» Wills

Why is estate planning vital for unmarried couples? You may think that you don’t need to worry about estate planning until after you are married, but estate planning for unmarried couples is just as important as it is for their married counterparts… Read More

I’m occasionally asked if an individual can create or update an estate plan if a doctor has opined that the individual can no longer make sound decisions or the individual has a court-appointed guardian or conservator. The short answer: It depends.… Read More

After Aretha Franklin’s death in 2018, two wills were found in her home. Both were handwritten by Franklin and neither was drafted by an attorney. A judge recently determined that a jury could decide whether the 2014 document that was found in a no… Read More

As poet Geoffrey Chaucer attested centuries ago, “Time and tide wait for no man.” For the second time in as many years, survivors have turned to me for help when a loved one died unexpectedly, leaving behind wills or trusts that no longer reflect… Read More

Do-it-yourself estate planning is the gift that keeps on giving. To attorneys, that is. A married client recently came in to see me. He had used one of the online document preparation services to create a revocable living trust for himself. When I re… Read More

These days, families come in all shapes and sizes. Blended families are even more common now than ever. And without proper planning, it can be easier than you think to unintentionally disinherit your children. We all know the story about Mike and Car… Read More

Earlier this month, the Michigan Court of Appeals clarified the standard of proof that must be met in determining whether a conservator has breached the fiduciary duty he or she owes to the individual whose assets are being managed under the conserva… Read More

A friend of mine gave me permission to share her story in the hope that it would be helpful to others. Her brother, a single man, was recently found dead in his Florida apartment. Sadly, no one in his family knows where he banked. They do not know hi… Read More