Dana helps individuals and families create tailored estate plans that reflect their values, preserve wealth across generations, and minimize transfer tax exposure.
With over a decade of experience, she advises on complex planning techniques including irrevocable life insurance trusts, generation-skipping dynasty trusts, charitable remainder and lead trusts, and grantor retained annuity trusts.
Her practice also includes preparing gift and estate tax returns, guiding clients through probate and trust administration, and serving as trustee for both revocable and irrevocable trusts. Known for building long-standing, trusted relationships, Dana approaches her work with a rare combination of technical precision and deep empathy—helping clients navigate sensitive family dynamics and make informed decisions with confidence.
Designs and Implements Sophisticated Estate Plans
Prepares customized estate planning documents including wills, generation-skipping dynasty trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, intentionally defective grantor trusts, charitable remainder and lead trusts, durable powers of attorney, health care proxies, and HIPAA releases.
Advises on Strategic Lifetime Gifting
Counsels clients on the use of Delaware series limited liability companies and other valuation discount strategies to maximize the effectiveness of lifetime gifts while minimizing transfer tax liability.
Guides Beneficiaries Through Inherited Retirement Plan Decisions
Helps clients evaluate distribution options for inherited retirement assets with a focus on tax deferral and long-term planning benefits.
Manages Complex Estate Administration Matters
Assists fiduciaries and families with all aspects of probate and estate administration, including the preparation of Massachusetts and federal estate tax returns and coordination with financial institutions and beneficiaries.
Utilizes Disclaimers to Reduce Estate Tax Exposure
Implements qualified disclaimers in appropriate circumstances to restructure distributions and reduce combined federal and state estate taxes.
Serves as Trustee for Clients’ Irrevocable Trusts
Acts as trustee for clients’ revocable and irrevocable life insurance trusts, overseeing trust administration, beneficiary distributions, and compliance with fiduciary responsibilities.
Reviews Fiduciary Income Tax Returns for Trusts
Advises clients and their accountants on fiduciary income tax return filings and compliance matters related to trust administration.
Education
- LLM, Taxation, Boston University
- JD, Syracuse University College of Law
- BS, Trinity College
Bar Admissions
- Massachusetts
Experience recognized
- Boston Magazine's Top Lawyers, Trusts & Estates, 2021-2025
- Boston Bar Association, Former Co-Chair, Estate Planning Fundamentals Committee
- Combined Jewish Philanthropies, Committee Member, Young Lawyers Group (2003–2006), and Jaffa Society (2004–2006)