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Estate planning for second family often gets overlooked. The irony is that these situations typically require the most planning. In Michigan, a person who passes away without an estate plan will have her assets distributed under Michigan’s Inestate Succession statute. This one-size-fits-all approach often misses the mark. These laws rarely take into account the issues […]

Many years ago the state adopted what some call the Sunshine Law: the Michigan Freedom of Information Act. The Act is intended to make information about government more accessible to the public, with certain exceptions. Much of the litigation over the Act involves these exceptions. Michigan’s Court of Appeals, in a case involving Delta College,

Building a home on former farmland can be tricky. For one thing, you need to consider a “recapture tax” you might have to pay. If the property is subject to a Farmland and Open Space Preservation Agreement, called a PA 116 agreement, the land owner agrees not to develop the land for a while in

Local newspapers recently reported that the most frequent consumer complaints involve disputes with contractors over remodeling projects. To protect against problems when you remodel, make sure that you deal with a reputable contractor. Ask for references and contact them. Were other people satisfied with the contractor’s work? Get quotes and references from more than one

Every estate plan should cover how the client’s assets should be titled once his or her trust has been signed. While there is almost always a plan for the client’s house, life insurance, retirement plans, etc., the client’s business interests are often overlooked. A person’s goals and the type of entity he owns will ultimately

A number of years ago I used to write an “Answers” article for a local newspaper. I was looking at some of those old articles recently and realized how little some things have changed in the last 10 years. Even though I tend to gravitate to the new and more interesting topics, some of these

Talking to a parent about their finances and estate planning can be a difficult discussion to start. It’s important to convey that you respect their privacy and are not prying for the wrong reasons. Here are a few discussion points if you are able to start the conversation: • Durable Power of Attorney for Health

So your neighbor just had his land surveyed, and you see stakes on what you thought was your property. Now he’s telling you that you need to move your fence off “his” land. Now what?   Long-held lines of occupation will prevail over a survey, even assuming the survey is accurate. Imagine the chaos if

I don’t usually comment on estate planning matters but a recent Court of Appeals decision on involving an estate planning trust caught my interest. The bank obtained a judgment against an individual based on a personal guaranty. The bank garnished an account that the individual held as trustee under a trust agreement. First, it appears

Due to a new law that took effect on December 31, 2013, it’s now possible to pass residential property to certain relatives without increasing the tax burden on them. This law essentially allows property to be kept in a family longer because the future generation will pay the same level of property tax that the