This week is our last column in the series on real estate and deeds. We have covered a lot of ground in the last six weeks (pun intended). We first discussed the different types of deeds and ownership interests. We …
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Record that Deed!
Today we continue our discussion about deeds and real estate. I had a new client in the office this past week who had no estate planning documents in place, no will or trust and no financial or health care powers …
What Must Be Included In a Deed?
Last week, we discussed when there is more than one owner on a deed and what can happen if you do not use the correct specific words to legally describe the owners’ interests. In prior weeks, we talked about the …
More Than One Deed Owner – Who Owns What?
Two weeks ago, we began our discussion about deeds. First we talked about the different types of deeds and then deed ownership interests. We have also been discussing how a small change in the words used on a deed can …
Types of Deed Ownership Interests
We started our discussion about deeds last week and talked about the most common types of deeds used in Michigan. As we discussed, deeds are often one page documents and little changes in a few words can make a huge …
Different Types of Deeds and What They Do
It has been almost four years since I have discussed deeds in any detail in this column. If you own your own home you have probably seen a deed. It’s only one page long. It’s pretty simple – NOT! It …
Have Medical Directives Available When You Need Them
You have done your estate plan, including your medical directives. Of all your legal documents your medical directives are the only ones that you may need access to quickly in an emergency. It has been reported in the Journal of …
Trusts as IRA Beneficiaries
There seems to be a lot of misconceptions in the financial advisor community about naming trusts as beneficiaries of retirement accounts such as IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s and 457(b)s. Even though the IRS issued final regulations regarding retirement account minimum distribution …
New Rules Take Bite Out of Annuity Peddlers’ Income
There has been an epidemic in the United States of inappropriate high-fee financial products being sold to unsuspecting investors. These financial products, mostly annuities, are being pushed by financial services companies and their annuity peddlers, who are not looking out …
Plan Today to Make a Difference Tomorrow
It is the Thanksgiving season. It is time to be thankful for what we have. It is real easy to look at ourselves and our lives and wish things could be better. But look at the world around us. There …