WHAT IS A §529 TUITION PLAN?

A big concern for many of our estate planning clients is how they can help their loved ones save for their college educations. While there are many ways one can accomplish this goal, §529 savings plans offer a tax advantaged way to pay for college tuition that saving up money in a normal bank account … Read more

A Will That Does Not Match the Person Who Signed It

A Will That Does Not Match the Person Who Signed It Family members sometimes look at a parent’s final will and see something almost unrecognizable, terms that favor one sibling dramatically, or provisions that seem to reflect a caregiver’s wishes rather than the person who supposedly wrote them. Michigan law provides a specific legal tool … Read more

The Importance Of Registering Residential Rental Properties As Rentals

It is becoming more and more common, in Michigan, that cities such as Royal Oak, Detroit, and Dearborn, require landlords to register their residential properties as rentals and get approval from the City prior to landlords renting the property to tenants. While this seems like a simple requirement, registering residential rental properties with the City … Read more

Do I Get To Keep My Stuff, If I File For Bankruptcy?

People are often concerned that they may have to give up their assets in order to qualify for bankruptcy protection. We are often asked, “Can I keep my things if I file for bankruptcy?” The short answer is yes…to an extent. Part of filing for bankruptcy protection entails listing all of your assets: everything … Read more

Questions to Ask a Tax Attorney Before Hiring in Troy

For tax year 2022, the IRS put the gross difference between what taxpayers owed and what they paid on time, known as the federal tax gap, at roughly $696 billion. Most of that figure is not fraud. It comes from ordinary returns with math errors, income left off, and balances that went unpaid when money … Read more

Why 2026 Tax Changes Affect Your Estate Plan

The federal cost-of-living adjustments for 2026 took effect on January 1. Many families read the headlines last fall, made a mental note, and never revisited their documents. With several months of the tax year still ahead, there is time to put the current rules to work before another set of adjustments arrives. The 2026 Federal … Read more

Trust Funding: The Step People Forget After Signing Their Trust

Our friends at Ellen Williamson Law, PC discuss how signing a trust document often feels like the finish line of estate planning. In reality, it’s closer to the starting point. A trust only controls assets that have actually been transferred into it, and skipping that step — known as funding — is one of the … Read more

When A Full Estate Process Is Not Required

Not every estate in Michigan needs to go through the full probate process. State law sets a specific dollar threshold below which families can use a much simpler procedure, and that threshold changes almost every year. What Is Michigan’s Small Estate Threshold Right Now? Under MCL 700.3982, estates valued at or below a specific threshold, … Read more

The Two Tracks A Michigan Estate Can Take

Not every estate that goes through Michigan probate follows the same path. The state offers two distinct tracks, and choosing the right one from the start can meaningfully affect how long the process takes and how much court involvement is required. The Two Main Tracks Under Michigan Law Michigan’s Estates and Protected Individuals Code sets … Read more

The Deed That Skips Probate Entirely

Passing a home to the next generation usually means either a will that still goes through probate or a trust that takes real effort to set up. Michigan recognizes a third option that lets a homeowner keep full control during life while avoiding both of those outcomes. What This Deed Actually Does An enhanced life … Read more

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