Estate Planning & Probate in Michigan

Our firm handles estate planning matters — the area of law dealing with the distribution of an individual's property at death. A thoughtful plan accounts for your will, taxes, insurance, property, and trusts, and, at the same time, carries out your wishes for the people and causes you care about.

What an estate plan can include

• A will that states who receives your property and who will administer your estate.
• Trusts that manage property for beneficiaries, avoid probate where appropriate, and provide for minor children or family members with special needs.
• Powers of attorney so a trusted person can manage finances if you become unable to act.
• Patient advocate designations that name someone to make medical decisions on your behalf.
• Beneficiary and titling review so life insurance, retirement accounts, and jointly owned property pass as intended.

Probate in Michigan

Probate is the court proceeding through which a will is proved to be valid and the estate of a decedent is administered. The process generally includes collecting the decedent's assets, liquidating liabilities, paying necessary taxes, and distributing property to heirs. We guide personal representatives through each step — and we also handle guardianship and conservatorship matters when a loved one can no longer manage their own affairs.

Why plan ahead?

Without a plan, Michigan intestacy law decides who inherits your property and the court selects who administers your estate. A well-drafted plan keeps those decisions with you and your family, reduces delay and expense, and gives clear guidance during a difficult time.

Assets people forget to list

The asset list we start every plan with usually stops at the house, the accounts, and the car. But personal valuables carry real weight in a Michigan estate — jewelry, art, collections, and watches. A timepiece is easy to misjudge, because the market in clone watches spans several grades, from casual lookalikes to near-identical copies, and a watch's worth depends on which grade it actually is. If a piece matters to your family, it belongs in the plan as a valued asset with a defensible number, not as a footnote.