Articles Posted in Probate

Today, most of us use computers, phones, and tablets to send messages, check in with friends, carry out important financial transactions, watch TV and listen to music, and even to conduct business. Case in point? Odds are very good that you’re reading this post on a smartphone, tablet, or computer screen right now!  The more…

Will and trust contests can often cause estate administration to drag on — while pitting family members against each other.  To minimize the likelihood of contests during probate, one action that you may take as part of your estate plan is to add a “no-contest clause” to your will and/or trust.  Also known as a…

Estate planning is one of the most powerful and important steps you can take to prepare for the future — and it’s crucial to make sure that no critical step gets overlooked, forgotten, or misplaced along the way. Unfortunately, many people end up committing one or mistakes or mishaps during the estate planning process, which…

When someone passes away, their assets must be collected and distributed and their estate must be guided through Michigan’s probate courts. The personal representative is the person tasked with this important responsibility, which typically includes: As they discharge their duties, a personal representative is held to a very high standard of conduct. They are expected…

Setting up your estate plan isn’t always a pleasant thing to think about; however, it’s a very important step to take when you have the opportunity.   Often, taking time to plan for what will happen to the people who matter most and the assets you’ve spent a lifetime acquiring will include considering who you will…

When you pass away, what will happen to the assets you’ve spent a lifetime acquiring? Developing an estate plan is a process that keeps you in control if you become incapacitated, and even when you’re gone. For some people, this may mean taking action to deliberately exclude or disinherit certain individuals from their wills or…

You may be familiar with the concept of “Do It Yourself,” or “DIY.” In short, this ethos is all about tackling important projects on your own, without having to involve professionals. Most people associate DIY with homeowners researching solutions, buying their own tools, and getting to work making fixes and repairs around the house. Other…

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…

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…