Lane, Lane & Kelly, LLP

08/20/2026

August is Make a Will Month: Is Your Estate Plan Up to Date? 📝

"Make a Will Month" is a great reminder to make sure your your loved ones and your assets are adequately protected.

Despite its importance, recent surveys estimate that only between 25%-30% of Americans have a Will.

A Last Will and Testament is one of the most important documents in an estate plan. It allows you to:

✅ Choose who will inherit your assets
✅ Name a Personal Representative to handle your estate
✅ Name guardians for minor children
✅ Outline your burial/cremation instructions
✅ Provide instructions for how your property should be distributed

However, creating a Will is not a “set it and forget it” decision. As life changes, your estate plan should change with it.

Marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, the death of a beneficiary or fiduciary, appreciation of your assets, purchasing a home, or simply the passage of time can all be reasons to revisit your plan. We recommend periodically reviewing your estate plan with your attorney to make sure it continues to reflect your current wishes.

It's also important to note that a Will alone does not avoid probate court. Depending on your goals and circumstances, a Trust and other estate planning strategies may help your family avoid probate and provide additional protection and flexibility.

📚 Learn More from our LLK legal blog:

👉 What You Need to Know About Creating a Will or Trust in Massachusetts:
https://llklaw.com/legal-blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-creating-a-will-or-trust-in-massachusetts

👉 Top Mistakes People Make When Creating a Will:
https://llklaw.com/legal-blog/top-mistakes-people-make-when-creating-a-will-and-how-to-avoid-them

👉 How to Avoid Probate Pitfalls in Massachusetts:
https://llklaw.com/legal-blog/how-to-avoid-probate-pitfalls-in-massachusetts

👉 Why You Should Have a Trust in Massachusetts:
https://llklaw.com/legal-blog/why-you-need-a-trust-in-massachusetts-probate-avoidance-estate-tax-planning-and-asset-protection

👉 When to Update Your Estate Plan Documents & Why It's Important:
https://llklaw.com/legal-blog/when-to-update-your-estate-plan-documents-why-its-important

Don’t wait for a major life event to think about your estate plan. Whether you are new to estate planning, or it has been several years since you last reviewed your plan, August is the perfect time to take a fresh look.

📞 Contact us today to schedule a FREE consultation with Lane, Lane & Kelly, LLP to discuss your estate planning goals and determine whether your current plan still works for you and your family.

08/13/2026

How do you Fund a Trust in Massachusetts? 🏡📑

Incorporating a Trust into your estate plan is a very common strategy due to its many advantages. What many people don't understand, however, is that creating a Trust is just the beginning. A Trust can only control the assets that you place into the trust, better known as "funding" your Trust. 💰

What does “funding” a Trust actually mean? Which assets should be transferred into the trust. Which assets should not? Are there important tax considerations?

Our latest legal blog breaks down the process of funding a Trust in Massachusetts, including:

🔹 What it means to fund a Trust
🔹 How to transfer real estate into a Trust
🔹 How bank and investment accounts are handled
🔹 What happens with personal property and other assets
🔹 Common mistakes and pitfalls to avoid
🔹 Why proper Trust funding is essential to accomplishing your estate planning goals
🔹 Important tax considerations when funding your Trust

👉 Read the complete guide here: https://llklaw.com/legal-blog/how-to-fund-a-trust-in-massachusetts-a-complete-guide

Learn how to properly fund a revocable Trust in Massachusetts. Discover which assets belong in a Trust, how to transfer them, and how to avoid probate.

08/12/2026

The South Shore Community Choice Awards Voting Period is Now Open! We are thrilled to share that our firm, Lane, Lane & Kelly, LLP and Attorney Matthew B. Lane have both been nominated as the best on the South Shore! 👏

Thank you to all of those who supported us during the nomination period, but we still need your help! Vote for us every day until August 24!

Fund us under the "Services" Category and vote for us as your favorite Law Firm! And vote for Matthew in the "Services - People" Category as your favorite Attorney!✅

Cast your vote here! https://patriotledger.gannettcontests.com/2026-South-Shore-Communitys-Choice-Awards/gallery?group=555748

07/22/2026

🔒 Is your LLC structured in a way that adequately protects your assets?

Many Massachusetts business owners assume that simply forming an LLC provides complete protection. In reality, how your LLC is structured can make a significant difference, especially when it comes to charging order protection and safeguarding your ownership interest.

Our latest legal blog explains:

✅ The best way to strucutre LLC membership interests

✅ How charging orders work in Massachusetts

✅ Why your LLC needs an Operating Agreement

✅ Steps business owners can take to better protect themselves

✅ How to incorporate your LLC interests into your estate plan

Whether you own a family business, investment property, or hold other assets in an LLC, understanding these concepts can help you avoid costly mistakes.

📖 Read the full legal blog here: https://llklaw.com/legal-blog/massachusetts-llc-membership-structure-charging-order-protection

Have questions about protecting your business, investment property, or reinforcing your estate plan? The attorneys at Lane, Lane & Kelly are here to help.

Explore the impact of creating a single-member vs. multi-member LLC in Massachusetts for charging order protection and estate planning benefits.

07/08/2026

⏳ Did you know there is a deadline to open probate in Massachusetts?

Many families are surprised to learn that if more than three years have passed since a loved one's death, the traditional probate process is no longer available. Fortunately, that doesn't always mean you're out of options.

A Late and Limited Probate may still allow you to confirm ownership of inherited property, clear title to real estate, or handle other important legal matters, even years after a loved one's death.

If you've recently discovered a probate issue involving a loved one's estate, it's important to understand your rights and the limitations of this unique probate procedure.

📖 Learn when Late and Limited Probate applies, what it can (and cannot) accomplish, and why acting sooner rather than later is important in our latest legal blog:

👉 https://llklaw.com/legal-blog/understanding-late-and-limited-probate-in-massachusetts

Have questions about probate or estate administration? Our experienced Massachusetts probate attorneys are here to help.

Learn about Late and Limited Probate in Massachusetts, a process for managing estates years after death when assets are discovered.

07/02/2026

Happy Fourth of July weekend! 🇺🇸🎉

Please note that Lane, Lane & Kelly, LLP will be closed on Friday, July 3, in observance of the Independence Day holiday. 🎇

As our nation celebrates America 250 and 250 years of independence, we wish you and your loved ones a safe, happy, and fun-filled Fourth of July! ❤️🤍💙

Enjoy the holiday weekend, celebrate responsibly, and take time to appreciate the freedoms we share. 🇺🇸

We'll reopen on Monday and look forward to assisting you then. Have a wonderful Fourth of July!

06/24/2026

Another lucky winner! 🍀💰

Attorney Bob Cirafice has extensive experience claiming lottery winnings on behalf of our clients, keeping their true identity completely anonymous! If you win the lottery and would like Bob's face to appear on the news instead of your own, contact us today!

Lottery officials say there is still one more $4 million grand prize remaining in the game.

06/24/2026

🎉 There he goes again! Another lucky winner!🎉

Attorney, Bob Cirafice, of Lane, Lane & Kelly, recently claimed a $4 million grand prize from the Massachusetts State Lottery's Fabulous Fortune scratch ticket game after establishing a trust to ensure our client's identity remains completely anonymous. The winning ticket was purchased right here in Braintree, and the trust elected to receive a lump-sum payment of $2.6 million before taxes.

Many Massachusetts lottery winners choose to claim prizes through a trust to help protect their privacy and manage the legal and financial aspects of a significant windfall. We are proud to help clients navigate these important matters with discretion, professionalism, and trusted legal guidance.

Click here for more information as to how we can help you claim your prize anonymously. 💸 https://llklaw.com/legal-blog/how-to-maintain-anonymity-when-you-win-the-lottery-in-massachusetts

Congratulations again to Bob and his client on this exciting victory! 🍀💰

06/15/2026

When a loved one passes away, handling their fi****ms is not as simple as distributing other personal belongings. Massachusetts has strict laws governing firearm possession, transfers, and inheritance, making it important for families and Personal Representatives to understand their legal responsibilities.

Fi****ms should be secured immediately and transferred only in compliance with state and federal law.

Read our latest legal blog to understand how to account for fi****ms in your estate plan, learn the key steps to take when someone dies owning fi****ms in Massachusetts, and how to avoid costly mistakes during estate administration.

📖 Read more: https://llklaw.com/legal-blog/what-to-do-when-someone-dies-with-fi****ms-in-massachusetts

****msLaw

Learn how to handle fi****ms after a loved one's death in Massachusetts, ensuring legal compliance and safety for all involved.

06/11/2026

🏆 Help LLK Law Earn Another Community Choice Award! 🏆

For decades, we have been honored to serve families and businesses throughout the South Shore, and with your support, we've proudly been recognized as a top law firm in the area for several years. Now, we need your help again as we look to once again claim the top spot!

Please take a moment to nominate Lane, Lane & Kelly, LLP for the Best Law Firm in the 2026 South Shore Community's Choice Awards. Nominations are open through June 22, 2026, and you can submit a nomination once per day during the nomination period.

👉 Nominate us here: under the Services -> Law Firm Category
https://patriotledger.gannettcontests.com/2026-South-Shore-Communitys-Choice-Awards/gallery?group=546520

Your nomination helps us continue our tradition of excellence in estate planning, probate, real estate, business law, and zoning services across the South Shore and Greater Boston area.

Thank you for your trust, your support, and for allowing us to be part of your family's and business' journey. We truly appreciate every nomination!