» Estate planning

stacks of coins with little icons on top depicting family, house, savings, money, and tax - when should i start estate planning concept

When Should I Start Estate Planning?

Estate planning is a critical step toward ensuring your loved ones (and assets) are protected in the future. Many people delay it, thinking it’s something to consider later in life. However, starting early allows you to control your legacy and… Read More
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Categories: Estate planning
Information about Estate planning and glasses sitting on a table - how to choose an executor concept

How to Choose an Executor for Your Estate

Nearly as important as the decision to make a will is choosing an executor to administer your estate. Your executor is the person charged with carrying out your last wishes, settling your debts, and distributing your remaining property to the people… Read More
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Categories: Estate planning
boy posing with his mom as they move him into college - power of attorney for college student concept

Do I Need Power of Attorney for My College Student?

If you are a parent, you know that in some ways, your child will always be your “baby.” But from a legal standpoint, your child is an adult at midnight on their eighteenth birthday. That creates a change in your relationship that neither of you m… Read More
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Categories: Estate planning
New year resolutions 2024 list on desk - new year estate planning resolutions concept

New Year’s Resolutions and Estate Planning

As this blog post is published, we’re in the thick of the holiday season: shopping, decorating, attending parties, gathering with loved ones, and thinking about the year to come. Often, the holidays are also filled with reminiscences of loved ones… Read More
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Categories: Estate planning
young couple estate planning with lawyer - start estate plan concept

When Should I Start an Estate Plan?

Most people don’t spring out of bed on their eighteenth birthday, eager to start their day with a good breakfast and a visit to the estate planning attorney. In fact, many people wait decades before making an estate plan, and some never make one at… Read More
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Categories: Estate planning
fountain pen and documents and notary stamp - pour over will concept

What is a Pour-Over Will?

In a nutshell, a pour-over will is a tool to make sure that everything in your estate passes according to the terms of your estate plan. In recent years, trusts have become an increasingly popular way to avoid probate and ensure that inherited assets… Read More
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Categories: Estate planning
Estate planning abstract concept vector illustration. - will and living trust concept

Should You Have Both a Will and a Living Trust?

One of the most common questions estate planning attorneys hear is “Do I need a will, a living trust, or both?” Often, the question is asked by a new client who has been doing research on estate planning, or who has been advised by a friend or fa… Read More
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Categories: Estate planning
Information about Estate planning - preparing for estate planning concept

How to Prepare for an Estate Planning Meeting

If you are getting ready to attend your first estate planning meeting with an attorney, congratulations! That means that you’ve already taken the most difficult step: making the decision to make an estate plan. Now you may be concerned about what y… Read More
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Categories: Estate planning
Mature woman writing in a notepad - holographic will concept

Is a Holographic Will Valid in Michigan?

It’s not hard to make a valid will. In Michigan, all a will needs in order to be valid under the law is to be in writing; signed by the person making it (or by someone else at that person’s conscious direction); and signed by two witnesses to eit… Read More
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Categories: Estate planning
Cute family in their living room, at home portrait - estate planning for children concept

Estate Planning for Minor Children

For many people, the motivation for creating an estate plan is the birth of a child. Becoming a parent and becoming responsible for another life tends to focus your attention on planning for the future! The hope, of course, is that you will be around… Read More
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Categories: Estate planning