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The Massachusetts Homestead Act: $1,000,000 of Protection You Have to Ask For

Under 1 min read
•September 11, 2026
THE BOTTOM LINE

Massachusetts homeowners get $125,000 of automatic creditor protection; recording a $35 Declaration of Homestead raises it to $1,000,000. It does not protect against taxes, your mortgage, or support orders.

WHO NEEDS THIS

Any Massachusetts homeowner with more than $125,000 of equity in their principal residence.

KEY INSIGHTS
  • •Automatic exemption is $125,000 with no filing required
  • •Declared exemption is $1,000,000, raised from $500,000 in 2024
  • •The 2024 increase applied retroactively to existing declarations
  • •No protection from taxes, mortgages, or child/spousal support
  • •Homes in trust: the trustee signs, not the beneficiaries
DO THIS NEXT

Check your county Registry of Deeds to see whether a homestead is already on record.

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