With both humor and knowledge, two local attorneys and estate planning specialists will address the fundamentals of estate planning. Essentials: We all have assets that will pass to loved ones at the time of our death. Estate planning is not just for the wealthy—or the old. We will start with incapacity planning (appointing someone you trust to manage your finances and health care decision-making if you cannot) and explain the health care proxy, advance directive, and power of attorney. Learn how to keep your assets out of probate court, with its costs and delays. We will demystify trusts: explaining what they are, how they work, and how they protect assets, reduce taxes, and simplify administration. Then we’ll unpack the new Massachusetts estate tax law and show you how to reduce the “death tax,” often by as much as $150,000 to $300,000. Building on the Essentials: Further explore incapacity planning with real-life examples. Learn strategies for transferring your possessions, social media accounts, and other assets. Explore tax planning and charitable giving. Understand the differences between revocable and irrevocable trusts, common trust issues, and how to avoid them. We’ll also discuss thoughtful gifting ideas to make a difference in the lives of your loved ones. (The Essentials class is recommended as a prerequisite, though not required.) Prepare for Long-Term Care: This class builds on the foundational concepts of Estate Planning Essentials. As we get older, many of us wrestle with important questions: Do I want to age in my current home or move to a new living environment? What will my health needs require? What can I afford? What resources are available to me to help accomplish these goals? This class will focus on leveraging both human and financial resources to provide for your best possible life and care. Learn about various long-term care strategies and the pros and cons of each. We will discuss reliance on family members for care needs, reverse mortgages, long-term care insurance, public benefits through MassHealth, various estate planning techniques (using wills, trusts, and lifetime gifting), protecting assets for children and other heirs, and pulling together a team of advisors to help you navigate your long-term care goals.

Generative artificial intelligence is transforming how we work, communicate, and create—but what exactly is this fast-changing technology, and how does it really work? Get a high-level look at tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, Sora, and newer agentic AI tools that can pursue goals, make decisions, and carry out tasks with minimal input. With up-to-the-minute examples that reflect the evolving landscape, we’ll demystify the technology, explore how it works in broad strokes, and discuss its capabilities, limits, and implications for the future of work, creativity, and society. Whether you’re curious, cautious, or just trying to keep up, this lecture-style class will help you understand what generative AI is and what it means for the world around us.

Whether you’re delivering a formal presentation, leading a team meeting, or simply want to gain confidence in presenting your ideas clearly and concisely to friends and colleagues, the best way to get more comfortable with public speaking is to practice. You’ll have several opportunities in class to present speeches (both impromptu and prepared), and we’ll discuss the use of body language and voice quality, speech organization, and the best methods to create excitement and curiosity among your listeners. The goal in public speaking is not to deliver a speech like everyone else, but rather to deliver it in your specific and unique style.