Many of my clients include charities that are important to them in their wills. The New York Times has a recent article about how other are including charities in their estate plan as well. “This situation is more and more prevalent,” agrees Kevin Pickett, executive director of development at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.… Continue Reading
Author Archives: Leanna Hamill
“Mom, do you have a will?”
“Mom, did people come and watch you when you signed your will? Do you have a will?” This is what my 9 year old niece asked her mother while the three of us were lazily paddling our kayaks down the Mystic River on Easter Sunday in search of turtles. I had been talking about how… Continue Reading
A Typical Week In My Law Practice
What is a typical week like here? While the clients and matters may vary, there are certain themes that carry throughout each week. I might be spending a few hours drafting a client’s special needs trust, and then reviewing some documents I drafted yesterday for a different client. Most days find me writing letters to… Continue Reading
When You Are Having Trouble Choosing a Guardian for Your Child With Special Needs
When I am working with clients who have minor children, or children with special needs, the conversation always includes talk of potential guardians. For minor children the guardian would need to serve until the children turned 18. For children with special needs, depending on their abilities, they might need a guardian for their entire life.… Continue Reading
Pros and Cons of Having A Revocable Living Trust
A revocable living trust is a legal entity (and a document) to which you transfer all or part of your assets during your lifetime. You retain the power to remove or sell the assets and to change or revoke the trust. It provides for the management and distribution of your property during your lifetime and… Continue Reading
How To Talk About Your Wishes With Your Family
I encourage my clients to speak with their families about their estate plans and end of life wishes to make things easier on everyone during a crisis. I sometimes suggest that far flung families do this during get-togethers over the the holiday season. There are even services like Death Over Dinner that can help you… Continue Reading
Talking To Your Children About Money
The New York Times had a recent article on talking to your children about money. As you work on preparing your wills or trusts, you may find yourself needing to speak with your children about your finances. Although the NYTimes article is geared towards talking to younger children, the tips are the same no matter… Continue Reading
Your Documents Aren’t Written in Stone
Most of the planning I do with my clients involves planning for contingencies – if your first choice of health care agent can’t serve, who do you want to help you? If a person named in your will predeceases you, where do you want their share to go? We want the documents to be flexible… Continue Reading
Will Your Family Honor Your Health Care Wishes?
When I work with my clients to help prepare their plans for what will happen to their things after they pass away, I also talk to them about making sure that we put a plan in place for what will happen to them while they are alive but incapacitated and need someone to communicate with… Continue Reading
Hospice Home Opening in Hingham
The old Quaker Friends Home on Turkey Hill in Hingham is being reopened as a hospice facility this fall by Norwell VNA & Hospice. The Hospice Residence at Turkey Hill will have 12 beds in private rooms. According to the website: The focus of care is on providing physical, emotional, social and spiritual support for… Continue Reading