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What really happens to your estate if you die without a Will in MA?

December 23, 2016 by Kristina

Dying without a Will is called dying “intestate.” What this means is that your intentions as to who inherits your assets, who administers your estate, and who acts as guardians for any young children are determined by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Upclose photo of Last Will & Testament and pen - for article about Wills & Trusts
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog, Trusts, Wills

The Rising Costs of Dementia Care

May 11, 2013 by Kristina

dementia_patientIf you have a family member who is suffering from some form of dementia, you know how financially difficult providing quality care can be. According to a study published this month in the New England Journal of Medicine, the financial burden on the nation as a whole is staggering, with the costs now exceeding those of both heart disease and cancer. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog, Durable Power of Attorney, Health Care Proxy, Living Will, Longterm Care, Trusts Tagged With: dementia, Durable Power of Attorney, Health Care Proxy, Living Will, long term care planning, Trusts

Whitney Houston’s Estate Plan: Good, But Not Great

April 27, 2012 by Kristina

Whitney Houston’s tragic death provides an example of how a trust that takes effect upon death can work as part of an estate plan. But Houston’s estate plan has some surprising aspects as well; there were pieces of her plan that could have, and likely should have, been better.

The late singer’s will leaves everything to her 19-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina, but Kristina can’t access her mother’s estimated $20 million fortune right away because it is in a trust. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog, Estate Administration & Probate, Estate Plan Review, Family, Living Will, Trusts, Uncategorized, Wills Tagged With: estate plan, Estate Plan Review, Living Trust, probate, revocable trust, whitney houston

Why Single People in Worcester County Should Consider Estate Planning

January 25, 2012 by Kristina

When we typically think of estate planning, we see grandma and grandpa putting together a Will and possibly setting up some trusts for the following generations. It’s all about providing for our offspring, right? [Read more…]

Filed Under: Durable Power of Attorney, Estate Plan Review, Family, Health Care Proxy, Trusts, Uncategorized, Wills Tagged With: attorney, Durable Power of Attorney, estate plan, estate planning, Family, Massachusetts, Trusts, worcester, worcester county

How Do I Bring Up the Topic of Estate Planning to My Parents?

December 27, 2011 by Kristina

In Worcester, just as everywhere else in the nation, there is a tendency for people to put off estate planning.  Elder law attorneys, like Kristina Vickstrom, recognize that there are multiple factors that lead people to procrastinate when it comes to the estate planning process. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Durable Power of Attorney, Elder Needs, Family, Health Care Proxy, Trusts, Uncategorized, Wills Tagged With: estate planning

Protecting the Family Cottage from a Medicaid (MassHealth) Spend Down Through an Irrevocable Trust

August 23, 2011 by Kristina

An irrevocable trust is an excellent tool when preplanning for Medicaid benefits.  Anything that is put into the irrevocable trust is protected from a Medicaid spend-down if five years pass from the date of the transfer. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog, Gifting, MassHealth, Trusts, Uncategorized Tagged With: irrevocable trusts, MassHealth Planning, medicaid planning

Can I Contest My Sister’s Will?

June 9, 2011 by Kristina

In the coming years we will see a  marked increase in the number of cases challenging the legality of a will on the grounds of mental incapacitation of the person making the will. Though the reason for the increase in will contests is debatable, the growing number of elders with medical issues affecting their cognition; the transfer of wealth between World War II and baby boomer generations; and the change in the traditional nuclear family certainly play a role. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Elder Needs, Estate Plan Review, Family, Gifting, Trusts, Uncategorized, Wills Tagged With: caregivers, elder, estate administration, estate planning, Probate Court, will contest

Pet Trusts Arrive in Massachusetts

May 5, 2011 by Kristina

I’ve written about Pet Trusts in a previous blog. They have many benefits for pet owners concerned about what would  happen should their animal outlive them. However, until recently, Pet Trusts were not available in Massachusetts. New Massachusetts legislation took effect on April 7th, 2011, bringing this important Estate Planning tool to the Bay State.  The remainder of this week’s blog was edited from an article written by Attorney Gina Barry of Bacon Wilson, P.C. in Springfield. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Estate Plan Review, Trusts, Uncategorized Tagged With: elder, elder law, estate plan, estate planning, Massachusetts Legislation, Pet Trusts, Trusts

Online Legal Documents Company (LegalZoom) Sued Over Flawed Estate Plan

October 12, 2010 by Kristina

This week I’m reposting a fantastic article from ElderLawAnswers about the dangers of online do-it-yourselfing when it comes to planning your estate. Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware!)

One of the most prominent sellers of do-it-yourself wills and other estate planning documents, is the target of a class action lawsuit in California charging that the company engages in deceptive business practices and is practicing law without a license.

The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on May 27, 2010, by Katherine Webster, who is the niece of the late Anthony J. Ferrantino and the executor of Mr. Ferrantino’s estate. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Conservatorship, Durable Power of Attorney, Estate Plan Review, Trusts, Uncategorized, Wills Tagged With: estate plan, estate planning

Estate Planning Myths Explained

September 10, 2010 by Kristina

Occasionally, I run across a great article written by someone else. Today is one of those days and I just had to share it with you. Clients are often confused when they come in for initial consultations and have preconceived notions about planning their estates based on things that they’ve heard from their friends, neighbors, hairdresser, etc. Most of the time the information shared is incorrect, or at least incorrectly applied to their situation. This article does a great job of debunking the most popular “myths” of estate planning.  I only added one little thought in bold below. Thank you to my colleague, Attorney Gina Barry, from Bacon & Wilson in Springfield for putting this article together…. and as far as I know unicorns are still mythical creatures.   [Read more…]

Filed Under: Elder Needs, Estate Plan Review, Estate Taxes, Family, Gifting, Trusts, Uncategorized, Wills Tagged With: caregivers, elder, estate plan, estate planning, Estate Tax, Family, Federal Estate Tax, MassHealth, MassHealth Planning, Medicaid, Probate Court, Taxes

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Vickstrom Law


Vickstrom Law, PC
Kristina R. Vickstrom, Esq.
172 Shrewsbury Street
Worcester, MA 01604
508.757.3800


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