Estate planning on the South Shore
An estate plan is how you make sure the people you love are protected, the assets you've built go where you intend, and your family isn't left navigating a court process at the worst possible time. For most South Shore families, that means getting the right combination of documents in place before you need them.
I offer two primary approaches: a will-based plan for families who want the foundational documents in place now, and a trust-based plan for homeowners who want to avoid probate entirely and keep their estate out of the public record. Both are flat-fee. Both include document execution, premium printed originals, and electronic scanned copies before you leave the office. Your first consultation is always free.
Will-based plans
A will-based plan is the right starting point for younger families, people early in the planning process, or anyone who wants to get the core documents in place and build from there. It covers who inherits your assets, who raises your children if something happens to you, who manages your finances if you're incapacitated, and who makes medical decisions on your behalf in a crisis. Every will-based plan goes through probate in Massachusetts, which typically runs nine to twelve months for uncontested estates. For many families that's an acceptable tradeoff, especially when the plan can be upgraded to a trust-based structure later.
Individual essentials
$1,500
Will, power of attorney, and healthcare proxy with HIPAA authorization.
Couple essentials
$2,200
Complete foundational documents for both partners.
Trust-based plans
For most South Shore homeowners, a revocable living trust is the better long-term choice. A funded trust keeps your estate out of probate court entirely, protects your family's privacy, and gives the people you've named a clear path to act without court involvement. Every trust plan I offer includes the deed transfer to fund the trust — the step where most plans quietly fail when it's handled elsewhere — at no additional charge. If you own a home on the South Shore, there's a strong argument that a trust-based plan pays for itself in probate savings alone.
Individual trust plan
$3,200
Revocable trust, pour-over will, power of attorney, healthcare proxy, and deed transfer.
Couple trust plan
$4,500
Complete trust-based plan for both partners, including deed transfer to fund the trust.
MassHealth protection planning
If protecting the home from a future MassHealth claim is part of your goal, the planning centers on an irrevocable trust. This is more involved than a standard revocable trust plan and starts at $5,500, with the final scope depending on your property situation and where you stand relative to the five-year look-back window. I'll give you a clear picture of the cost in our first conversation.
See full MassHealth protection pricing →Not sure which plan fits?
Most families I sit down with aren't sure whether they need a will or a trust until we look at their actual situation together. That's exactly what the free consultation is for. We'll go through what you own, who you want to protect, and what you're trying to avoid — and I'll give you a clear recommendation, not a sales pitch.
Book Your Consultation(781) 724-1721|Jason@JCullenLaw.com