I had two clients come through our offices last week in which both plans are designed and intended to go through probate after death. For most of our clients, avoiding the time, cost and lack of privacy of probate court …
Currently browsing Probate
What Do We Do With the Deceased’s Home and Car Loans?
We regularly get families of the deceased come into our offices wondering if they have to pay off Mom or Dad’s mortgage or car loan. The answer is not always so simple. It is going to depend upon whether the …
Wills Won’t Work Without Probate
“Mom’s (or Dad’s) will says I get everything. I took the will to the bank. Why won’t they give me my money?” We get this question all the time. We heard it again this week. What many beneficiaries do not …
Who Needs Estate Planning?
You are age 18 or over. You are also with the majority of Michiganders and have done no estate planning. No will, no trust, no financial or health care powers of attorney, no nothing. If you became mentally incapacitated, do …
Reasons to Choose a Professional Trustee
When you do your estate plan, you have to choose someone to handle your property and financial affairs during your mental disability as well as after your death. You may be tempted to name your spouse or the kids in …
What Do We Do with the Mobile Home?
This past Thursday, I spent the day in Livonia teaching a continuing professional education class about estate administration for the Michigan Association of CPA’s. One of the topics I discussed with a room full of CPA’s was the transfer of …
Will or Trust – Which is Best?
Last week, one of the questions we discussed that I and my partner Buzz Suuppi get all the time is: How much assets do I need for a trust? What we are really being asked is: Should my estate plan …
How to Collect from the Dead Guy
You’re owed money by someone to whom you’ve loaned money or provided services and before you get paid, the guy dies. What are you gonna do? I was in my doctor’s office this past week and he had a patient …
Making Health Care Decisions When You Can’t
Last week, we discussed appointing someone to handle your finances and other property when you cannot and avoiding a court appointed conservatorship. A financial power of attorney will work very well in those instances, but what about health care decisions? …
Managing Your “Stuff” When You Can’t
You are doing ok now. You are paying your bills, still able to balance your checkbook and do your own banking. But it is getting to be a real chore. It just seems harder to do now. If that is …