Partners' Letter
Dear Clients and Friends,
 
With summer right around the corner, many extended families are making vacation plans and looking forward to spending time together. Consider taking advantage of some of that downtime to discuss health care planning. While it's never an easy subject to discuss the "what ifs" and end-of-life care with loved ones, it's necessary to make your wishes known -- while you're healthy! The goal is to have a discussion with family and then work with an estate planning attorney to either draft or update documents. In this issue, we lead with "Five Ways to Make Sure Health Care Wishes are Carried Out," which was written by Attorney Baler and published in the Dedham Transcript in April. 
 
Attorney Baler emphasizes that by not making your wishes known now, you may lose the ability to express your health care preferences in the event of an accident or an unexpected illness. She discusses the top five ways to ensure that your wishes are carried out, such as creating a health care proxy and signing a Living Will. The article also provides links to important government and community resources that can help you better understand your health care options, initiate family discussions, and plan accordingly.  
 
Attorney Baler also writes about a new initiative -- the Dementia Friendly Massachusetts Initiative -- created to raise awareness about Alzheimer's disease and other dementias .  Massachusetts is one of several states taking the lead to help those who suffer with this disease, as well as their caregivers. The numbers are staggering: One in eight older adults in Massachusetts has Alzheimer's disease. Learn more about the facts and what is being done to help make communities more "dementia friendly."
 
In Attorney Samuel's financial article, he discusses Long-Term Care Insurance ( LTCi ) and what consumers should know about today's variety of options, such as stand alone and hybrid LTCi policies . There's some good news ahead for custom-planning your financial future as it relates to health care, so read on. We've even crunched some numbers to show you the approximate premiums for different levels of insurance.
 
Over the past three months, our attorneys have been out and about in the community, giving presentations and attending workshops. Read about the topics we presented and learned about how we continue to stay involved in industry organizations and further our education.  Finally, read about some new additions to our staff and our extended SSB family!
 
Thank you for reading another issue of News from SSB . We always welcome your feedback, ideas for articles, and new subscribers, so please feel free to send us email addresses or forward this newsletter to friends and family members.
 
Have a safe and relaxing summer!
 
Steven Joshua Samuel
Suzanne R. Sayward
Maria C. Baler 
Five Ways to Make Sure Health Care Wishes are Carried Out

By Attorney Maria Baler
 
Estate planning attorneys have the opportunity to speak to people at all stages of life. Some of the most profound conversations we have are with clients who have serious illnesses or are close to death.  They often have great clarity about life and what is important.  Many of them also have definite thoughts about how they wish to be cared for at the end of their lives, and care deeply that their wishes are heard and carried out. 
 
We all have the right to make our wishes known about the type of end-of-life care we want. Making your wishes known while you are well is important as an accident or an unexpected illness may cause you to lose the ability to express your care preferences. This April marks the 10th anniversary of National Healthcare Decisions Day. Here are five ways you can ensure your care preferences are clearly documented and honored:
Dementia Friendly Massachusetts

By Attorney Maria C. Baler
 
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs has a new initiative to raise awareness about the prevalence of dementia in our state, in an effort to make our communities and those who live in them more "friendly" to those who suffer from dementia.  Did you know that one  in eight older adults in Massachusetts has Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder?  Nearly 60 percent of those with dementia live in their own communities.  One in seven of those with dementia lives alone. 
Protecting your Child's Inheritance from the Reach of a Divorcing Spouse
 
On May 11, our firm's bi-monthly Smart Counsel presentation focused on the best way to protect the inheritance you will leave to your children from the reach of your child's spouse in the event of a divorce. 
Long-Term Care Insurance Update 
 
By Steven Joshua Samuel, JD, MBA, AIF
 
Long-term care is on people's minds more and more these days. Most baby boomers, now between their 50s and their 70s, know families with someone who needs personal care. Directly knowing a friend or family whose financial life is upended by the bone crushing expense of long-term care is motivating boomers who have Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCi) to review their policies. Many baby boomers who haven't acquired LTCi are reconsidering and looking for updated information. Fortunately, there is some good news for both groups.
Calling all New Parents: 
 
If your estate plan includes a Parental Appointment of Temporary Agent (PATA), remember to let us know if you have another child.  This document names your children specifically, and needs to be updated if and when you have additional children. To remind you, this is the document that names someone to take immediate custody of your children should something happen to you and your spouse, until a guardian for the child(ren) can be appointed by the Probate Court.  If you have young children and do not have a PATA, please be in touch with us about creating one.
What's New at Samuel, Sayward & Baler LLC
 
Hello Baby Greenfield!
 
Attorney Greenfield had her beautiful baby boy, Bennett, on April 4, 2017.  Bennett was warmly welcomed by big brother Sawyer.  

Attorney Greenfield plans to return to the office this summer.   Please call Jennifer Poles at our office to schedule an appointment with Attorney Greenfield.
 
Welcome Brianna!
 
Meet the newest member of our team, Brianna Crosby. Brianna joined Samuel, Sayward & Baler in May as the firm's Legal Assistant. Brianna is a recent graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and holds a degree in political science. Brianna answers our phones, greets clients, and can help you if you want additional copies of your estate plan documents or if you want to update your contact information. Brianna can be reached at  [email protected] or (781) 461-1020 ext. 200.
 
 
In her spare time, Brianna enjoys playing with her English bulldog, Fiona, hanging out with her younger siblings, and creative writing. Her passions also include politics and advocating for human rights.  
 
Smart Counsel Seminar
 
Our May 11 Smart Counsel Seminar was a great success! A summary of the presentation can be found here and we've posted some photos below.
 

Samuel, Sayward & Baler LLC Attorneys Attend Elder Law Institute
 
Attorneys Sayward, Baler, Greenfield, and Poole attended the Annual Elder Law Institute XXIII, sponsored by the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (MassNAELA)  in Boston on March 31.  This intensive full-day program focused on the intricacies of irrevocable trusts and the latest developments in this area of the law.  The presentation broadened our attorneys' expertise in advising clients about using irrevocable trusts for long-term care planning purposes. 
 
May was National Elder Law Month!
 
The purpose of National Elder Law Month is to raise awareness of the legal issues people face as they age and ways to address these issues. A key component of National Elder Law Month is education. For more than a decade, the Massachusetts Bar Association and the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (MassNAELA) have organized free educational presentations about elder law throughout the Commonwealth in honor of Elder Law Month.  Attorneys Sayward and Baler are participating in this program and will be presenting at local senior centers.  Attorney Sayward will be presenting at the Dedham Council on Aging on Friday, June 16, at 11 a.m., and Attorney Baler will be presenting at the Westwood Senior Center on Monday, July 17, at 10:00 a.m. 
 
Honoring Choices Presentation
 
Westwood Council on Aging Director Lina Arena-DeRosa and Samuel, Sayward & Baler Attorney Abigail Poole presented "Honoring Choices - A Discussion about Health Proxies" on May 15 at the Westwood Senior Center.  The program was sponsored by the Westwood Council on Aging,  Honoring Choices and Samuel, Sawyer & Baler LLC.
 
NAELA's Annual Conference Comes to Boston
 
Attorneys Sayward and Baler attended the  National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA)  Annual Conference, held from April 27-29 in Boston. At this year's Annual Conference, attendees from across the country participated in interactive sessions led by experts in the field to sharpen their skills and increase their knowledge on elder law topics.

Members of NAELA are attorneys who are experienced and trained in addressing the legal problems of aging Americans and individuals of all ages with disabilities. The mission of NAELA is to establish its members as the premier providers of legal advocacy, guidance, and services to enhance the lives of people as they age and those with special needs.  
 
Samuel, Sayward & Baler LLC, 858 Washington Street, Suite 202, Dedham, Massachusetts  
781-461-1020      www.ssbllc.com