Trusts, Wills, Powers of Attorney and Estate Planning

Does The New Tax Law Mean I Need A New Estate Plan?

The answer to this question is the stereotypical lawyer answer – it depends. The “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” that was signed into law by President Trump in late December will significantly impact large estates, but even folks with smaller estates should make an appointment with their estate planning attorney if it has been a few years since your plan was last updated.
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What Makes A Will Or Trust A Living One?

“Look! It's moving. It's alive. It's alive...
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If you have a loved one with special needs, you are probably an expert at navigating government bureaucracy. Developing this skill set is basically a necessity if you want to ensure your loved one has the quality of life they deserve. It can be scary to think about what will happen to your loved one after you are no longer there to advocate, cajole, and fill out endless reams of paperwork on his or her behalf.

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In basically every tv show and movie involving a death there is a dramatic scene where the family gathers to hear the lawyers read their loved one’s last will and testament. And there’s always some shocking surprise that sets up a bunch of drama for the characters to deal with. In the real world, this just doesn’t happen.

Families rarely gather for a dramatic, Hollywood-style will reading. There are a couple reasons for this.
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We all know we’re supposed to change the oil in the car every 3,000 miles, clean our furnace filters monthly, and defragment our hard drives every week or so. But routine maintenance is one of those things that gets skipped when our schedules get too busy. So, we drive our car until it makes that weird noise, run our furnace until it breaks down, and cross our fingers that our computers are set up to do what they need to do on their own in the background.

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After decades of braving the Michigan winters, you are entitled to spend weeks or months of the winter season in a warmer climate. You’ve earned it! Just make sure you know how spending some time down South or out West will impact your estate plan. Here are a few tips and tricks to consider.
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Deciding it is time to talk with an estate planning attorney and get your affairs in order is a difficult thing to do. It requires you to look death in the face and make some tough decisions about the future. But pondering one’s mortality is a piece of cake compared to having a conversation with some estate planning attorneys.
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The task of finding a good attorney can make you feel like Goldilocks. One attorney may charge too much, while another just gives you the creeps. But eventually, you will find an attorney that is “just right.
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We all worry about how to provide for our loved ones and how they will be supported after we are gone. A well-designed estate plan can bring peace of mind by securing assets to benefit those we hold dear. Estate planning is not just about wills. There are several very useful legal tools that can be put in place to protect the financial future of your loved ones even after you pass away. One such valuable tool is the

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Do I need an estate plan if I am single and do not have children?

If you are single and without children, you are part of a growing crowd in America.  About half of all Americans today are single and an increasingly large percentage of people are electing to forego children.  Many single people believe that an estate plan is not necessary for them.  However, without an estate plan, you will have no control over who receives your assets after your death.  Even further, you may be leaving critical health care and financial decisions to an individual you would not have selected.
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When giving to a charity for tax purposes, your clients are not being Scrooges if they make sure they're following the letter of the law. They want a donation to do good for the charity - and for themselves - by avoiding mistakes.  Read more about it at the Daily Plan It!:

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