Overview
Sarah Melia is an Associate in the firm’s Trusts and Estates practice group.
Sarah’s practice focuses on all aspects of wealth transfer planning and minimizing estate and gift taxes. Sarah prepares fundamental documents to implement her clients’ wishes for the disposition of their assets and the well-being of their loved ones, including wills and revocable trusts, and powers of attorney and health care proxies. She also plans and prepares documents for sophisticated gift tax and wealth transfer strategies such as irrevocable life insurance trusts, Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts, Generation-Skipping Transfer trusts and charitable trusts. Sarah handles all aspects of probate and trust administration, and helps clients navigate through difficult issues from the moment of death through the complete distribution of assets.
Sarah also assists clients with premarital agreements and consulting regarding the estate planning aspects of separation agreements. She assists clients with buy-sell planning for their businesses, including establishing funding mechanisms for owner buy-outs. She coordinates with corporate counsel in implementing buy-sell agreements upon an owner’s death as an integral part of the estate administration process.
Associations & Organizations:
- Member of the Hingham Advisory Committee, 2021 - present
- Hingham Historic Society, Board of Directors, 2021 - present
- Governance Committee Member, 2019 - present - Select Board Appointee to the Hingham Naming Bylaw Committee, 2020 - present
- Hingham Sports Partnership, Board of Directors, 2019 - present
- Assistant Moderator, Hingham Town Meeting, 2019
- Foster School Talent Show Committee, 2017 - present
- Elected member of the Hingham Recreation Commission, 2014 - 2019
- Treasurer, Hingham Nursery School Board of Directors, 2011 - 2015
Prior Affiliations:
- Trusts & Estates Counsel with Drohan, Tocchio & Morgan, Hingham, MA, 2007 - 2021
- Advanced Markets Counsel, John Hancock, Boston, MA, 2005 - 2007
- Private Client Associate, K&L Gates, Boston, MA, 2003 - 2005
