Katherine A. Bagdis, Esquire

Happy Holidays! If you have lottery tickets on your gift list check out our latest blog post.

https://mountaindearborn.com/you-won-the-lottery-now-how-do-you-protect-your-privacy-and-your-cash-prize/

This is my third time visiting the Massachusetts Lottery Commission in the last 12 months!

You Won the Lottery! Now, How Do You Protect Your Privacy and Your Cash Prize? As you begin your holiday shopping, some of you may be purchasing lottery tickets for yourself or your loved ones for a chance to win big. If you or your recipient are lucky enough to hit the jackpot, just remember the most important thing to do next: maintain your family’s privacy and security wh...

https://mountaindearborn.com/help-theres-an-estate-tax-lien-on-my-property-how-can-i-have-it-removed/

Help! There’s an Estate Tax Lien on My Property. How Can I Have It Removed ? As the saying goes, nothing is certain in life except death and taxes. And there’s no avoiding taxes, even after death, at least when it comes to real estate—depending on the value of the estate. When someone dies who owns or has any legal interest in Massachusetts real estate, an estate tax lie...

https://mountaindearborn.com/facing-a-potential-criminal-charge-what-you-should-know-about-clerk-magistrate-hearings/

Facing a Potential Criminal Charge? What You Should Know About Clerk Magistrate Hearings Unlike what you might assume from crime shows on TV, not every criminal case begins with an arrest. In some cases, the first step is actually a hearing before a clerk magistrate, where the accused has a critical opportunity to resolve accusations before a formal criminal charge is filed. Often refer...

We are very excited with the addition of Anthony to the firm!

Anthony J. Luzzo Joins Mountain Dearborn Mountain Dearborn is pleased to announce the appointment of Anthony J. Luzzo as partner in the firm. The addition of Attorney Luzzo strengthens the firm’s commitment to delivering exceptional legal representation to its clients. With more than 15 years of experience in litigation, focusing on crim...

https://mountaindearborn.com/buying-a-new-home-three-key-documents-you-need-to-understand/

Buying a New Home? Three Key Documents You Need to Understand Purchasing a house is an exciting and stressful experience. You have piles of paperwork and documents to deal with when you’d rather be thinking about paint colors and new furniture. A good real estate attorney will review all the documents for you and alert you to any issues. Most buyers intently...

https://mountaindearborn.com/why-you-need-a-health-care-proxy-and-durable-power-of-attorney/

Why You Need a Health Care Proxy and Durable Power of Attorney When most people hear the term “estate planning,” they think about planning for the distribution of their assets after they die. But what if you become incapacitated by illness or an accident, leaving you unable to manage your own affairs while you are still very much alive? It happens. Without ...

https://mountaindearborn.com/why-blended-families-need-a-comprehensive-estate-plan/

Why Blended Families Need a Comprehensive Estate Plan Gone are the days when a nuclear family was the norm in America. Blended families comprised of parents with children from previous relationships are becoming more common. According to some estimates, at least forty percent of American families include a stepchild, half-sibling, stepparent, or other....

It is great that we are now able to assist our clients with criminal matters when they arise.

You’ve Been Arrested or Received a Court Summons. What Happens at Your Arraignment? Walking into a courthouse for your arraignment before a judge can be very intimidating, especially if you’re a newcomer to the criminal justice system. Here’s what to expect if you’ve been arrested or received a summons, and how best to handle your court appearance. An arraignment is the forma...

https://mountaindearborn.com/if-you-have-young-children-you-need-a-will/

If You Have Young Children, You Need a Will You might think a will is necessary only if you have significant net worth, but that’s not true. A will can serve not only to distribute all your property according to your preferences, but also to nominate a guardian for your minor children. Only a Probate Court can appoint a guardian, but a pare...

https://mountaindearborn.com/estate-tax-threshold-raised-in-massachusetts/

Estate Tax Threshold Raised in Massachusetts A major tax relief package signed by Governor Maura Healey on October 4 doubles the Massachusetts estate tax threshold to $2 million. The higher estate tax threshold is retroactive to January 1, 2023. If you have already paid estate taxes this year, you may be entitled to a refund. Our estate planni...

https://mountaindearborn.com/police-accountability-vs-individual-privacy-tradeoffs-of-body-worn-cameras/

Police Accountability vs. Individual Privacy: Tradeoffs of Body Worn Cameras After years of research and public debate, the Worcester Police Department now requires officers to use body-worn cameras (BWCs). The WPD’s new policy follows a nationwide trend to increase police accountability by recording officers’ interactions with the public, particularly regarding use of f...

Happy Holidays from all of us at Mountain Dearborn! It has been a wonderful year and we look forward to another great year in 2023.