Trusted and Empathetic Counsellors Guiding You on a Path to Shape Your Legacy
Law Office Specializing in Estate Planning, Estate Administration
and Long Term Care Asset Preservation Planning
The Path Forward Shouldn’t be Complex or Challenging
You will feel like you have a partner empowering you with knowledge and guidance through the estate planning process so that your wishes are understood and crystal clear.
Navigating the Estate Planning and Estate Administration Process
Trusted Advisors
Approachable, Caring, Personal & Empathetic
Thought Leaders
Continually advancing our intellectual understanding of developments in the field, efficiency, and quality control
Exceptional Service
Through a multitiered, meticulous approach
We Completely Understand
For 30 years we have worked with each of our clients to help them create a strong plan for their legacy.
Typically, they will say that they have put their planning off because they thought it would be really complicated, time consuming and difficult. Our goal is to allay those concerns and deliver a plan that gives them comfort and above all ensures their legacy.
Areas of Practice
Estate Planning
Estate planning involves the preparation of a plan to accomplish the orderly transfer of assets to and for the benefit of the client’s loved ones, the preservation of wealth, and, where appropriate, asset protection and incapacity planning.
Estate Taxation Planning
Estate taxation planning focuses on preserving assets from estate, gift, and income taxation using trusts, asset repositioning and other mechanisms.
Long Term Care/Special Needs Planning
This type of specialized planning focuses on counselling clients and their families on a variety of long-term care issues in conjunction with estate planning and estate taxation planning. This may include the protection of their assets from the cost of long-term care or assistance in creating a plan for the care and financial needs of minor and adult children with special needs.
Estate Administration
As attorneys for an estate, we see an estate through the entire estate administration process. This may include marshalling assets, preparing the estate inventory, selling or transferring real estate or other property, trust funding, preparing and filing the estate tax return, and ultimately providing for the distribution of assets to beneficiaries.
Let us Guide You to Success
Define Your Goals
Determine the right solution with our knowledgeable team
Design & Implement Your Plan
We’ll help you do exactly what needs to be done
Peace of Mind
You’ll have confidence that your legacy will be honored
Attorneys
Judith R. Mendel
Judith R. Mendel concentrates her practice in estate planning, estate taxation planning, long-term care and disability planning and estate administration. Judy is co-editor and co-author of Drafting Estate Plans, published in 2004, and updated most recently in 2023, by Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE). Judy’s publications also include co-authorship of Estate and Gift Tax Planning: The Basics, published by the Massachusetts Bar Association (MBA); and Estate Planning Basics, published by MCLE.
Judy has lectured frequently before other attorneys as a faculty member for MCLE and the MBA. She is a 1984 graduate of McGill Law School in Montreal where she lived before moving to Massachusetts, has her Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) in taxation from the Boston University School of Law, and has been a member of the Massachusetts Bar since 1988.
Matthew L. Wolfman
Matthew L. Wolfman joined Mendel & Associates in 2021 and focuses his practice on Estate Planning, Estate and Trust Administration and Long Term Care/Special Needs Planning.
Matt earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) at the Charleston School of Law and is an alumnus of Marist College, where he received his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.). Matt comes to Mendel & Associates after working for over six years as a corporate fiduciary with U.S. Trust and Wells Fargo Private Bank, administrating estates and trusts for high-net-worth clients and their families. Matt is co-editor and co-author of the latest edition of Drafting Estate Plans, published in 2004, and updated most recently in 2023, by Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE). In addition to crafting estate plans, Matt administers estates, handles the preparation of probate court documents and estate tax returns, and advises Personal Representatives and Trustees on their fiduciary duties. He particularly relishes the opportunity to educate clients as he works with them in navigating the probate process.
Outside of the office Matt enjoys traveling to new places, experiencing the outdoors, training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and listening to live music.