Page 14 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, September 29, 2023 WALK | FROM PAGE 3 to get funding to build a permanent home for all of Bread of Life’s programs. That dream is now being realized with the construction of Bread of Life’s new home at 54 Eastern Ave. in Malden. Tom dedicated his life to making the world a better place through spreading peace and adding color. He did this through his devotion to his extended family, to feeding the hungry, and for more than 50 years, to protesting against war, violence, racism and social injustice and advocating in support of peace, social justice, the homeless and anyone in need. In honor of Tom’s love of ice cream, walkers will enjoy ice cream treats after the Walk. Walker registration is $25/adult, children ages six to 17/$10, under six/free. Register online: Events – Bread of Life (breadoflifemalden. org). Sponsorship opportunities MASSACHUSETTS TAX RELIEF BILL T he most recent tax relief bill could become law if Governor Maura Healey signs off on it on Friday, September 29th. This bill is long overdue. It will take some time to digest some of the key provisions in the bill, especially the estate tax provisions. Some of the key elements in the bill thus far include: Increasing the rental deduction from $3,000 to $4,000. Unfortunately, that only results in a tax savings per tax return of $50. The senior circuit breaker tax credit would increase from $1,200 to $2,400. This is substantial as a tax credit is much more meaningful than a deduction. It is a reduction dollar for dollar in the total tax once calculated. Either your balance due will be reduced by $2,400 or your refund will be increased by $2,400. For those 65 years of age or older who would not otherwise be required to file a tax return, this new bill is even more of an incentive to file. The income tax rate on short-term capital gains will decrease from 12% to 8.5%. I was hoping for that rate to drop to 5%, which is the tax rate levied against all ordinary income including W-2 income, interest income, dividend income, etc. However, if someone has a $100,000 short-term capital gain on the sale of real estate or stock, that would be a savings of $3,500. That is a considerable savings. The estate tax exemption will be increasing from $1million to $2million. Furthermore, only the gross taxable estate over $2million will be subject to tax. Under the current estate tax provisions, once an estate is over $1million, the entire $1million is subject to tax. The $2million threshold will now exempt many estates from the estate tax. I wish Massachusetts had adopted portability. This would have eliminated the need for many families to be put in a position to implement more complicated estate planning with the use of Trusts in order to maximize a married couple’s estate tax exemptions. With portability, if a husband died, his $2million exemption could be passed along to his wife so that when she subsequently dies with a $4million estate, no estate tax would be due. She would be entitled to her $2million exemption and her deceased husband’s $2million exemption. This would be so much easier for so many married couples. This would also have served to encourage more affluent married couples to continue to live in Massachusetts rather than move to another state that has no estate tax. They would continue to spend money in Massachusetts and employ workers to help propel the economy. The federal government adopted portability years ago. It’s hard to imagine that Massachusetts is only going to increase the renters deduction to $4,000. That number is arrived at by taking one half of $8,000, when rent payment for one year can easily reach $30,000. Even a $15,000 rent deduction only saves $750 in Massachusetts income taxes. We’ll digest the bill when finalized and report back on the key provisions. Joseph D. Cataldo is an estate planning/elder law attorney, Certified Public Accountant, Certified Financial Planner, AICPA Personal Financial Specialist and holds a master’s degree in taxation. are available. For more information, contact Patty Kelly (patty. kelly@breadoflifemalden.org). About Bread of Life: Founded in 1980, Bread of Life is a one of the largest providers and distributors of food to at risk families in the communities north of Boston. Programs provided by Bread of Life include serving free evening meals four nights per week and offering food relief services to families residing in 13 communities: Malden, Medford, Everett, Saugus, Stoneham, Wakefield, Melrose, Reading, North Reading, Chelsea, Winthrop, Revere and Winchester. Bread of Life delivers food to senior citizens and homeless families and individuals sheltered in local motels. Bread of Life’s Backpack Nutrition Program provides backpacks of nutritious food to students in Everett. To learn more about Bread of Life, visit www. breadoflifemalden.org. MUSINGS | FROM PAGE 12 one more thing, sir” – Flashback 2020: “Harry Lyon’s mom Alice passed on February 12th, 2020. She was 96 and died peacefully in the comfort of her own home. How fortunate for that. ‘The cycle of life’ as her son Harry lovingly recalled. Most likely you do not know Harry. Harry was Flea Market to support “NEMT” forest E veryone’s invited to a flea market this Saturday, Sept. 30, from 8-2 at the Unitarian Universalist Church on West Emerson Street in Melrose (across from the public library) to benefit efforts to protect the “NEMT” forest in Wakefield. Unitarian Universalist Church Flea Market quiet and unassuming growing up. We were classmates all the way from that fateful day in Nov of 1963 up until the waning days of the Vietnam War in ‘75. Emerson School and Miss Paradise’s 1st grade class to - Beebe and Miss Bothwell - all the way through M.H.S. - Class of 1975. A long, strange trip indeed. Har- LEGAL NOTICE - COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS THE TRIAL COURT PROBATE AND FAMILY COURT Middlesex Division 10-U Commerce Way Woburn, MA 01801 (781) 865-4000 Docket No. MI23A1141AD CITATION G.L.c. 210, §6 In the matter of: AVERY LEE HEARD To: Avery Heard and persons interested in a petition for the adoption of said child and the Department of Children and Families of said Commonwealth. A petition has been presented to said court by: Norman Shwartz of Malden, MA Serena Cunningham of Malden, MA requesting for leave to adopt said child and that the name of the child be changed to Avery Lee Cunningham. If you object to this adoption you are entitled to the appointment of an attorney if you are an indigent person. An indigent person is defined by SJC Rule 3:10. The definition includes but is not limited to persons receiving TAFDC, EACDC, poverty related veteran’s benefits, Medicaid, and SSI. The Court will determine if you are indigent. Contact an Assistant Judicial Case Manager or Adoption Clerk of the Court on or before the date listed below to obtain the necessary forms. IF YOU DESIRE TO OBJECT THERETO, YOU OR YOUR ATTORNEY MUST FILE A WRITTEN APPEARANCE IN SAID COURT AT: Woburn ON OR BEFORE TEN O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING (10:00 AM) ON: 11/02/2023 WITNESS, Hon. Maureen H Monks, First Justice of this Court. Date: September 8, 2023 TARA E. DeCRISTOFARO REGISTER OF PROBATE September 22, 29, October 6, 2023 ry and I were not best of friends as children. One street separated us growing up but that was as close as we were. I could toss a baseball at his home on Watts from mine on Charles. But we never played ball together. Our mothers were closer. My mother just adored Alice. The feeling was mutual. I traveled one road. Harry traveled his. I have always respected him and that life journey. We would run into each other from time to time. Quickly catch up on life. That was the extent of our relationship. When I ran into him last week in the parking lot of Stop & Shop, time stood still. It had been years since we last saw each other. We recognized one another immediately. Even with masks pulled up tight. We exchanged pleasantries as friends of 55 plus years will do. We took that road as far as we could. When he told me of his mom’s passing, I glanced down. I was caught by surprise. I knew how much she meant to him. What they meant to each other. I was speechless. I tried to find some words. My first instinct was to let him know that he wasn’t alone, to assure him that I understood his hurt. I flirted with trying to comfort him by letting him know that time will heal this great loss. These sentiments seemed trite. Instead, silence. I expressed my condolences, muttered something banal like ‘gotta get back to work Harry, great to see you and I am very sorry for your loss.’ His pain, his grief, her death left him alone in the world. His loss, so real. Too real. I had no words for that.” —Peter is a long-time Malden resident and a regular contributor to the Malden Advocate. He can be reached at PeteL39@aol.com for comments, compliments or criticisms.
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