Category Archives: Electronic Probate Attorney
Queen of Soul Dies Intestate
Like Prince, Bob Marley, Princess Diana and Pablo Picasso before her, Detroit’s Aretha Franklin died intestate last month. Here in Michigan, dying “intestate” means that you die without a will, trust, or other estate planning instruments. What happens when you die without an Estate Plan? If you die and have not put an estate… Read More »
Planning the Unplannable: Estate Planning and Suicide
Ernest Hemingway once wrote, “Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.” Recently, the deaths of Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade have shocked the world; like Hemingway, the two stars committed suicide. Bourdain, the star of… Read More »
Vegas Shooter’s Estate May Be Assigned to Public Administrator
Used to be a mass-shooting was something that sadly occurred once or twice a year in the U.S. Now, tragically, such shootings are weekly events. With this in mind, we noted that probate litigation instantly entangled Las Vegas mass-shooter Stephen Paddock’s estate. Most mass-murderers have little or no estate to administer. In Paddock’s case,… Read More »
Adult Guardianships for the Elderly
Adult guardianships are more common today as the so-called Baby Boomer generation ages. Yet, in our free society, one adult does not legally control another without a compelling reason. Adult Guardianships Michigan’s probate code provides for adult guardianships under the proper set of circumstances. But what happens when the guardian abuses the protected individual?… Read More »
‘Homes for the Aged’ Get a Few Dozen Liquor Licenses
This post examines new legislation that calls for the issuance of limited liquor licenses for certain ‘homes for the aged’. These are licensed facilities restricted to residents over the age of 62. Should the aged have easy access to liquor? Some consider drinking alcohol on a consistent basis is a compassionate way to treat… Read More »
Author Tom Clancy’s Estate Litigation Finally Concludes
Estate administration and trust litigation too often go hand-in-hand. This post explores the importance of proper estate planning. Back in November 2014, we noticed an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal regarding the estate administration and resulting litigation of best-selling author, Tom Clancy. Mr. Clancy’s estate consisted of a family trust which designated… Read More »
Digital Estate Plans in Michigan
In the modern era, most people have dozens of electronic accounts making-up an electronic profile and creating a digital estate. What happens to your digital assets on death, or upon your incapacity? Do you have a digital estate plan? The New Act Earlier this summer, the Michigan legislature addressed these questions when passing the… Read More »
Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment – POLST
POLST is an end-of-life planning approach or outlook that emphasizes a dying or critically ill patient’s preference relative to the type of care they receive. The movement is sweeping the country and is currently under active consideration by the Michigan Legislature. POLST utilizes a medical order that states the patient’s wishes for treatment. Without… Read More »
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Because of Drugs
Several websites have cropped-up devoted to grandparents placed in the tough and unenviable position of raising their grandchildren because their own children are incapable of doing so due to drug addiction. Here is a sample of these websites: The Addict’s Mom Grandparents Raising Grandchildren [a Facebook group] The Parents of Drug Addicts [also a… Read More »
What is a Funeral Representative?
This post introduces the reader to a funeral representative; a new type of fiduciary recently created by statute. If you die, who is responsible for making your funeral arrangements and final disposition decisions? Do your loved ones know what your wishes are upon your death, and will those wishes be honored? Typically, the next-of-kin… Read More »
