- Divorce
- GuardianshipEven more costly and time-consuming than probate proceedings for decedents are guardianship and conservator proceedings for people who have become incapacitated. Through a Revocable Living Trust, you select a Successor Trustee to manage your affairs should you become incapacitated, thereby avoiding court proceedings and the court-supervised management of your assets and affairs.
- Estate PlanningMaking Another Person Joint On Your Bank Account is NOT Good Estate Planning - Estate Planning Attorney Serving Novi Michigan and Beyond
- WillsMost people have heard of a living will – a document that expresses your wishes concerning life-sustaining or “heroic” measures. In Michigan, living wills are not legally binding. There is however, a somewhat similar document known as a Patient Advocate Designation, which is legally binding in Michigan. You appoint a person of your choice (called a Patient Advocate) to make medical decisions for you, including termination of life support if you so wish, in the event that you are unable to make the decisions yourself. The power of the Patient Advocate ends if you regain decision-making capacity. Without a Patient Advocate Designation, your loved ones will be forced at the time of a medical crisis to petition the probate court for the appointment of a Guardian (possibly not a person of your choosing) to make these decisions for you. A Patient Advocate Designation is the means to ensure that if you become disabled, your medical decisions, as well as those concerning your care and placement, are made by a person in whom you have complete trust.
- TrustsAssets that pass by beneficiary designation to an individual, such as life insurance and retirement benefits, are not subject to paying off the deceased person’s debt. However, life insurance and retirement benefits payable to the deceased person’s revocable living trust or estate will be subject to payment of debts.
- Power of AttorneyA Power of Attorney is a legally binding document by which you authorize another person to act on your behalf. A Power of Attorney may be as limited or as broad as you choose. A Durable Power of Attorney is a Power of Attorney that continues to be effective in the event of your disability – the very time that a Power of Attorney is needed most! In the event of your physical or mental disability, a Durable Power of Attorney will allow another person you choose, such as your spouse or adult child, to manage your finances on your behalf. Without it, if accident or illness disables you, your loved ones will be required to go to probate court and request that a conservator be appointed for you. It is possible that the person appointed by the probate court to manage your affairs will not be the person you would have chosen of your own free will. A Durable Power of Attorney is the means to ensure that if you become disabled, your finances will continue to be managed by a person in whom you have complete trust.
- Probate
- Tax Law