Elder Law Attorney Briefs Seniors on Asset Protection
Wakefield Council on Aging hosts elder law attorney for estate planning briefing.
Council on Aging · Meeting of August 25, 2026
Wakefield Council on Aging hosts elder law attorney for estate planning briefing. Certified elder law attorney Patrick Curley told seniors at the McCarthy Senior Center that Massachusetts' estate tax threshold is now $2 million, up from $1 million, and that the federal annual gift tax exclusion has risen to $19,000 per person. Curley, one of two certified elder law attorneys in Wakefield alongside law partner Lucy Budman, warned that assets held in a revocable trust remain "countable" by MassHealth, while irrevocable trusts can shield assets but trigger a five-year look-back period.
He charges a $500 consultation fee and cautioned that "if you don't trust your children, you should not do an irrevocable trust, unequivocally." No Council business was voted on; the session was purely educational, with no board members named in the recording.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 1,996 words
Source: the Council on Aging meeting of August 25, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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