Practice Areas

Carol concentrates her practice in the areas of elder law, estate planning, estate settlement, guardianships, and probate litigation.

She works with older individuals, the families of older individuals, with clients of all ages -- and their trust professioinal advisors -- concerned with financing the unknown consequences of aging, living with catastrophic illnesses, or other special needs.  Carol has a special interest in planning for individuals with special needs, including filing petitions for guardianships and conservatorships, working with personal injury attorneys to protect settlement proceeds and jury awads for their clients, and drafting special needs trusts.  She helps clients accomplish their philanthropic goals, protect family legacies, and eliminate or minimize estate taxes. She drafts plans for clients facing nursing home care, prepares and files applications for MassHealth benefits, and represents clients wrongfully denied MassHealth benefits in hearings before the Office of Medicaid and Superior Court,  and deals with all aspects of estate administration, including probate petitions and accountings, preparation of estate tax and gift tax returns, and representation before the probate court.

Education and Background

Shareholder, Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C., 2003 to present; associate, 1996-2003

Member, Massachusetts State Bar, admitted to practice before the IRS

Litigation Intern, Office of the Attorney General, Western Massachusetts Division, 1993 

Prior to completing law school, Carol worked for 20 years as a journalist for newspapers and magazines, including the Providence Journal, Berkshire Eagle, Palm Beach Post, Miami Herald, New York Times, Newsweek, Esquire and Mademoiselle.

J. D., magna cum laude, Western New England College, 1996 
> Member, Western New England Law Review, 1994-1995 

B. A., Journalism, University of Rhode Island, 1975 

Professional and Community Activities

Fellow, American College of Trust and Estates Counsel

Member, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, national and Massachusetts chapters (past vice president, member, Litigation Review Committe Massachusetts NAELA)

Editorial board, NAELA Journal

Member, Estate Planning Council of Western Massachusetts (past president, vice president, secretary)

Treasurer and board member, Hilltown Land Trust,  Ashfield, Massachusett

Frequent lecturer before professional (ABA-ALI, MBA and MCLE) and civic groups on elder law, estate planning and tax matters

Publications

"Estate Planning for the Aged or Incapacitated Client in Massachusetts," MCLE, 1998 (Contributing author)

"Massachusetts Elder Law Sourcebook," MCLE, 2014 (with Ann I. Weber)

Numerous articles for general circulation publications including the New York Times, Newsweek and Esquire on business, science, travel and other topics of general interest.

Firm Description

SS&F is one of only a handful of law firms in Western Massachusetts with an in-depth practice devoted to the representation of elders, as well as individuals with disabling illnesses.  Carol Cioe Klyman, Michael A. Fenton, Michele J. Feinstein and Stephen Sobey are frequent lecturers and writers in this field.

Hours

Cost