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Elder law attorneys in Massachusetts focus on the legal issues facing aging adults and their families: Medicaid planning for long-term care, drafting and updating durable powers of attorney and healthcare directives, guardianship and conservatorship proceedings, special needs trusts, and asset protection. Many also handle probate and estate planning, but elder law is the specific subset focused on care planning and benefits eligibility. See the Massachusetts healthcare proxy and financial power of attorney forms.
Federal law (and Massachusetts's implementation) imposes a 5-year lookback period for Medicaid long-term care eligibility. Any uncompensated transfers (gifts, transfers to family members, transfers to a non-Medicaid-qualified trust) within the 5 years before applying for Medicaid can trigger a penalty period during which Medicaid won't pay for nursing home care. This is the main reason Medicaid planning needs to start years before care is actually needed — and the main reason elder law attorneys exist as a distinct practice area.
Estate planning attorneys in Massachusetts average $387 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025 for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $1,161–$2,322 for a simple individual will and $3,920–$5,880 for a basic revocable trust. Online and DIY services cost $30–$300 for the same documents — see the will cost calculator for a side-by-side comparison.
Massachusetts allows estates under $25,000 to use a simplified Voluntary Administration procedure, which is a form rather than a court case and typically doesn't require an attorney. For larger estates, formal probate is involved enough that retaining counsel is usually practical — the procedural work is what they're there for. Use the Massachusetts probate calculator to estimate the costs.
In Massachusetts, the situations where retaining counsel is typically worth the cost are: blended families with children from prior relationships; ownership of a business, rental property, or significant investment assets; special-needs dependents who need a special-needs trust to preserve benefits; estates near or above the Massachusetts estate tax threshold; substantial property held in multiple states. If none of these describe your situation, the simpler online and DIY tools are often enough.
Search 3,941 estate law firms across 51 states.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to discuss your situation and verify their current practice areas and availability.
50 firms
Milton-based estate planning and elder law firm serving Boston's South Shore and eastern Massachusetts from offices in Milton, Brockton, and Mashpee. Handles wills, trusts, probate and estate administration, guardianship and conservatorship, and MassHealth/Medicaid planning, led by attorney Matthew P. Albanese. Offers a free consultation and home visits for mobility-challenged clients.
Location
487 Adams StreetMilton, MA 02186
Phone
(617) 698-2100
Lenox firm serving Berkshire County in estate, trust, and tax planning, elder law, and long-term care strategy. Handles trust and estate administration, Medicaid and VA benefits planning, and life-care coordination. Founder Paula K. Almgren has practiced two decades, is accredited with the Department of Veterans Affairs, and has been named a Massachusetts Super Lawyer six consecutive years.
Location
1 West StreetLenox, MA 01240
Phone
(413) 637-5075
Service Area
1 county
Beverly firm serving Essex County and greater Boston in estate planning, estate and trust administration, and fiduciary income and estate tax matters. Handles probate administration, business succession, elder law, and asset protection. Led by Peter E. Bernardin, both an attorney and a CPA, giving the firm a tax-focused edge on estate and trust accounting over 20+ years of practice.
Location
100 Cummings Center, Suite 217CBeverly, MA 01915
Phone
(978) 712-4378
Service Area
1 county
Waltham firm serving Greater Boston and the broader Commonwealth, with additional offices in Florida and New Hampshire. Handles estate planning, probate and trust administration, asset protection, and MassHealth/Medicaid planning, plus federal and Massachusetts estate tax work. Led by David M. Beliveau, both an Esq. and CPA, anchoring the firm's tax and elder-law practice.
Location
2 Winter Street, Suite 102Waltham, MA 02451
Phone
(781) 890-8600
Established
2001
Service Area
5 counties
One of the largest estate planning and probate groups in Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut. Founded 1895 with over 130 years of service. Decades of experience in Springfield probate courts. Attorney Gina M. Barry named "Lawyer of the Year" for Springfield Elder Law by Best Lawyers in 2026.
Location
33 State StreetSpringfield, MA 01103
Phone
(413) 781-0560
Established
1895
Service Area
2 counties
Hingham-based estate planning and elder law firm serving the South Shore and southeastern Massachusetts from four offices in Hingham, Holliston, Brockton, and Plymouth. Handles wills, trusts, probate and estate administration, MassHealth/Medicaid and VA benefits planning, asset protection, and guardianship. Led by attorney Michael Baker; the initial consultation is complimentary.
Location
72 Sharp Street, Suite A5Hingham, MA 02043
Phone
(781) 996-5656
Service Area
3 counties
Serving Cape Cod families since 1976 with estate planning, estate administration, trust administration, probate and settlement of estates, elder law, asset protection, and charitable planning. AV rated (highest rating) in Martindale-Hubbell Legal Directory and listed in Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers.
Location
1060 Falmouth Road, Suite BHyannis, MA 02601
Phone
(508) 444-9688
Established
1976
Service Area
1 county
Plymouth-based estate planning and elder law firm led by a Certified Elder Law Attorney with 30+ years of experience. Selected to Massachusetts Super Lawyers for 16 consecutive years (2009-2024). Listed in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers in Elder Law and Trusts and Estates. Board of Directors, Massachusetts Chapter of NAELA since 2019.
Location
118 Long Pond Road, Suite 206Plymouth, MA 02360
Phone
(508) 747-8282
Established
1996
Service Area
4 counties
MetroWest estate planning firm in Ashland serving Middlesex and Norfolk County families. Handles wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, advance health care directives, durable powers of attorney, guardianships and conservatorships, Medicaid planning, and probate of estates. Offers evening and weekend appointments and a free consultation.
Location
60 Pleasant Street, Suite 10-AAshland, MA 01721
Phone
(508) 252-8186
Service Area
2 counties
Serves individuals and families across Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. Specializes in customized estate planning, high-net-worth estate planning, elder law, Medicaid planning for long-term care, probate and trust administration, and asset protection.
Location
1645 Falmouth Road, Suite 1ECenterville, MA 02632
Phone
(508) 790-3050
Service Area
3 counties