Top 5 Reasons DIY Estate Plans Backfire Online estate planning tools promise a quick and affordable way to “check the box” of creating your estate plan. While these templates may seem convenient, they fail to protect families when it matters most. Unfortunately, many of the problems with these plans only come to light after a...Read More

October: Domestic Violence Awareness Month The Urgent Need for Better Judicial Training By Melissa Levine-Piro, Esq. and Sydney Young, Esq. Hera Law Group recognizes October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Each October is a chance to re-dedicate ourselves to ending abuse, in its many forms, as well as honoring those who we have lost to...Read More

What is a Prenup A prenuptial agreement (commonly known as a “prenup”) is a legal contract that can provide engaged couples with peace of mind by addressing what will happen to assets, debts, and responsibilities in the event of divorce or death. While it may seem uncomfortable to discuss these topics before marriage, a prenup...Read More

Divorce is never easy, emotionally or financially. And with the rise of digital assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies, separating finances has become even more complex. More and more people hold cryptocurrency—sometimes without their spouse even knowing. That makes it a critical issue in many modern divorces. Whether you’re the one who owns it...Read More

Building a Stronger Future: The Smart Way to Approach a Prenuptial Agreement Prenuptial agreements (otherwise known as prenups) have become a practical tool for couples of all financial backgrounds. These agreements allow partners to define how their assets, debts, and responsibilities will be handled during and after the marriage. While prenuptial agreements can bring protection...Read More

Divorce The Parties in this case were married in 2000 and had two children during their marriage. Throughout the marriage, Husband was the primary financial contributor while Wife stopped working from 2005 to 2016, after the birth of their second child. Prior to that time, Wife made about $300,000.00 per year at the beginning of...Read More

Love Without the License: Why Cohabitation Agreements Matter in Massachusetts Enforceability of Cohabitation Agreements in Massachusetts Marriage has many financial benefits for couples, including some legal protection when it comes to finances in the event of divorce. But what about unmarried couples? In the past, many states recognized a form of legal union called common-law...Read More

Issues of Custody, Parenting Time, and One Bad Haircut In a hair-raising decision this week, the Massachusetts Appeals Court upheld the Probate and Family Court’s judgment in James Vander Salm v. Kara Fontenot (2025), addressing issues of custody, parenting time, appellate attorney’s fees – and perhaps most unusually, children’s haircuts. James Vander Salm appealed from...Read More

What are Second-Parent Adoptions? While Massachusetts has recognized second-parent adoptions since 1993, which allow for a non-biological parent to adopt the child of a sole legal parent, such adoptions have become even more accessible with the passage of the Massachusetts Parentage Act. Second-parent adoptions protect the child, the second parent seeking legal parentage, and the...Read More

What is the Massachusetts Parentage Act ? On August 9, 2024, Governor Maura Healey signed the Massachusetts Parentage Act into law, aiming to ensure equal rights for all parents, regardless of marital status, the circumstances of the child’s birth – such as surrogacy or reproductive assistance – or the parent’s gender, sexual orientation, or gender...Read More