THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, ApRil 11, 2025 Page 17 BEACON | FROM PAGE 16 This separate, flat rate expense allowance is taxable as income. It is designed to pay for some of the costs of senators’ district offices and other expenses including contributions to local civic groups and the printing and mailing of newsletters. Senators are not required to submit an accounting of how they spend the money. But they are allowed to deduct any expenses, permitted under federal law, from their gross income on their federal and state tax return. PARKING SPACES - Legislators are entitled to a parking space inside the Statehouse garage or at the nearby McCormack State Office Building. For 2025, the first $325 in monthly value of the space is a taxfree benefit under federal and state guidelines that apply to all public and private employees, not just state legislators. Any value of the space above this amount is treated as taxable income. The value of the parking spaces in 2025 was determined by the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance to be $477 per month. Based on that figure, legislators would be taxed on the excess $152 monthly by the Internal Revenue Service and the state. HEALTH INSURANCE – Senators are eligible to choose from 11 health insurance plans offered by the state’s Group Insurance Commission, which manages the plans for 259,929 individuals—current and retired state workers, as well as certain municipal workers, and their dependents. Senators elected on or before July 1, 2003, pay 20 percent of the total premium and the state pays 80 percent. Those elected to their first term on or after July 1, 2003 pay 25 percent while the state picks up only 75 percent. State and federal privacy regulations protect this information and it is not possible to obtain records about which plans individual legislators have purchased. The out-of-pocket monthly premiums paid by senators for family plans range from $369.98 to $655.62 per month. For individual plans, they pay from $149.82 to $300.64 per month. LIFE INSURANCE – Senators who purchase a health insurance policy from the state are also required to buy the state’s basic $5,000 life insurance policy. The costs for employees are based on age and whether the employee is a smoker or non-smoker. They range from 4 cents to $2.49 per month. The same 20/80 25/75 formula used for health insurance also applies to this life insurance. Senators also have the option to buy additional life insurance with a value of up to eight times their salary – up to a maximum of $1.5 million. The entire premium for the optional insurance is paid by the senator. LONG-TERM DISABILITY AND HEALTH CARE SPENDING ACCOUNT – Senators also have the option to open a Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) and Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP), and to buy long-term disability insurance. The HCSA allows senators to set aside funds to pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses with before-tax dollars while the DCAP allows them to set aside funds to pay for certain dependent care expenses with before-tax dollars. This participation reduces their federal and state income taxes. The entire premium for long-term disability is paid by senators. DENTAL AND VISION INSURANCE – Senators are eligible to choose one of two dental/vision insurance plans. Current monthly employee premium costs paid by senators for family plans range from $15.16 to $20.52, while individual plans range from $4.91 to $6.64. All senators pay 15 percent of the premium and the state pays 85 percent. SENATORS WHO LIVE 50 MILES FROM THE STATEHOUSE ARE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE TO PAY A REDUCED OR NO FEDERAL INCOME TAX - LEGAL NOTICE - COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS THE TRIAL COURT PROBATE AND FAMILY COURT Middlesex Probate and Family Court 10-U Commerce Way Woburn, MA 01801 (781) 865 - 4000 Docket No. MI23P2745PM Conservatorship of: NINA MARIE DiLEO CITATION ON PETITION FOR ALLOWANCE OF ACCOUNT To All Interested persons: A Petition has been filed by: Roy J. DiLeo of Helotes, TX requesting allowance of the Amended 1st account(s) as Conservator(s). You have the right to obtain a copy of the Petition from the Petitioner or at the Court. You have a right to object to this proceeding. To do so, you or your attorney must file a written appearance and objection at this Court before 10:00 a.m. on April 30, 2025. This is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline by which you must file a written appearance and objection if you object to this proceeding. If you fail to file a timely written appearance and objection followed by an Affidavit of Objections within thirty (30) days of the return date, action may be taken without further notice to you. WITNESS, Hon. Terri L. Klug, First Justice of this Court. Date: April 2, 2025 TARA E. DeCRISTOFARO Register of Probate April 11, 2025 ON THEIR LEGISLATIVE SALARY – For many years until recently, senators who live more than 50 miles from the Statehouse were eligible for a special federal tax break. A 1981 federal law allowed them to write off a daily expense allowance when filing their federal income tax return. The complicated system determined a daily amount, ostensibly for meals, lodging and other expenses incurred in the course of their jobs, which can be deducted for every “legislative day.” Under the Massachusetts Legislature’s system and schedule, every day of the year qualifies as a legislative day. The Legislature does not formally “prorogue” (end an annual session) until the next annual session begins. This allowed senators to take the deduction for all 365 days regardless of whether the Legislature is actually meeting or not. Senators did not even have to travBEACON | SEE PAGE 18 - LEGAL NOTICE - COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS THE TRIAL COURT PROBATE AND FAMILY COURT Middlesex Probate and Family Court 10-U Commerce Way Woburn, MA 01801 (781) 865-4000 Docket No. MI24P6676EA Estate of: ELLEN L. ELLISON Date of Death: 03/11/2024 CITATION ON PETITION FOR FORMAL ADJUDICATION To all interested persons: A petition for Formal Probate of Will with Appointment of Personal Representative has been filed by: Michael Ellison of Everett, MA requesting that the Court enter a formal Decree and Order and for such other relief as requested in the Petition. The Petitioner requests that: Michael Ellison of Everett, MA be appointed as Personal Representative(s) of said estate to serve Without Surety on the bond in unsupervised administration. IMPORTANT NOTICE You have the right to obtain a copy of the Petition from the Petitioner or at the Court. You have a right to object to this proceeding. To do so, you or your attorney must file a written appearance and objection at this Court before: 10:00 a.m. on the return day of 05/06/2025. This is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline by which you must file a written appearance and objection if you object to this proceeding. If you fail to file a timely written appearance and objection followed by an affidavit of objections within thirty (30) days of the return day, action may be taken without further notice to you. UNSUPERVISED ADMINISTRATION UNDER THE MASSACHUSETTS UNIFORM PROBATE CODE (MUPC) A Personal Representative appointed under the MUPC in an unsupervised administration is not required to file an inventory or annual accounts with the Court. Persons interested in the estate are entitled to notice regarding the administration directly from the Personal Representative and may petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including the distribution of assets and expenses of administration. WITNESS, Hon. Terri L. Klug Cafazzo, First Justice of this Court. Date: April 08, 2025 TARA E. DeCRISTOFARO REGISTER OF PROBATE April 11, 2025
18 Publizr Home