Karen Beth Johnson

Karen B. Johnson is a co-founder of the law office of Madge & Johnson, PC, a law firm concentrating on estate planning and elder law, located in Westford, Massachusetts. Karen is a graduate of Duke University School of Law and holds an advanced degree (LLM) in Taxation from Boston University School of Law. She has been a practicing attorney since 1994. As an Elder Law and Estate Planning attorney, Karen offers her clients a wide array of planning services, from planning for incapacity and simple wills to helping multi-generation millionaire families utilize their estate tax credits efficiently. Karen advises clients on how best to transfer and protect their assets. She also helps clients apply for Medicaid and other governmental assistance programs.

Her style is to work collaboratively and to educate clients regarding their options so together
they develop a plan that works for them. Since estate planning is not a “one-time” matter, Karen
also helps her clients to monitor and adjust their estate plans over time. Her years of experience
in both implementing and defending plans means she has practical and tested knowledge of which provisions work and which do not.

Karen’s tax background is of great benefit to her clients because of the relatively low estate tax threshold that affects many Massachusetts residents. Karen has a clear understanding of how estate planning decisions interact with future income and estate tax liability and can implement advanced tax planning techniques to mitigate overall tax issues.

In addition to her law practice, Karen is an active advocate of elder law issues. Her advocacy efforts benefit her clients through her familiarity with government agencies and through new legislation. For example, she worked on the 2018 BRAVE Act, which expands benefits and increases access to a range of services for veterans, active-duty military, and their families. Karen is a Member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), a bar association and professional society dedicated to representing seniors and persons with disabilities. She is an active member and leader of the Massachusetts Chapter (MassNAELA) where she has served as Board Member, Secretary, Vice President and, in 2018, President. Karen has also served on several committees including Programs, Publications, Chapter Archives, and Advocacy.

As an educator, Karen has taught lawyers how to draft estate plans as an Adjunct Professor at Western New England School of Law, one of the few law schools in the country offering an advanced law degree in Elder Law and Estate Planning. And Karen continues to educate both attorneys and the public sector about elder law and estate planning issues through public speaking engagements and classroom teaching. Karen has been designated as a Massachusetts Super Lawyer from 2015 to present.