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Estate and Probate

Attorneys at Shaheen & Gordon are dedicated to working with individuals and families in achieving the goals of asset protection, probate avoidance, estate tax savings and family business succession. Our services include estate planning and administration throughout the state, creation of both revocable and irrevocable trusts, and post mortem planning. We prepare wills, durable powers of attorney, durable powers of attorney for health care, and living wills. We tailor our services to your requirements whether they are complex or more basic.

We are often asked the following questions by prospective clients who find themselves in unfamiliar territory as they contemplate working with us:

What is asset protection?
Asset protection is a system for insuring that the maximum amount of your assets are transferred to the people you care about. We achieve this goal through helping you avoid probate and minimizing both federal and state inheritance taxes.

What is family business succession?
Family owned businesses face unique problems due to the complexities of family relationships. Frequently, a family owned business is the most valuable asset. We work with families to insure that the business will continue after the first generation by asset valuation and planning.

Does everyone need a will?
If you want to insure that the people you care about inherit your assets, then you should have a will. Otherwise, the government creates an estate plan, called intestacy, for you. People you care about may not inherit your assets under the government created estate plan.

What is a durable power of attorney?
A durable power of attorney allows you to choose someone to manage your assets and pay your bills in the event of your disability or incapacity. Otherwise, if you become disabled or incapacitated, someone will have to petition a court to obtain the power to provide these services for you.

What are durable powers of attorney for health care and living wills?
A durable power of attorney for health care allows you to retain control over your own medical care during periods of incapacity through the prior designation of an individual to make health care decisions. A living will allows you to direct what measures will be used to prolong your life in circumstances where there is no hope for recovery.

RECENT SETTLEMENTS AND AWARDS

Shaheen & Gordon's Estate and Probate department successfully defended an attack against a decedent's Last Will and Testament, which was held valid after a lengthy will contest where the contestants alleged, but failed to prove, lack of testamentary capacity and undue influence.

A substantial creditor's claim was successfully defeated against an estate on grounds that the claim was untimely presented.

A favorable decision was rendered after Shaheen & Gordon petitioned to have a client declared a "common law spouse".

In our statewide probate practice, Shaheen & Gordon represented various fiduciaries - executors, guardians, and trustees - in a variety of matters requiring the skill of experience probate attorneys.

Shaheen & Gordon has avoided probate for clients whose goals were to save the fees and costs commonly associated with probating an estate, and to transfer assets upon death in an expeditious manner.

Founding Partner William H. Shaheen, Attorney Karyn Forbes and Attorney Vera Buck have a combination of almost sixty years of estate planning experience. Attorney Buck received her Masters in Law Taxation in 1983 from Boston University School of Law. We strive to help you achieve your estate planning goals and take out the mystery of the planning process. We look forward to meeting with you and answering all of your questions.