Partner
Nancy E. Dempze
Nancy Dempze serves as a professional trustee, executor and estate planner for individuals and families.

Practice Focus

Nancy Dempze serves as a professional trustee, executor and estate planner for individuals and families. Nancy also represents nonprofits in connection with planned giving and development. Nancy helps clients develop and implement tax-efficient, wealth transfer strategies for a variety of complex assets in ways that are consistent with her clients' overall goals and values. Her counsel includes:

  • Developing tax efficient wealth transfer strategies for family businesses, concentrated stock positions, private equity and hedge fund interests and art and other collectibles
  • Planning for family lands, including trusts, QPRTs, family LLCs and conservation easements
  • Charitable giving including charitable trusts, foundations and gift agreements
  • Inter-family loans
  • Gifting strategies including trusts, GRATs, sales to IDGTs, and gifts for tuition and health care
  • Estate plans and special needs trusts for incapacitated or disabled individuals
  • Administration of estates of varying sizes, including large, complex estates
  • Prenuptial agreements
  • Guardianships and conservatorships

Nancy's training and experience as an oncology nurse, leadership in land conservation work, and service on nonprofit boards have made her more sensitive to the needs and perspectives of her clients.

  • American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), Fellow, Massachusetts Committee Member
  • Boston Bar Association, Member; past Co-Chair, Trust and Estates Section, Pro Bono Committee, and New Developments Committee
  • Boston Probate and Estate Planning Forum, former Moderator and Program Chair

A frequent lecturer, publisher and leader on issues important to the practice and her clients, Nancy’s service includes:

  • Presenter on estate planning and charitable giving for the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, the Federal Tax Institute and the Boston Bar Association
  • Author of numerous articles and chapters in reference books:
    • Duties and liabilities of a personal representative chapter in the Massachusetts Probate Manual
    • A chapter on taxation law and conservation gifts in the MCLE publication Massachusetts Environmental Law (2016, updated 2019)
    • Charitable giving chapter in the textbook Practical Estate Planning
    • "Guide to Charitable Planning" in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Impact Series (November 2018)
    • "The Disappearing 60% Deduction - New Charitable Giving Limits are Not as Generous as They Appear," published in Taxation of Exempts and Practical Tax Strategies, Thomson Reuters' Publications

Nancy is active in her community, Westwood, and in organizations across Massachusetts. Recent involvement includes:

  • Boston Museum of Science, Trustee; Chair, Planned Giving Committee; Chair, Washburn Society; Member, Finance Committee; Member, Advancement Committee
  • Old Sturbridge Village, Honorary Trustee; past Chair, Investment Committee
  • Manomet (formerly Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences), Chair, Board of Trustees; Member, Investment, Development and Executive Committees
  • Westwood Land Trust, Past President and current Vice President
  • Named to The Best Lawyers in America List
  • Named to the Massachusetts Super Lawyers List
  • JD, Boston University School of Law (cum laude)
  • BS, University of Wisconsin-Madison (magna cum laude)
  • Massachusetts

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Wealth Management
We help individuals and families enhance and protect their wealth by building enduring relationships rooted in high-quality, practical, and distinctly personal service.
Estate & Tax Planning
Our comprehensive approach is flexible, so it's tailored to each client’s unique financial situation, family, goals, values, and more.
Trust & Estate Administration
Our dedicated team of trust, estate and tax professionals efficiently handles all aspects of trust administration and probate work.
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