of your estate plan.
We simplify the estate planning process by offering tailored solutions that address your specific needs and concerns. Our services focus on minimizing estate taxes, protecting your assets, and easing the burdens on your loved ones. We strive to create estate plans that not only safeguard your family's future but also reflect your legacy and values. With the expertise of our dual-licensed attorney-CPA team, we ensure that every aspect of your estate plan is thoughtfully crafted and effectively implemented, giving you peace of mind and confidence in your decisions.
︱ FOR TODAY, FOR TOMORROW FOR THE FUTURE ︱
Strategic Estate Planning Services
Whether you're embarking on estate planning for the first time or looking to update an existing plan, we are dedicated to helping you and your family build a path forward.
We believe that sophisticated and comprehensive estate plans are grown from an understanding of your family, assets, goals, and objectives. Old Colony Law’s wills and trusts are flexible enough to adapt to changing laws but durable enough to stand the test of time, protect your family and assets, and build a foundation for your ultimate legacy.
Because having a will or having a trust is not enough to protect yourself and your family in the event of the unexpected, every Old Colony Law estate plan includes incapacity planning documents including Powers of Attorney and Health Care Proxies.
Wills, Trusts, and Estates
Asset protection is vital for preserving your wealth and ensuring that your loved ones are taken care of after you’re gone. Our clients turn to us for expert guidance in asset protection trust planning, aimed at minimizing estate taxes, avoiding probate, and safeguarding inheritances. We craft powerful and complex trust documents that reflect your unique circumstances and intentions. Our asset protection solutions typically encompass the three categories below, though we’re also able to advise on custom solutions to fit and accommodate your unique needs.
Asset Protection
Inheritance Trusts
With Old Colony Law, you don’t have to lose the opportunity to protect and provide for your loved ones after your death. By gaining an understanding of your child’s situation and your vision for their future, we work with you to craft a plan for your child’s inheritance that balances preserving trust assets with supplementing your child’s needs and ensuring their wellbeing.
Concerns about your adult child’s ability to manage the entirety of their inheritance all at once is normal. Financial immaturity and poor decisions can quickly dwindle assets – so can divorces and lawsuits. An outright inheritance can even end vital benefits for disabled beneficiaries or turn deadly for a loved one battling substance abuse. Old Colony Law often serves as professional trustees of these trusts - ensuring that your wishes are carried out and that your child is protected after your death.
Estate Tax Minimization Trusts
Many of our clients are shocked to learn how quickly estate taxes can diminish their legacy—especially with Massachusetts' estate tax exemption set at only $2 million. Married couples can benefit from favorable tax treatments, but this requires proactive planning. A “simple” estate plan can lead to tens of thousands of dollars in avoidable taxes. Our team is here to ensure that your estate is properly structured to minimize these liabilities.
Without proper planning, even well-intentioned estate documents can expose your assets to unnecessary taxation, probate delays, and legal challenges. At Old Colony Law, we take a proactive approach, crafting strategies that not only protect your wealth but also ensure it passes smoothly to your loved ones. By working with us, you’ll gain peace of mind knowing your legacy is preserved, and your family is shielded from avoidable financial burdens
Trust Implementation, Probate & Privacy
True estate planning goes beyond signing documents. Proper asset titling is crucial to avoid the public and often costly probate process. Without the proper coordination between your estate plan and your assets, even the most carefully crafted trusts can fail to achieve their intended purpose. At Old Colony Law, we go beyond document drafting by ensuring your assets are titled correctly to avoid probate and maintain your privacy. Probate is not only a public process but can also lead to unnecessary delays, costs, and complications for your heirs.
By assisting with trust funding and asset titling, we help you safeguard your privacy and protect your legacy, giving you confidence that your estate will be managed efficiently and according to your wishes. Unlike most law firms, Old Colony Law provides comprehensive service from start to finish ensuring your assets are seamlessly integrated into your estate plan.
Estate Tax Minimization Planning
Estate taxes can significantly impact your legacy. Most assets—including real estate, retirement accounts, investments, business interests, life insurance, personal belongings and even digital assets—are subject to estate tax calculations. Because of this, your death tax bill may be the only tax bill you never actually see—yet the biggest one you will ever have.
At Old Colony Law, we conduct thorough evaluations of state and federal estate tax minimization options to help you preserve your wealth for future generations. Given the low Massachusetts estate tax exemption, proactive tax planning is essential to avoid unnecessary burdens on your loved ones. At Old Colony Law, our comprehensive estate planning process includes a careful evaluation of state and federal estate tax minimization options as middle class millionaires are becoming increasingly common in Western Massachusetts. Many of our clients are shocked to learn how quickly estate taxes dwindle the assets left behind to loved ones - especially considering the Massachusetts estate tax exemption amount is only $2 million - one of the lowest in the country. With rising real estate prices, inflation and the natural accumulation of assets, it makes sense to evaluate your situation for potential estate tax minimization planning.
Having a “simple” estate plan (or having no estate plan at all) can cost your family tens-of-thousands of dollars in taxes that will be otherwise completely avoidable with proper tax planning. The cost of inadequate tax planning, however, is not always immediately known because the deficiencies in the planning from the first spouse to die are not fully exposed until the second spouse has passed.
Estate tax minimization planning also includes having conversations with our clients about gifting assets, setting up Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs), and making charitable contributions.
Navigating trust administration can be challenging for families, but Old Colony Law is here to ease that burden. As professional trustees, the attorneys at Old Colony Law can ease or eliminate the administrative burdens left behind for your loved ones and ensure your child’s inheritance is protected and preserved according to your wishes. We also advise and serve alongside spouses, children, and other loved ones as co-Trustees.
We offer a personalized and attentive alternative to the trust administration services of banks and large law firms because we take the time to understand your concerns and develop a path forward together. We work closely with co-Trustees—spouses, children, and other loved ones—to provide a personalized and attentive alternative to the often-impersonal services of banks and large firms.
Our trust administration services balance tax consequences and asset protection strategies to provide peace of mind knowing that your wishes will be met, your loved ones will continue to be cared for, and your assets will be properly managed after your death.
Trust Administration
67% of Americans have no estate plan in place whatsoever.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU:
Without an estate plan in place, 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 loved ones 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 through a comprehensive estate plan.
Our Client Promise
At Old Colony Law, our team is committed to providing exceptional service for you and your family. When you choose us, you’ll receive personalized, one-on-one attention as we craft strategic, comprehensive solutions centered on your wishes and tailored to your unique needs. From start to finish, we take pride in delivering excellence—offering friendly, attentive service, an efficient approach, and solutions grounded in integrity-driven values. Our brand promise includes offering you, our valued clients:
Tailored Solutions: We recognize that every family is different. Our services are customized to meet your specific needs, whether you're a first-time estate planner or revisiting an existing plan.
Expert Guidance: Our knowledgeable dual license team specializes in wills, trusts, asset protection, and estate tax minimization, providing you with the expertise needed to navigate complex legal landscapes.
Peace of Mind: With our comprehensive approach, you can rest easy knowing that your loved ones will be taken care of in the event of the unexpected. Our plans include vital incapacity documents to ensure your wishes are honored, no matter the circumstances.
Long-Term Relationships: We are dedicated to building lasting relationships with our clients. By understanding your family dynamics and financial goals, we can create a plan that evolves with your life’s changes. We’re here for you now and will help support you in the future should you ever need to adjust your estate plan based on your unique needs or life circumstances.
You’re in good hands with Old Colony Law.
“Estate planning with Old Colony Law was a simple but personalized process from the consultation to the document signing.” – South Hadley estate planning client”
- Past Client, South Hadley, MA
Securing your family's future has never been easier.
Whether you are planning for the future, protecting your assets, or ensuring your loved ones are cared for, Old Colony Law is here to help you every step of the way.
Start Your Journey Today!
Contact us to schedule a consultation and discover how our tailored estate planning services can bring you peace of mind and confidence in your financial future.