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 …
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Why Haven’t You Done Your Estate Plan?
You have done no estate planning – no will, no trust, no financial power of attorney and no health care power of attorney. Congratulations! You are with the majority of Michiganders. Over half of our state’s adult residents have no …
Medical Decision Making for Young Adult Children
It is the high school graduation season and now time again for my annual column for young adults. If you have any adult high school or college aged children, they are responsible for making their own medical and mental health …
Protecting Special Needs Loved Ones
You may have a special needs child or other loved one who is developmentally disabled and/or legally incapacitated. Since his or her birth, you have been the primary caregiver. Have you thought about what would happen if you could no …
Protecting Your Baby
If something happened to you and you were unable to care for your minor children, what would take place? If you became incapacitated or died, who would take care of the kids, where would they live and who would make …
Beneficiary Designations Unwise
You go to your bank, credit union or broker to open up a new account. You are encouraged to name beneficiaries or joint owners because if something happens to you (i.e. you die), the account “will avoid probate”. You are …
How to Leave an Inheritance to a Child or Other Beneficiary
You want to leave everything to your children or other beneficiaries after you are gone. If you are like many people whose estate plans I have reviewed, you may have just left immediate outright distributions to them. However, when you …
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 …
Estate Planning With No Kids
Recently, I spent a few days on a boat in Lake Huron with a friend of mine who has no children. It got me thinking. I have never written a column specifically directed at the issues that may be encountered …
Young Families Need Planning Too
You are married. You have a couple of young, healthy children. You are still young yourself. Life is good. Why would you have to worry about estate planning? Isn’t that for when you die, or for people older than you? …