Partners' Letter
Dear Clients and Friends,
 
Fall is a season that brings new beginnings and is also a good time to take stock of your personal business affairs and adjust as necessary. Keeping with the theme of "growth and change," this issue of our newsletter provides guidance on whether an irrevocable trust is a viable addition to your estate planning strategy; advice on how to prepare for a Bear (stock market); the difference between a will and a trust in "Ask SS&B..."; and information on upcoming events, firm news and more.

SS&B is pleased to announce the addition of Natalene Ong to our team. Natalene joined the firm as an associate attorney in August - welcome Natalene! The firm is celebrating National Special Needs Law Month this October along with the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (MassNAELA)- read on for a link to MassNAELA's Special Needs Advocacy Toolkit.

The topic of irrevocable trusts is ever-popular because people want to learn more about how and if this type of trust can benefit them.  Suzanne Sayward shares "Five Questions to Ask Before Creating an Irrevocable Trust," to help you assess if creating an irrevocable trust makes sense for you.

As the US stock "bull market" (meaning ten years of increasing stock prices) enters its tenth year, Steven Samuel reviews steps that retirees and people retiring in the next few years can take to prepare for the unpredictable "coming bear market."
 
The next program in our Smart Counsel Series entitled Everything You Wanted To Know About Trusts But Were Afraid To Ask , will take place on Thursday, November 29, 2018, in our Dedham office. Look for an email invitation in the coming weeks.
 
As always, we encourage you to send us ideas for future articles. Please feel free to send us email addresses for new subscribers or forward this newsletter to friends and family members.
 
Steven Joshua Samuel
Suzanne R. Sayward
Maria C. Baler 
By Attorney Suzanne R. Sayward
 
Some of the most frequent questions I hear from clients in my estate planning law practice have to do with whether they should create an irrevocable trust . Here are five questions to ask when deciding whether or not an irrevocable trust would be a good addition to your estate planning strategy.
By Steven Joshua Samuel JD, MBA, AIF®
 
As the US stock "bull market" enters its tenth year since beginning in 2009 (meaning ten years of increasing stock prices), articles about "the coming bear market" (a stock market drop of 20% or more) have been appearing in the financial press with some frequency. For retirees and people considering retiring in the next few years, the prospect of a 20% or greater drop in stock prices is alarming and certainly worth consideration and preparation. So, let's look at the most recent prior bull and bear markets starting with the numbers and then, how you might prepare for the next Dow Bear.
National Special Needs Law Month - October

Many of our attorneys here at Samuel, Sayward & Baler are active in the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (MassNAELA). Members of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) are attorneys who are experienced and trained in working with the legal problems of aging Americans and individuals of all ages with disabilities. Established in 1987, NAELA is a non-profit association that assists lawyers, bar organizations and others. The mission of NAELA is to establish NAELA members as the premier providers of legal advocacy, guidance and services to enhance the lives of people with special needs and people as they age. MassNAELA's mission is to be a leader in both elder law and special needs law in Massachusetts.
Ask Samuel, Sayward & Baler LLC

By Attorney Suzanne R. Sayward

What is the difference between a Will and a Trust?
What's New at Samuel, Sayward & Baler LLC
 
Here's what's been happening at Samuel, Sayward & Baler LLC!

Welcome Attorney Natalene Ong

Attorney Natalene Ong joined the firm in August as an associate attorney. Attorney Ong brings her experience in  tax and charitable planning to the firm, and practices in the areas of estate planning and estate and trust administration. Read more about Attorney Ong here.
 
 
Speaking Events
 
Attorney Maria Baler spoke at Medfield High School parents' night on Thursday, September 27, 2018, along with Attorney Tim Borchers of Borchers Law Group in Medway, Massachusetts, about the about important legal documents young adults should have when they turn 18.
 
Attorney Abigail Poole spoke to parents of high school students with Mindy Popp of the College Admissions Academy about a similar topic, Three Essential Legal Documents for College-Age Children, at Wellesley Free Library on Wednesday, October 10, 2018. 
 
Attorney Abigail Poole also spoke with the residents at The Blake Estates in Hyde Park on Wednesday, October 17th about basic estate planning documents. 

Attorneys Suzanne Sayward and Natalene Ong presented to members and guests of the Sharon's Men's Club on October 9, 20 18 at the Sharon Community Center about Wills, Trusts, Estate Taxes and the responsibilities of fiduciaries. 
 
Smart Counsel Series Presentations
 
We continued our Smart Counsel Series of presentations on September 20, 2018. Attorneys Maria Baler and Abigail Poole spoke about What The Heck Is Probate And Why Does Everyone Want To Avoid It?



 
Please join us on November 29, 2018, for our next Smart Counsel Series presentation,  Everything You Wanted To Know About Trusts But Were Afraid To Ask.  We will review the ins and outs of Trusts - the different types of Trusts, why we use them, how Trusts work, and whether you should have one. Our last Smart Counsel presentation focused on the spooky realities of Probate in Massachusetts. Come find out how you can use a Trust to avoid Probate and save your family a lot of time and aggravation in the process, and maybe save some estate taxes as well.
 
To reserve your seat early, please call or email Kenzie at 781-461-1020 or kenzie@ssbllc.com.
 
Other News
 
Fantasy Football
 
Our office's Fantasy Football league is up and running. At this writing, our part-time administrative assistant Esther Wilson is undefeated and in first place, followed by our paralegal Kenzie Sayward.
 
Quarterly Fun!
 
Samuel, Sayward and Baler, accompanied by our suite-mates Samuel Financial LLC, enjoyed a late season game between the Boston Red Sox and the Houston Astros at Fenway Park.
 
We also had a wonderful time at our outing on October 18th to Jack's Abby, a local craft brewery in Framingham.

These articles are not intended to provide legal advice or create or imply an attorney-client relationship. No information contained herein is a substitute for a personal consultation with an attorney
Samuel, Sayward & Baler LLC, 858 Washington Street, Suite 202, Dedham, Massachusetts  
781-461-1020      www.ssbllc.com