Before Naming A Successor Trustee, Make Sure to Get Consent

One of the most important decisions when drafting a trust is deciding who will serve as the successor trustee, which is the person or institution who takes over management of the trust when the trustor (the creator of the trust) has died or has becom…
Categories: Estate Planning
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New Law Allows Macomb County Probate Court Option to Add Third Judge

A new Michigan law amends the Revised Judicature Act to authorize an additional judge for the Macomb County Probate Court beginning Jan. 1, 2025. Currently the county has two probate judges. The addition of a third probate judgeship would be subject…
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What is the Difference Between a Tangible and Intangible Asset?

A decedent will likely pass on both tangible and intangible property through their last will and testament. Questions often arise regarding the difference between tangible and intangible assets and how something that lacks a physical existence is cla…
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New Laws Allow Electronic Signing of Estate Planning, Real Property Documents Through Dec. 31, 2020

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently signed House Bills 6294-6297 into law, allowing documents to be signed, witnessed, and notarized electronically until Dec. 31, 2020. The bills amend the Estates and Protected Individuals Code, the Uniform Electronic Tra…
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The Reasons People Fail to Create an Estate Plan

Few people wish to think about their mortality, let alone take time to plan for those they leave behind. A recent Care.com survey reveals why people fail to create an estate plan.
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Don't Forget Digital Assets When Estate Planning

If you have a smartphone, tablet, or computer you most likely have a digital asset. It's important to protect digital assets just as you would any other valuable.
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Some important considerations for parents revisiting their estate plan

When it comes to estate planning, it’s important for people — particularly parents — to understand that it’s more than just a one-time event, but rather a lifelong endeavor. That’s because whether they realize it or not,…
Categories: Estate Planning
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What are power of attorney and the health care directive?

Power of attorney and the health care directive are two aspects of your will and estate plan that dictate who will make financial decisions on your behalf, and how you should be medically treated in case you are incapacitated (respectively). As you c…
Categories: Estate Planning
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Your will is not written in stone - for the most part

We are finishing up our discussion of the various ways a testator can change his or her will. There are codicils and separate writings, for example, that can amend or supplement an existing will. And, over the past couple of decades, technology has m…
Categories: Estate Planning
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An estate plan is more than the sum of its parts, whatever they are

We talk about estate plans all the time, but it occurs to us that we have not really reviewed the individual components of an estate plan. This is definitely an a la carte menu: Personal circumstances dictate what any one person needs at any given ti…
Categories: Estate Planning
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