You may have that special ring that you want your daughter to have after yo are gone. Or you may have Grandma’s antique bureau that your son has always admired. You may want Auntie’s antique silver tea set to go …
Currently browsing Wills
Indecision No Excuse for Not Planning
If you are like 70% of adults in Michigan, you have done no estate planning. You have not prepared a will, trust or financial or health care powers of attorney. The big question is: Why not? One reason you may …
Protecting Unmarrieds Shackup Agreement
You and your partner have been living together for years, maybe even decades. You have a committed relationship that may even have been blessed by your church, but for a variety of reasons, you will not be married. It could …
Younger Adults Need Planning Too
You may be a younger adult. If you are like most young adults, planning for your retirement is one of farthest things from your mind. Planning for your disability, death or other catastrophe is even farther from your mind. It …
Wills Guarantee Probate
Last week, we talked about what happens when you do not have a will. This week, we will discuss what happens when you do have a will. When you have a will, it only takes effect after your death. This …
If There Is No Will, There Is A Way
If you are like the majority of people in America, you have done no estate planning. This means you do not have a signed will. Just because you do not have a signed will, does not mean you do not …
Essential Estate Planning Documents
It has been a couple of years since I have discussed estate planning basics. Today’s column will be a refresher course. You may think of estate planning as only death planning. However, estate planning also includes lifetime planning in the …
How To Select an Estate Planning Attorney
Finding the right attorney to plan your estate can be a significant challenge. It may be the first contact that you will ever have with an attorney. What qualities should you look for in an estate planning attorney? Do not …
Planning for Second Marriages Can be Tricky
You may have been widowed or divorced, so you are now in a second or even third marriage. You and your spouse both came to the marriage with your own separate property. However, you also may have property that you …
Don’t Forget to Update Your Estate Plan
You completed your estate plan years ago when the kids were little. You even named a guardian for them in the event you could not care for them. The kids are now in their 40s and have children of their …