After you pass on, it is a normal part of the estate administration process for your assets to be distributed to your heirs. This should happen whether or not you wrote a will or designated a trust fund for your loved ones. You may have heard stories about what can...
Avoid family squabbles with proper estate planning in Michigan
An important part of estate planning is to make sure that your wishes are kept following your death. As our team at knows, another part is to make the task of allocating your assets easier on your family. Too often, someone passes away...
I’m a beneficiary of a trust. Can I contest it?
You've probably heard of a will contest: A beneficiary of a will or another party goes to court in an attempt to prove the will is invalid. There are several good reasons for doing so. A party might have access to a will that was written later than the one being...
I didn’t include a HIPAA release in my estate plan. What now?
Our estate planning tools have been developed and refined over the course of centuries, but that does not mean there is nothing new to consider. In fact, even a carefully considered, well-drafted estate plan should be reviewed from time to time, even if you're not...
What are trusts and their benefits?
With estate planning in Michigan, you have many choices when it comes to the legacy you wish to leave to your loved ones. You might want to make sure your grandchildren's college tuition is taken care of. Perhaps one of your relatives is a disabled person and you want...
Avoid will contests by ensuring capacity
The point of making a will is to transfer assets to your beneficiaries in the manner you choose. If the will is contested and possibly nullified in probate, it renders the entire effort worthless. One of the most common ways will contests arise is through claims of...
Can I include my pet in my Michigan estate plan?
Good news for pet owners: You can make plans for your animal friends when you are putting together your estate plan. While you cannot leave money to an animal, you can make sure that your pet is taken care of in the event that you pass away. Michigan law has...
