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Family Law
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Estate Planning
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Real Estate Law
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Our Massachusetts family law attorneys focus on representing clients in complex matters related to divorces as well as the issues arising out of relationships in which the partners are unmarried. We have extensive experience in alimony, child support, Massachusetts custody laws, modifications, restraining orders, paternity, interstate support, interstate custody, parenting plans, prenuptial agreements, postnuptial agreements and removal of children actions, and other issues such as those dealing with family businesses and the valuations of closely held corporations.
At Fields and Dennis, our goal is to share information that many of our family law clients have found helpful. Here you’ll find information about the divorce process in Massachusetts, as well as other relevant information regarding domestic relations and Massachusetts family law.
The family law divorce attorneys at Fields and Dennis are experienced in all facets of Massachusetts domestic relations law whether it becomes necessary to litigate the matter or resolve it using alternative dispute resolution mechanisms such as mediation, collaborative law, litigation, or other options.
Contact the Massachusetts family law and domestic relations attorneys at Fields and Dennis for a confidential consultation.
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A guardianship is a method of insuring the safety and well-being of those who are incapable of caring for themselves. There are guardianships of children in the case where the child’s parents are unable to parent. There are guardianships of adults as well.
Guardianship for Children: Massachusetts guardianship law allows a parent or parents to nominate a person to take care and custody of a child in the event of death or incapacity. Under Massachusetts law, the courts give great consideration to a guardian nominated by a parent. A nomination must be written and signed by the parent. Generally, in Massachusetts, a nomination of a legal guardian is included in the provisions of a Last Will and Testament.
When no nomination exists, a judge must decide who your children will go to. Without any written nomination of a parent, the court will be left with little direct evidence of who the parent would have wanted to love, support, and raise the child.
Massachusetts guardianships fall into two categories: person guardianship and estate guardianship. A person guardianship allows a court-appointed guardian to make decisions on a minor’s behalf, just as a parent would. In other words, a guardianship of the person gives a guardian general custody of a child and all the decisions that accompany such a position, except for any financial decisions. Alternatively, a guardianship of the estate gives a court-appointed guardian the ability to make any financial decisions on behalf of the minor child, as well as manage any money the child may have in his or her name.
Guardianship for Adults: A guardianship is an extraordinary measure and, in the case of adults, should only be considered when a person’s judgment or incapacity poses a major threat to that person’s welfare.
A legal guardianship can be among the most traumatic experiences in family law. At Fields and Dennis, LLP, our practitioners will represent and guide the client through this difficult process with compassion and skill.
Contact the guardianship attorneys at Field and Dennis to discuss your estate planning needs.
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Divorce impacts every aspect of our clients’ lives, finances, families and friendships. At Fields and Dennis, we work closely with each client to understand his or her unique situation, grounds for divorce, the most effective ways to address uncooperative spouses, and how to find resolutions that protect their long-term interests.
Property division – Whether your marital estate is modest or vast, at Fields and Dennis, you can count on our experience to handle the financial aspects of your divorce with the greatest of care.
Child Custody – The primary determinant in all child custody decisions is what is in the best interest of the child. We work hard to ensure our clients’ children are protected throughout a divorce or legal separation.
Child Support and Alimony – At Fields and Dennis, our experienced attorneys, often in collaboration with financial experts, can help you achieve the most sensible financial result.
Business valuations – Our business experience allows us to effectively handle divorces involving closely held or family owned businesses. We can determine what, if any, of the business is part of the marital estate and work to protect our client’s interest in the business throughout divorce proceeding.
The Divorce Process in Massachusetts-Read more about the steps taken in a typical divorce process in Massachusetts and about Massachusetts divorce laws, as well as what to expect throughout the divorce.
Our MA divorce lawyers have broad legal experience handling family and business law matters enables us to effectively handle the most complex divorce matters. We are committed to serving the interests of our clients as they begin the process of moving forward with their lives. Alternately, we can discuss annulment.
Contact us if you are considering divorce or your spouse has filed for divorce in Massachusetts, please contact the Boston metro divorce lawyers at Fields and Dennis for a confidential consultation.
The Boston divorce lawyers and family law attorneys at the law firm of Fields and Dennis serve the Greater Boston region including Allston, Arlington, Boston, Brighton, Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Concord, Dedham, Dover, Lexington, Natick, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Wellesley, Weston, Westwood, and all Massachusetts.
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Probate is a court supervised procedure by which a will is proved to be valid or invalid. In the event that a person dies without a will, a court will determine who is entitled to inherit an estate through the probate process.
Whether a person dies with or without a will, a judge sitting in a probate court determines who is responsible for administering a decedent’s estate. In addition, during the probate process, the court supervises the collection and distribution of assets, as well as the satisfaction of a decedent’s debts, as required by probate law.
Our probate lawyers assist clients in the following practices: administer and settle estates, probate wills or intestate estate, negotiate and litigate will contests, and handle cases involving the removal of fiduciaries. The administration and settlement typically includes re-registering bank accounts and securities, collecting all dividends and interest income, paying all debts, expenses and taxes to be borne by the estate, distributing estate assets and preparing fiduciary accounts.
The probate process includes:
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- • Proving the authenticity of a decedent’s will;
- • Appointing a person to handle the decedent’s matters;
- • Gathering and inventorying the deceased person’s property;
- • Paying the decedent’s expenses and creditors (including any taxes);
- • Identifying those persons entitled to distribution from decedent’s estate; and
- • Distributing the assets of the estate to the beneficiaries.
Contact the Boston metro probate attorneys at Field and Dennis to discuss your probate needs.
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At Fields and Dennis, LLP we understand that there are a number of ways in which family disputes and estate disputes can be resolved and that choosing the right one depends on the individual situation. In some cases, a straightforward traditional approach may suit the client’s needs; other cases may benefit from mediation, collaborative law or other alternative dispute methods. Typical dispute resolution options include:
- • Litigation Process
- • Mediation
- • Collaborative Law
- • Parent Coordinator
- • Family Group Conferencing
- • Divorce Coaching
- • Arbitration
Contact the Massachusetts dispute resolution attorneys at Fields and Dennis for a confidential consultation.
The Boston metro divorce lawyers and family dispute resolution attorneys at the law firm of Fields and Dennis serve the Greater Boston region including Allston, Arlington, Boston, Brighton, Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Concord, Dedham, Dover, Lexington, Natick, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Wellesley, Weston, Westwood, and all Massachusetts.
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At Fields and Dennis, LLP, our real estate practice consists of representing buyers, sellers and lending institutions. We are experienced in handing all aspects of both residential and commercial real conveyances.
We are prepared to assist not only the experienced buyer or seller, but also to assist the first time home buyer through a property law process that can seem burdensome and overwhelming. Our real estate attorneys and staff are prepared to answer all questions relating to your transaction.
We are title agents for First American Title Insurance Company and can guide you through the ins and outs of Massachusetts title insurance and why it is an important piece of any Boston area real estate purchase.
The real estate practice includes not only purchases but all re-finance transactions within and outside the state. The legal aspects of a re-finance transaction can be done quickly and efficiently.
Beginning in 2007, all of our real estate files have been stored electronically. If at any time you require a full set of executed documents they can be provided either electronically, via e-mail, or on a disc.
Contact us to discuss your real estate legal matter.
The Wellesley MA real estate lawyers at the law firm of Fields and Dennis serve the Greater Boston region including Allston, Arlington, Boston, Brighton, Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Concord, Dedham, Dover, Lexington, Natick, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Wellesley, Weston, Westwood, and all Massachusetts.
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The estate planning provided to our clients may involve only the preparation of simple wills, or it may require sophisticated trust arrangements designed to accomplish the most complicated of goals. Comprehensive estate planning may also include advice concerning closely held business interests, lifetime transfers to family members, life insurance arrangements, family real estate partnerships, charitable donations and a variety of other related issues. While we believe that an estate plan may often involve complexities, it should only be as complicated as it needs to be.
Our estate planning attorneys will assist you through the entire estate planning process in a thoughtful and compassionate manner. We understand the importance of this process to both you and your family. The scope of our services includes all aspects of estate planning, including revocable living trusts, probate wills, andhealth care powers of attorney.
Living Trusts: A revocable and irrevocable living trust determines how your property will be distributed after your death and also can help protect assets in the trust if you become incapacitated during your lifetime. Unlike a will, a living trust doesn’t go throughprobate. This saves time and money, because distributions from probate may be delayed from six months to a year. Probate fees are set by law. Distributions from living trusts may be made immediately.
In order for your living trust to serve its purpose, your property must be owned by the trust. To put your real estate into your trust you will need a new deed. To transfer bank accounts, you may need a Certification of Trust and letters to your bank. The experienced estate planning attorneys at Fields and Dennis ensure your living trust is prepared properly.
Will: A set of instructions that explains how you want your property to be distributed after your death. The property that is transferred by a will is referred to as “probate property.” Generally speaking, probate property is comprised of assets that are owned individually by you.
Power of Attorney: These are helpful if you lose the ability to make decisions during your lifetime. There are two types of Power of Attorney.
· Durable health care power of attorney: This designates someone to make medical decisions for you. For example, this person would determine what life-sustaining treatment should be provided or discontinued.
· Durable financial power of attorney: This designates someone to deal with your financial matters. For example, this person would manage your accounts, receive Social Security checks, pay bills and file your tax return.
Contact the estate planning attorneys at Field and Dennis to discuss your estate planning needs.
The Wellesley estate planning lawyers at the law firm of Fields and Dennis serve the Greater Boston region including Allston, Arlington, Boston, Brighton, Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Concord, Dedham, Dover, Lexington, Natick, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Wellesley, Weston, Westwood, and all Massachusetts.
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Filing a claim for veterans disability benefits is a process that takes time, can be challenging, and sometimes adversarial. Massachusetts Veterans lawyer, Attorney Hugh Ferguson can help you in your quest for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the agency charged with providing disability compensation, medical care, and other benefits and services to this country’s veterans.
The VA claims process at the regional office and the Board of Veterans’ Appeals can be bureaucratic and frustrating. If your claim for VA benefits is denied, as many are, our veterans’ benefits lawyers can represent you in your appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
Contact us if you have any questions or would like to schedule a free and confidential consultation to discuss your Veterans disability claim. We help Veterans in Massachusetts as well as in all States throughout the country.
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For many people Elder and Estate Law are the same. However, Massachusetts Elder Law and Massachusetts Estate Law are two distinct areas, and it is important to distinguish between them. The practice of Elder Law is unique because it is characterized by a specific type of client, not by the type of work practiced in a particular field. Estate Law, on the other hand, generally relates to the preparation of will and testament, formation of estate trusts and living trusts, and probate administration for clients of any age.
Elder law focuses on the numerous financial, medical and legal issues associated with aging that affect seniors. Among the various issues found in Elder Law, the attorneys at Field and Dennis specializes in Massachusetts elder law issues related to estate planning, probate, guardianships and domestic partnerships. This includes protection of property interests, entitlement to public benefits, health care decision-making, like power of attorney and health care proxy, visitation laws and rights, and guardianships.
Family members are often confronted with difficult decisions regarding the care of an aging parent or other aging family member. Many times the aging family member has not made provisions for their medical or mental disability or death. This leaves the caretaking family member unsure about their decisions and sometimes unable to pay for the care of the aging family member. Our firm helps family members determine the best course of action for their particular situation. They come to us with questions and concerns and we provide them with guidance, support, and answers.
If you are a senior or have an aging family member and have questions about any of the areas listed below, you should consult with us:
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- Estate Litigation – We represent people in disputes related to will contests, capacity issues, fraud, undue influence allegations and other estate disputes.
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- Will Contest – Our firm represents people challenging or defending the validity of a will.
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- Powers of Attorney – We help you decide whether a power of attorney is appropriate for you and your family.
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- Guardianships – A legal guardianship can be an important and effective tool to aid in the care of elderly or disabled family members. We will help you determine if this is the appropriate course of action for you to take and offer alternatives.
- Wills – Drafting comprehensive wills is one of the best ways to avoid estate litigation and probate disputes. These are tools that you can put into place prior to your disability or incapacity that clearly define your intentions.
As Massachusetts elder law attorneys, we have experience in assisting individuals and families in developing estate plans to avoid depleting their assets should they become ill and require long-term care. For those individuals who are already in nursing homes, we can help them qualify for Medicaid benefits while maximizing the amount of money they are able to keep through Medicaid trusts.
Contact Us We will assist you in determining which tools will best protect your estate and make certain your decisions are carried out as you intended. To learn more about Elder and Estate Law, contact the Fields and Dennis to schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced attorney.
The Massachusetts elder law attorneys at the law firm of Fields and Dennis serve the Greater Boston region including Allston, Arlington, Boston, Brighton, Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Concord, Dedham, Dover, Lexington, Natick, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Wellesley, Weston, Westwood, and all Massachusetts.
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Attorney Jonathan Fields is an accomplished divorce attorney and divorce mediator. He has more than 23 years experience representing clients with a high level of personal care and professionalism. His approach to the complex area of family law is innovative, compassionate and geared to the best interests of his clients.
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Attorney Sheryl Dennis has been practicing family law for more than 24 years. Over this time, she has helped scores of family members resolve complex legal issues with a high levels of skill, professionalism and compassion. Employing the tenets of collaborative law and mediation, Ms. Dennis’ work with her clients results in the best possible outcomes for all involved.
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