You have probably heard the quote from Benjamin Franklin, who in 1789 wrote: “in this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Franklin was actually paraphrasing Daniel Defoe from his 1726 book The Political History …
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Holiday Blues
We are in the midst of the holiday season. For many people, it is time for the holiday party hop. In addition to family and friends, most organizations and employers are hosting holiday parties or other events. For me, between …
Taking Care of Your Mental Health
It’s sure a pain getting older. You feel it every day. You do not go up and down the stairs as easily as you used to. It is more difficult to bend over to pick up things you dropped on …
Elder Financial Exploitation Is Not Always So Obvious
As we discussed last week, there is no shortage of trust and annuity peddlers out there ready to take advantage of seniors. There has been an epidemic of elder financial exploitation in our country. It is reported that the number …
Trust Mill Scammers Alive and Well
As we discussed in a column earlier this past summer, the State Bar of Michigan Elder Law and Disability Rights Section and the Probate and Estate Planning Section have been promoting A Living Trust Education Initiative. The goal of the …
Retirement Plan Distributions
You may have a traditional, Roth or rollover IRA or other retirement accounts. The funds that are held inside these retirement accounts grow (hopefully) income tax free. The contributions to non-Roth accounts have not yet been taxed. The contributions to …
Alzheimers is Preventable
This week is the last in a series of columns on Alzheimer’s disease. As we have discussed the last two weeks, November is National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. Legal practitioners like ourselves regularly come across clients or their loved ones who …
Warning Signs and Stages of Alzheimers Disease
As we discussed last week, November is National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. In our practice, we regularly come across clients or their loved ones who have Alzheimer’s disease with its related dementia symptoms. It is important that we as legal professionals …
Out of State Property
You are a Michigan resident and spend most of your time here. However, you really do not like Michigan winters. You spend three or four months each year in a warmer climate, such as Florida or Arizona. Extended stays in …
November National Alzheimers Awareness Month
You or a loved one may have Alzheimer’s disease and/or dementia. But do you know what each of them are and how they inter-relate? To help you and others understand Alzheimer’s disease and related conditions, November has been named National …