Every estate plan answers a fundamental question: what happens to everything you’ve built? For many Michigan families, the answer includes more than just providing for loved ones. It includes giving back — to the communities, causes, and institutions that shaped their lives. But in 2026, charitable giving in estate planning carries new urgency. The One … Read more
You’ve been named successor trustee. Now what? For many Oakland County families, that question hits without warning. A parent passes away or becomes incapacitated, and suddenly a son, daughter, or trusted friend is responsible for managing a trust worth hundreds of thousands — sometimes millions — of dollars. There’s no court appointment, no formal swearing-in, … Read more
Second marriages create a planning problem that love alone doesn’t solve. You want to provide for your spouse. You also want to make sure your children—especially children from a prior relationship—actually receive the inheritance you intend for them. In most Metro Detroit blended families, those two goals are in direct tension, and a standard revocable … Read more
Divorce is complicated. Divorce when you own a business is a different category of problem entirely. For entrepreneurs, practice owners, and business operators across Oakland County, the business is often the most valuable marital asset — and the most difficult to divide. Unlike a bank account or a retirement fund, a business can’t simply be … Read more
If something happened to you tomorrow, who would raise your kids? Most parents in Metro Detroit have an answer in their head. A sister, a grandparent, a close friend. But unless that answer is written down in a legally valid document, it doesn’t matter. Without a will naming guardians, a Macomb, Oakland, or Wayne County … Read more
In Genesee County, the most expensive decision you can make in a divorce often happens before the first hearing: choosing a process that turns a private family problem into a litigation machine. Every disputed issue becomes a formal event — motions, hearings, discovery deadlines, expert reports, and court congestion. Mediation compresses that into guided problem-solving … Read more
Your business is probably the most valuable asset you own — and in Metro Detroit, where family-owned companies anchor entire communities, it may also be your family’s primary source of income, identity, and financial security. Here is the uncomfortable truth: without a succession plan, that business could collapse within months of your death or disability. … Read more
Digital assets are now a permanent part of many Michigan estates. Cryptocurrency, online investment accounts, digital wallets, NFTs, cloud-based financial records, and even monetized social media accounts can carry real value and legal significance. Many families are surprised to learn that these assets are often inaccessible after death or incapacity if planning documents are outdated … Read more
The weeks after losing a loved one should be about grief, family, and honoring a life. Instead, many Wayne County families find themselves facing a legal process they don’t understand—with deadlines they didn’t know existed and personal liability they didn’t expect. Here’s the reality that catches most families off guard: as a personal representative, you … Read more
Gray divorce — divorce among adults over 50 — is no longer unusual. It’s one of the most significant demographic shifts in American family law. While overall divorce rates have declined over the past two decades, the divorce rate for adults 50 and older has roughly doubled since the 1990s, and for those over 65, … Read more
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