PROBATE LAW
Probate Law is the area of law that generally deals with what happens to someone’s property after death. More specifically, probate is the legal process by which a decedent’s property is transferred according to his will, or in the absence of a will, according to the legal hierarchy of his heirs. In Michigan, the Estates and Protected Individuals Code (EPIC) is the current law regarding most issues of probate law. This statute is comprised of eight articles, each of which is further divided into various subsections.
Almost every county in Michigan has its own probate court. Generally, each probate court has jurisdiction over probate matters arising within its parent county. Probate courts in Michigan generally have exclusive jurisdiction over the following areas of law: guardianships, conservatorships, hospitalization for the mentally ill and administration of estates and trusts.
Our firm has experience handling almost all matters of probate law. We offer services in the following areas, among others:
• Distribution of a Deceased Individual’s Property
• Litigation
• Wills
• Intestate Succession (the absence of a will)
• Distribution of Monetary & Physical Assets
• Trusts
• A Revocable Grantor (“Living”) Trust so as to
avoid probate, facilitate asset administration, and/or to specifically
plan for a certain loved one
• Insurance trusts to provide funding for the payment of estate
taxes, while at the same time avoiding increases in these taxes
• Charitable Trusts, Gifts & Bequests
• Tax Planning to Minimize or Eliminate Estate and/or Gift Taxes
• Other Miscellaneous Estate Planning Issues
When dealing with probate issues, our firm strives to represent each of our clients honestly and with the utmost sensitivity. We advise our clients, while at the same time giving deference to their personal goals and wishes.
