Michigan residents, like most people, want to be in control of their lives and what happens to them. The same holds true even in death. This is why many people write wills: to ensure that their wishes are carried out after their passing with regard to their personal property and other important issues. Unfortunately, there are many situations in which a will contest results when potential or expected heirs are not satisfied with the will's provisions or believe there may be problems with the will wording or creation.
Tips for designating an effective patient advocate
Although nobody hopes to be faced with life-threatening medical issues, it's a situation anybody could be forced to deal with at a moment's notice. Through this experience, people hope that they can make the most reasonable and thoughtful decisions. In some cases, people may not be able to make these decisions on their own behalf, particularly at the end of life.
Executors: Avoid mistakes, even the honest sort
Being named executor of an estate can be viewed as an honor. Given the importance of personal assets and property, it takes no small amount of trust to afford the powers of executorship to one or more people.
What counts as a valid will in Michigan?
In several posts on this blog we have discussed numerous estate planning topics as it relates to wills. One important theme throughout these discussions is ensuring that your estate planning documents will be considered valid at the time they are executed.
Defining a trustee's duty of loyalty under Michigan law
For someone who is going through the process of establishing a trust during the estate planning process, selecting a trustee is a critical. After all, this is the individual who will be tasked with executing the terms of the trust in accordance with the settlor's wishes.
