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If you own Bitcoin, Ethereum, or any other cryptocurrency, here is what you need to know: your digital assets can vanish permanently if your estate plan does not account for them. Unlike a bank account or brokerage portfolio, no institution will contact your family after your death to say, “Here are the crypto holdings you’re … Read more
Most Michigan families don’t set out to put their loved ones through probate. But that’s exactly what happens when assets aren’t structured to transfer outside the court system — and it happens far more often than people expect. Probate is Michigan’s court-supervised process for settling an estate after someone dies. It’s public, it takes time, … Read more
Don’t Let a Probate Judge Decide Who Runs Your Company You built your business through years of decisions, risks, and relentless effort. But if you die or become incapacitated without a coordinated plan, a Michigan probate judge—someone who has never set foot in your office—could end up deciding who runs your company, whether it gets … Read more
There’s a moment that catches most families off guard. A parent is hospitalized after a stroke or a fall. Decisions about ventilators, feeding tubes, surgery, and long-term care need to be made immediately—and nobody in the family has legal authority to make them. The doctors ask questions. The siblings disagree. And the person whose wishes … Read more
Your divorce is final. The paperwork is signed, the assets are divided, and you’re ready to move forward with your life. But there’s one critical step most people forget: updating your estate plan. Here’s the uncomfortable truth—if you die tomorrow with your old documents in place, your ex-spouse might still inherit your retirement accounts. They … Read more
If you’re not married in Michigan, the law usually treats your partner like a legal stranger — even if you’ve lived together for 15 years, bought a house, and raised kids. Michigan has no statewide domestic partnership status, and “we’re basically married” doesn’t create property rights, support rights, or inheritance rights. Michigan abolished common law … Read more
For many Wayne County retirees, an IRA or 401(k) is the single largest asset they own — bigger than the house, bigger than savings, bigger than anything else in the estate. And yet it’s the asset most likely to be poorly coordinated with the rest of their legal plan. Here’s why that matters: retirement accounts … Read more
When you have a child or family member with a disability, you think constantly about their future. Who will care for them when you’re gone? How will they afford the support they need? And how do you leave them an inheritance without destroying the government benefits keeping them alive? These aren’t abstract concerns for Macomb … Read more
Nursing home care in Southeast Michigan now costs between $9,000 and $12,000 per month—that’s $108,000 to $144,000 per year. For middle-class families in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, and the surrounding region, those numbers represent a very real threat to everything they’ve spent a lifetime building. A home. Savings. Investments meant for the next generation. Without … Read more
Your dog doesn’t care about your will. But your estate plan should care about your dog. Michigan law gives pet owners something most people don’t realize exists: a legally enforceable trust designed specifically for animals. Under MCL 700.7408, you can create a pet trust that funds your animal’s care, names a caregiver, appoints a trustee … Read more