Many of our previous posts have stressed the importance of comprehensive and detailed estate planning. For most people, the question marks that can pop up from dying intestate are just too great of a concern to ignore. However, if there are some among our Michigan readers who have taken the first step and actually constructed an estate plan, it is important to remember that life-changing events can happen - and your will should sometimes be changed as well.
Tax planning and 2013 - what do Michigan residents need to know?
Even though the bitter presidential election is now more than a month in our reader's rearview mirrors, no doubt many have been unable to escape the continuing political news out of our nation's capital. The discourse has been muddled and mostly unproductive, regardless of the fact that the decisions that need to be made could affect nearly every American's financial situation.
Do young Michigan families need an estate plan?
Many of our previous posts have focused on the variety of approaches a Michigan resident can take with estate planning. Estate administration can be a complicated and delicate process, so it is of the utmost importance that all estate planning documents are in the highest level of detail and stored in a manner which will make the probate process as quick and easy as possible. But who is it, really, that needs an estate plan? Is it only wealthy individuals with thousands, if not millions, in assets which need to be designated for distribution? The answer is, quite simply, absolutely not. Even a young couple, perhaps recently married or with a newborn baby, should be sure to complete the necessary documents of an estate plan.
Digital assets and estate planning - are you prepared?
As the end of the year approaches, many of our Michigan readers may be thinking that now is the time to make a last minute run at estate planning. For many, there is no time like the present, especially for tax planning purposes. This is because there are some exempts and taxes which will most likely be changing by next year. For others, the end of the year can be a period of reflection on all of the events which have transpired over the course of 2012, which can lead to the conclusion that now is the time to make sure that relatives would be taken care of in the unfortunate event of an untimely death. However, no matter what is driving a person to start thinking about their estate plan, one part of the estate that many will need to remember to include is one that has only been coming to light in recent years: digital assets.
