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Carleen & Caramanica, P.C.


Attorney John Carleen is an experienced professional with over 30 years of estate planning experience. He has designed plans for both large and small estates saving families thousands of dollars in taxes and administrative costs. Each plan is custom tailored to the client's specific needs and requirements depending on the size and complexity of their estate. He is also an experienced trial attorney, both contesting and defending challenges to wills and trusts. In addition, attorney Carleen is admitted to the United States Tax Court and defends estates and individuals from unwarranted assessments of estate and income taxes. Unlike some larger firms, your estate will not be handed off to a less experienced associate or paralegal. Attorney Carleen represents each client personally to ensure the proper implementation of the estate plan from beginning to end.

The Firm provides services in the following areas:

  • Preparation of Wills and Trusts
  • Preparation of Powers of Attorney and Health Proxies (Living Will)
  • Comprehensive Planning to Minimize Estate Tax Exposure
  • Life Insurance Trusts, Qualified Personal Residence Trusts and Other Qualified Estate Tax Savings Instruments
  • Preparation of Estate and Trust Tax Returns
  • Elder Law -Long-term Care Planning & Related Issues (Medicaid)
  • Estate and Trust Administration
  • Litigation involving Wills and Trusts (Will Contests)
  • Guardianships
  • Special Needs Trusts for the Disabled
  • Asset Protection Trusts

    • If you do not have an updated will/trust, upon your death your estate will be divided in accordance with Massachusetts' intestacy laws. For example, if you are married with children, this law states that a portion of your assets will be distributed to your spouse and the remainder divided among your children. A properly designed and implemented estate plan will ensure that your assets are distributed at your death in accordance with your wishes; that a guardian of your choice is appointed for your minor children; and that your estate will be administered in the most cost effective manner, reducing estate taxes and probate expenses. A properly drafted estate plan protects what's most important - the loved ones left behind.

    A Comprehensive estate plan should at a minimum consist of:

    Will: Estate distribution plan

    Power of Attorney: Facilitates administration of assets during period of disability

    Health Care Proxy: Directs medical care during periods of disability

    Various types of trusts or trust provisions may be appropriate to avoid costs associated with estate administration (Probate), reduce taxes, or provide for special needs of family members.

    Estate Taxes

    Whether your estate is large or small, substantial savings will result in properly planning for the possibility of estate taxes and the administration of your estate. Most people don't generally concern themselves with estate taxes because they tend to underestimate the value of their estate. Your estate for estate tax purposes includes all the assets which you have an interest in including jointly held property, life insurance proceeds and the value of beneficial interests in assets held in trust for your benefit. With sky-rocketing real estate values, life insurance provided by your employer, and growing mutual fund and 401K/pension accounts, your estate may be much higher than you have previously estimated. Failure to plan could cost you or your loved ones thousands of dollars in estate taxes and probate fees. For example, a taxable estate of $2,000,000 could result in an estate tax of over $500,000.00. This tax could be eliminated in its entirety with proper planning. Similar results can be achieved to a greater or lesser extent depending on the size of your estate. Attorney John Carleen, with over 30 years of experience, is uniquely positioned to professionally plan, draft and implement those instruments and strategies necessary to reduce taxes and costs of administering the estate.

    Advertising. In accordance with rules established by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. This web site must be labeled "advertising." It is designed to provide general information for clients and friends of the firm and should not be construed as legal advice, or legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances. This web site is designed for general information only. The information presented at this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.