Probate & Estate Planning Blog

Here in Michigan, a will is an important estate planning tool — one that can allow you to maintain control over the distribution of your property and provide for your loved ones when you are gone. Under Michigan’s Estates and Protected Individuals Code (EPIC), there are several different methods that a testator may use to…

When you have a foot problem, you go to the podiatrist. When you have a heart problem, you go to the cardiologist. When you want to complete your estate plan or are forced into the probate courts, you need to go to an established probate and estate planning attorney.  Michigan probate attorneys focus on the…

As defined by Michigan’s Estates and Protected Individuals Code (EPIC), a conservator is a person appointed by a court to manage a protected individual’s estate.  A conservator may be appointed in situations where an individual can no longer effectively manage their own finances or property. In such instances, a conservator takes on the responsibility of…

Estate planning is one of the most useful and important steps you can take to prepare for the future — but it is also one of the most commonly misunderstood.  There are plenty of myths and misconceptions out there about estate planning and probate, which hold people back from taking action when they have the…

If you spend any time researching matters relating to guardianships, conservatorships, wills, trusts, and estate administration in Michigan, you’re bound to come across the phrase “EPIC.” Short for “Estates and Protected Individuals Code,” this refers to the act that governs matters relating to the administration of estates of deceased persons and protected individuals in our…

Losing a loved one can be an incredibly difficult time. On top of the understandable grief and devastation at losing someone dear — whether a parent, sibling, spouse, or grandparent — this moment can also bring confusion and uncertainty. There are many logistical steps and important decisions that must be taken after someone dies in…

Over the course of a lifetime, we all acquire assets and possessions — and most of us also take on debt, in some form or another. What happens to those debts when you pass on? That’s where probate comes in.   One of the most important aspects of the Michigan probate process is receiving creditors’ claims;…

If someone passes away without a will in Michigan, many of their assets will become subject to our state’s rules of intestate succession. Broadly speaking, this means that the courts will step in and make determinations about how the decedent’s property will be distributed among their surviving family members. Anyone who stands to inherit under…

In estate planning, mechanisms such as wills and trusts can help guide and direct your assets after you pass away. What happens if you become incapacitated due to an accident or illness, and are unable to make or communicate about important decisions while you’re still alive? That’s where incapacity planning comes in.  It is never…

The passing of a loved one can be incredibly difficult — particularly when you are put in the position of helping guide their estate through Michigan’s complex and intimidating probate court system.  In Michigan, the probate court has jurisdiction over matters that relate to the settlement of a deceased individual’s estate, including:  The legal aftermath…