Articles Posted in Estate Administration

Losing a loved one is always difficult and emotionally trying. The loss of a family member can take on a new dimension when the decedent was the head of the household, or one of the primary income earners in the family. In Michigan, there are a number of rights belonging to the surviving spouse and…

Unfortunately, it’s inevitable for bad things to happen. Fortunately, it’s possible to take precautions to make bad situations easier to manage. If something happens that leaves you unable to make or communicate decisions for yourself, a durable power of attorney is a tool that can help ensure that someone you trust will be empowered to…

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…

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…