Meet Our Estate Planning Attorneys
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Our estate planning team has helped many individuals and families create the plan they need to achieve their goals and protect their legacies.
The estate planning team is headed by Attorney Jenna Ordway. Jenna is an experienced estate lawyer. She earned her law degree in 2013 and her LLM degree in 2015. Since 2013 she has been helping slnlaw clients with careful planning to achieve their goals. Jenna is the author of "The Road to Peace of Mind- What You Need to Know About Estate Planning." She was also named among the 10 Best Estate Planning Attorneys for Client Satisfaction by the American Institute of Legal Counsel, and was listed as a rising start by on the Massachusetts Super Lawyers list in 2019. Emily Smith-Lee is the owner and founder of slnlaw. She has over 23 years of experience as an attorney, and works with Jenna to help clients with their estate needs. Emily has been named to the Super Lawyers directory every year since 2013. She was also named one of Massachusetts Lawyers' Weekly's 2018 Lawyers of the Year. Aletheia Ordway is our estate and probate paralegal. She works closely with Jenna and our intake staff to make sure we have all of the information needed to create your plan. She also makes sure you are kept informed of the process and that all of your questions are answered. Estate Planning Practice AreasWe have extensive experience helping clients achieve their goals, whether we are starting from scratch or reviewing a will you already have to make sure it will do what you want it to do. The types of matters we handle include:
Planning for Estate Taxes. In Massachusetts, more people are affected by the estate tax than you think. We can help you identify assets that will be included in your taxable estate, including non probate assets, and create a plan to shelter as many of them as possible from taxation. Planning for Minor Children. If you have young children, you will need to at least have a will that identifies who should raise them if something happens to both parents. We can also help with trusts to make sure there is someone named to handle assets for them. Protecting Assets from the Cost of Assisted Living. If you should need long term care or assisted living, the last thing you want is for your lifetime legacy to be used up paying for it. In many situations, you can preserve assets for your heirs with a Medicaid Trust and still receive Medicaid benefits to pay for your care. Avoiding Probate. Going through probate can eat up money from your estate that could be going to your family. It can also mean your loved ones wait as long as a year for assets to be distributed. Through a combination of wills and trusts, our estate attorneys can help you either avoid probate altogether or at least ensure that significant assets will be available outside of that process. Planning for a Child with Special Needs. There are unique legal issues involved in planning for a child with special needs. Our estate lawyers can help you create a special needs trust that allows you to leave assets to your child without threatening their eligibility for certain government benefit programs. Planning for Your Own Disability. A health care proxy and power of attorney are essential elements of a good estate plan. These documents clearly identify who can make health care, financial and legal decisions for you if you are unable to do so. Planning for the Care of Animals. In Massachusetts, you can now provide both instructions and funding for the care and support of animals through a pet trust. Planning for Other Special Circumstances. Circumstances like divorce, families with one or more non U.S. citizens, blended families, succession planning for your business, and others are all things that can be handled in your estate plan but may require special planning tools. |
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Working With Our Estate Planning Team
Working with our estate planning team is easy. Below is a brief overview of our process. All engagements with slnlaw begin with a free consultation.
At the consultation, a member of our team will learn more about your family, your financial situation, and your estate planning goals. You do not have to know all of the details about your assets for this consultation. It is enough if we get a general sense of the value of your estate, who is in your family, and what you want to happen with your assets.
At the consultation, we will provide a preliminary recommendation about the estate plan we think is right for you. You have the option of paying by the hour for legal services, but in most cases what you will need is covered by one of our flat fee packages.
You will then have a follow up conversation with one of the estate lawyers to confirm that the package you have chosen is right for you and your family. If you decide to make a change to what you want after reviewing it with the attorney, the total price will be adjusted accordingly.
We will then draft the documents for your review. Once you are satisfied, we will schedule a time for you to come in and sign the documents. We provide the notary and the witnesses- all you have to do is come in and sign.
Our law firm has two office locations- one in Sharon, MA and the other in Chester MA. Other than the actual signing of your final documents, we can do all of the work via telephone, email and video conference if it is not convenient for you to come to the offices.
At the consultation, a member of our team will learn more about your family, your financial situation, and your estate planning goals. You do not have to know all of the details about your assets for this consultation. It is enough if we get a general sense of the value of your estate, who is in your family, and what you want to happen with your assets.
At the consultation, we will provide a preliminary recommendation about the estate plan we think is right for you. You have the option of paying by the hour for legal services, but in most cases what you will need is covered by one of our flat fee packages.
You will then have a follow up conversation with one of the estate lawyers to confirm that the package you have chosen is right for you and your family. If you decide to make a change to what you want after reviewing it with the attorney, the total price will be adjusted accordingly.
We will then draft the documents for your review. Once you are satisfied, we will schedule a time for you to come in and sign the documents. We provide the notary and the witnesses- all you have to do is come in and sign.
Our law firm has two office locations- one in Sharon, MA and the other in Chester MA. Other than the actual signing of your final documents, we can do all of the work via telephone, email and video conference if it is not convenient for you to come to the offices.
How We Can Help
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Jenna Ordway
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We can help you assess your situation and get you started on the road to the right solutions. You can read answers to some frequently asked questions about estate planning, and use the button below to schedule a call back from a member of our team, or just give us a call at 781-784-2322.
