Attorney John L. Roberts
2026 is my 36th year serving people in Hampden County, Massachusetts.
Many people want to avoid Probate and make sure their estate has no liability to pay any Massachusetts Estate Tax. They may also be interested in eligibility for Medicaid in case they need elder care. Realizing these goals requires Estate Planning, Real Estate and Elder Law expertise.
I am a member of the Real Estate Bar Association for Massachusetts, the Real Estate Section of the Hampden County Bar Association, the Estate Planning Council of Hampden County, and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). I am also an Elder Law Attorney certified by the National Elder Law Foundation and a member of the Connecticut Bar Association.
When I meet with a client, we make an inventory of asset values and ownership status. Assets are listed in the categories relevant to the IRS, the Massachusetts Probate Courts, and case workers who would review a Medicaid eligibility application in the future.
Full review of your income and assets, your current health, and the needs of the people who are important to you, leads us to create the plan that serves you and your family.
You have the right to arrange your assets so that courts are not involved, taxes are reduced, and your legacy is protected. At the botom lines of a famous dissent, Judge Learned Hand explained how we have no duty to pay more tax than the law demands. The Supreme Court agreed that astute taxpayers “order their affairs so as to minimize taxes."
I'll prepare your Will, Trust and Power of Attorney documents so you accomplish your lifetime goals, and protect the legacy you leave for your family.
When I plan or settle an estate, I work with a team of the client advisors: Banker, Accountant or Tax Preparer, Financial Planner, and Insurance Agent. I graduated cum laude from Western New England University School of Law in 1989. Before starting the law practice in 1991, I worked as a Judicial Law Clerk for the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Massachusetts
Click for: Client Reviews | Continuing Legal Education Presentations:
May 19, 2021 | Hampden County Bar Association Real Estate Section - Part 2 of SJC courtroom drama with surprise ending for buyer’s counsel who learned how warranty of habitability is a remedy restricted to a segment of the real estate business: builder-vendors.
February 17, 2021 | Hampden County Bar Association Real Estate Section - Discussion of real estate title issues in Guilfoil Case where a Medicaid Applicant was denied eligibility for MassHealth based on Nominee Trust real estate ownership arrangement:
Read Guilfoil v. Scty of Office Of Health & Human Services | Docket
November 7, 2019 | Hampden County Bar Association - Estate planning for digital assets. Excerpts: