Someone you know and care about is reaching the end of his or her days. That someone informs you that they have so many assets in their estate to give away - yet they don't have their estate planned at all. Some people may look for an estate planning attorney right away. Others however, may [...]
What is Probate? Probate is a legal process in which a decedent's estate is properly distributed to heir and designated beneficiaries and any debt owed to creditors is paid off. For the most part, probate property is something that's distributed according to the decedent's last will and testament, if there is one, or according to [...]
Every year you should go to the doctor to get a physical, see how you're doing and if there are any changes that need to be made in your life. All of this is for the betterment of your health. In this respect, wouldn't you do the same when it comes to an estate plan? [...]
News broke earlier this week that the late Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, had wills written out that were found between her couch cushions. What these wills represent are something called holographic wills. A holographic will is a will, but it ignores some of the formalities that go into putting together a will. Such formalities [...]
It seems like that with each passing day, we learn about a celebrity or famous figure who died without a will. Is it a big deal? The answer depends on the circumstances. When creating an estate plan, you'll be able to control how you want your affairs and life's assets to be taken care of. [...]
How do I probate? A loved one has recently passed away and I'm left without much of an idea as to what should happen next. Please help. When a loved one dies, there are many things to consider. Setting up funeral arrangements and deciding whether to do a burial or cremation are a few [...]
The Probate ProSM has informed you in the past to have a plan in place for someone’s untimely death. While we continue to inform you about the importance of having a will in place, there’s a slight caveat. Even if a will or just a plan is set up, it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll avoid [...]
Written by Brandon Thomson A Question, Often Asked Here at The Probate ProSM, we are often asked this question: “If a loved one receives Medicaid benefits, will the State of Michigan take their home?” The answer … it depends. The State of Michigan may recover property from estates of certain deceased Medicaid beneficiaries who have [...]
The Lady Bird Deed is a specific type of deed that has become popular in recent years. The reason for its popularity is simple – it has many benefits. Some of the benefits include the ability to transfer property outside of probate without using a trust and the avoidance of Michigan Medicaid Estate Recovery. What [...]
The administration of a deceased’s estate can bring drama with it, and celebrity status in no way prevents the drama from happening. In fact, you could argue it creates more drama. Take for example the late Tom Petty. After his passing, Petty’s widow, Dana York Petty, became the trustee of the artist’s trust. As you’ll [...]
