Clear, practical guidance on wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and more — written by a practicing Michigan estate planning attorney.
Who should take over your trust? What the job involves, family vs. professional trustees, why two co-trustees must agree on everything under Michigan law, why you need backups, and what happens if your pick declines or resigns.
Read Full GuideMichigan doesn't require witnesses or a notary for a trust, but banks and title companies expect one. The five requirements of MCL 700.7402, the capacity test, how to amend or revoke, and a signing-day checklist.
Read Full GuideNo, if the trust is revocable and you live there. Michigan Treasury says the grantor of a revocable trust is an eligible owner for the Principal Residence Exemption. Here's how to sign Form 2368, the June 1 and November 1 deadlines, and the 90-day Form 2602 rule after death.
Read Full GuidePutting a child on your deed or account avoids probate, but it can tie your home to their debts and divorce, start Medicaid's 60-month look-back, require a gift tax return, and cut out your other children. Here are the risks and the safer DIY alternatives.
Read Full GuideNamed successor trustee? Michigan gives you 63 days to notify beneficiaries. This checklist covers the notice, the certificate of trust, getting an EIN, paying debts, the 6-month contest notice, Form 1041 and MI-1041, reports, and final distribution.
Read Full GuideNamed on a Michigan Lady Bird deed and the owner has died? Check for a later deed, record proof of death, file the Property Transfer Affidavit within 45 days, and handle the mortgage, Medicaid estate recovery, and a sale. Most of it you can do yourself for under $50.
Read Full GuideWhen you inherit a Michigan house, its taxable value can uncap and the tax bill can double. Learn which relatives qualify for the MCL 211.27a(7)(u) family exemption, why renting the home can cost you the exemption, and how to claim it on the Property Transfer Affidavit within 45 days.
Read Full GuideAn unfunded trust is a $500 stack of paper that does nothing when you die. This Michigan-specific DIY checklist walks through every asset class: real-estate deed transfers with the MCL 211.27a(7)(g) exemption, bank retitling vs POD, brokerage trust registration vs Michigan MCL 700.6301 TOD, Michigan SOS TR-29 vehicle designations, LLC and S-corp membership assignments, personal property assignments under MCL 700.2513, and (critically) which retirement and life insurance accounts you must NOT retitle. Ends with a one-page fillable checklist and pour-over will plus Lady Bird deed backup strategy.
Read Full GuideMichigan homeowners who quitclaim their home to their children accidentally trigger IRS Form 709 gift-tax reporting, kill the stepped-up basis (a $30,000-$50,000 tax hit for the kids later), trigger a 5-year Medicaid disqualification, potentially uncap property taxes under MCL 211.27a, and give away all control of their home forever. The Michigan Lady Bird deed accomplishes the same probate avoidance without any of those consequences. Side-by-side feature comparison, decision framework, and when a quitclaim actually is the right tool.
Read Full GuideLine-by-line Michigan Lady Bird deed template walkthrough covering all 8 required sections: title block, consideration and grant clause (with MCL 566.108 spousal joinder note), legal description with tax parcel ID, enhanced life estate reservation with the exact language courts uphold, remainder beneficiary designations with per stirpes, notary block (MCL 565.201), and MCL 565.151 preparer's statement. Includes copy-paste-ready full template with bracketed fill-in fields and post-signing recording plus Property Transfer Affidavit steps.
Read Full GuideTen Michigan-specific Lady Bird deed mistakes that destroy probate-avoidance protection and can accidentally trigger property-tax uncapping or Medicaid recovery: missing enhanced life estate language, unrecorded deed (MCL 565.201), wrong or vague legal description, self-only grantor/grantee, missing per stirpes for remainder beneficiaries, out-of-state templates, deeding property already in a trust, naming a minor directly (MCL 700.5401), skipping the Property Transfer Affidavit (Form 2766, MCL 211.27a), and misunderstanding the Michigan Medicaid Estate Recovery boundary.
Read Full GuideMichigan MCL 700.2702 requires beneficiaries to survive by 120 hours (5 days) or be treated as predeceased. Practical DIY guide for Michigan couples: how the rule applies to wills, intestate succession (MCL 700.2104), joint tenancy with survivorship (MCL 700.6403), and Lady Bird deeds - and where it does NOT apply (life insurance contracts and ERISA retirement plans). Includes a real Michigan car-accident example, sample survivorship and ultimate-contingent clause language, MCL 700.2105 escheat prevention, MCL 600.2922 wrongful-death consideration, and how blended-family wills should be drafted.
Read Full GuideMichigan single parents carry the heaviest estate-planning stakes and often postpone because they assume it needs an expensive attorney. Complete DIY 5-document plan for under $100: (1) Michigan will with MCL 700.5202 guardian nomination + testamentary trust with staggered distributions, (2) UTMA (MCL 554.521) or trust beneficiary on all life insurance and retirement accounts, (3) MCL 556.201 Durable Financial POA, (4) MCL 700.5506 Patient Advocate Designation, (5) HIPAA release for kids 18+. Includes DIY vs Michigan attorney cost table ($89-$349 vs $1,150-$2,400) and 6 common single-parent pitfalls.
Read Full GuideMichigan tenancy by the entirety (TBE) is free automatic probate avoidance for married couples on real estate and, since Michigan's 2015 MCL 557.151 amendment, on certain financial accounts. Plain-English guide covering how to check your deed's grantee line, retitle for $30, set up TBE bank accounts, understand the creditor-protection benefit and its IRS exception, what happens at the first death (spouse-to-spouse transfer-tax exemption, uncapping exception), and what married couples still need beyond TBE.
Read Full GuideThe 12 execution mistakes that get Michigan wills invalidated at probate - wrong or too-few witnesses (MCL 700.2502), interested witnesses (MCL 700.2505), signings not "in the presence of," digital-only wills, out-of-state templates, missing self-proving affidavit (MCL 700.2504), out-of-state executor without bond waiver (MCL 700.3610), ademption (MCL 700.2606), missed post-divorce updates (MCL 700.2807), ignoring spousal elective share (MCL 700.2202), and lost originals (MCL 700.3402). Plain-English fixes for each.
Read Full GuideMichigan residents can get a valid will for $0 (holographic), $39-$199 (LegalZoom / Rocket Lawyer / Trust & Will), $89 (CreateMIWill attorney-drafted), or $500-$3,500 (full-service Michigan attorney). Plain-English price comparison covering what you get at each price, which Michigan-specific features (MCL 700.5506 Patient Advocate, Lady Bird deed, MCL 700.5512 end-of-life language) actually matter, and which option makes sense for your family situation.
Read Full GuideMichigan's intestate succession statute (MCL 700.2101 et seq.) decides who gets your property if you die without a will. The rules do NOT match most people's assumptions - a surviving spouse does NOT automatically get everything if you have kids from a prior relationship or living parents. Plain-English DIY guide to what Michigan intestacy actually does in every family situation, and how a $89 will lets you take back control.
Read Full GuideMichigan law does not allow minors to directly control inherited money or property. If you name your 8-year-old as beneficiary of your $200,000 life insurance policy, she cannot legally receive it. What happens depends on which of four Michigan mechanisms you set up ahead of time - or Michigan's default probate conservatorship kicks in with annual court accountings until age 18. Plain-English DIY guide covering probate conservatorship (MCL 700.5401), UTMA (MCL 554.521), testamentary trust, and revocable living trust options.
Read Full GuideMichigan estate plans that include a revocable trust actually create TWO distinct fiduciary jobs after your death. Executor handles probate assets under MCL 700.3701; trustee handles trust assets under Michigan Trust Code MCL 700.7801 et seq. They sound similar but operate under different rules and often need different skill sets. Plain-English DIY guide covering the side-by-side comparison, whether one person should serve as both, and how to pick well.
Read Full GuideMichigan generally lets you disinherit adult children, siblings, and most family members - but NOT your spouse (MCL 700.2202 elective share applies). Plain-English DIY guide to who you CAN disinherit in Michigan, exact language to use, no-contest clauses under MCL 700.2518, the nominal-bequest strategy, and how to reduce contest risk to near zero. Covers pretermitted heir doctrine (MCL 700.2302) and Michigan Trust Code (MCL 700.7813) confidentiality advantages.
Read Full GuideMichigan does NOT recognize traditional living wills as legally binding standalone documents. Instructions about end-of-life care must be embedded in a Michigan Patient Advocate Designation under MCL 700.5506-5515 or a signed declaration. Plain-English DIY guide to what Michigan actually requires - the Patient Advocate Designation, end-of-life language under MCL 700.5512, mental health carve-outs under MCL 700.5507(3), and how to get all of it right the first time.
Read Full GuideAfter a Michigan resident dies, family cannot simply walk into the bank and open the deceased's safe deposit box. Michigan MCL 487.1503(9) allows limited 'inspection' access to retrieve the will, but full access requires probate court authority or a small estate affidavit. Plain-English DIY guide covering the exact process at each major Michigan bank (Chase, Comerica, PNC, Huntington, Fifth Third, Flagstar), what documents to bring, and how to avoid the classic Catch-22 where the will you need for probate is locked inside.
Read Full GuideMichigan probate courts require the ORIGINAL will - photocopies are not automatically accepted, and if the original cannot be found MCL 700.2508 presumes the testator revoked it. Where you store the will determines whether your family finds it in time. Plain-English DIY guide to the six best Michigan will storage locations, why home fireproof safes beat safe deposit boxes for most families, and Michigan's optional MCL 700.2515 court-deposit program.
Read Full GuideMichigan calls the executor of a will a personal representative under MCL 700.3701 et seq. The role involves 12-18 months of work: inventorying assets, notifying creditors (4-month clock under MCL 700.3801), paying debts, filing final tax returns, and distributing what remains. Plain-English DIY guide to the timeline, checklist, potential personal liability, and how to make it easier on your Michigan executor while you're still alive.
Read Full GuideMichigan MCL 700.2502(1) requires two witnesses. The rules on who can be a witness are looser than most people expect - even a beneficiary can technically witness under MCL 700.2505 - but a self-proving affidavit under MCL 700.2504 dramatically simplifies probate. Plain-English DIY guide to Michigan will witness requirements, exact signing-ceremony script, self-proving affidavit setup, and how to avoid the four most common signing mistakes.
Read Full GuideMichigan is one of about 25 US states that recognize holographic (handwritten) wills without witnesses under MCL 700.2502(2). Four requirements must ALL be met - material portions in the testator's handwriting, dated, signed, and demonstrating testamentary intent. Miss one and the will is void. Plain-English DIY guide covering common failure modes, Michigan probate court treatment, and why an $89 attorney-drafted witnessed will beats a handwritten one.
Read Full GuideMichigan MCL 700.3982 lets heirs collect a deceased person's assets without opening probate if the total estate is under $27,000 (2026 inflation-adjusted). Wait 28 days, file form PC-598 with your county probate court, pay a $28 filing fee. Plain-English DIY guide - what counts toward the cap, what doesn't (life insurance, retirement, joint property), step-by-step filing walkthrough, and Michigan alternatives if the estate is just over the line.
Read Full GuideThe moment your child turns 18 in Michigan, federal HIPAA law bars doctors from sharing their medical information with you - even in an emergency, even if they are on your insurance. A HIPAA authorization plus a Michigan Patient Advocate Designation (MCL 700.5506) plus a durable financial POA closes the gap in 30 minutes. Plain-English DIY guide with witness rules, mental-health carve-outs, and out-of-state college considerations.
Read Full GuideLife insurance passes to whoever is named on the beneficiary form - not through your will. Michigan MCL 700.2807 revokes an ex-spouse automatically after divorce, BUT federal ERISA overrides state law for employer group life. Never name a minor child directly - it triggers Michigan probate conservatorship. Plain-English DIY guide to Michigan life insurance beneficiary rules, five common mistakes, per-stirpes vs per-capita, and the trust-as-beneficiary strategy that keeps payouts out of probate.
Read Full GuideIf you own real estate in more than one state, your family faces multiple probates - a domiciliary probate in Michigan PLUS an ancillary probate in every other state where you own property ($2,000-$6,000 each, 3-9 month delay each). Michigan Lady Bird deeds do NOT work outside Michigan. A revocable trust does. Plain-English guide for Michigan snowbirds, cottage owners, and rental property investors covering 5 common scenarios, LLC option for investment properties, and the DIY playbook.
Read Full GuideMichigan revocable living trust prices in 2026: attorney-drafted $1,500-$5,000, online service $199-$700, pure DIY templates $0-$100. The Michigan probate inventory fee under MCL 600.871 runs up to $1,175 on a $1M estate - PLUS attorney fees, publication, and filing costs. This is the honest breakdown of which cost tier fits which Michigan family, plus the hidden costs nobody warns you about (funding, amendments, ongoing accountings).
Read Full GuideYour Michigan 401(k) is ERISA-governed and REQUIRES your spouse's written consent to name a non-spouse beneficiary - but your IRA is not, so a Michigan spouse can be completely cut out. The SECURE Act 10-year distribution rule killed the stretch IRA for most non-spouse beneficiaries. Plain-English guide covering ERISA spousal protection, the IRA gap, five Eligible Designated Beneficiary categories, spousal rollover strategy, per-stirpes vs per-capita, and the two-hour beneficiary audit that prevents 70% of accidental disinheritance.
Read Full GuideMichigan MCL 700.2807 automatically strikes your ex-spouse from your will, trust, and MOST beneficiary designations at divorce. But federal ERISA overrides Michigan on 401(k)s and employer group life insurance - meaning your ex STILL inherits those unless you file a new form directly. The Reed Estate case saw $150k go to an ex-wife before the family sued to recover it. Plain-English guide to the automatic revocation, the ERISA carve-out, the stepchild trap (Grablick Trust 2021), and the 30-60 day post-divorce checklist.
Read Full GuideMichigan probate takes 6-18 months and consumes 3-8% of the estate in fees. Skip it entirely with 8 specific Michigan DIY strategies: Lady Bird deed for real estate, POD/TOD on financial accounts, beneficiary designations on retirement and life insurance, joint tenancy, Michigan vehicle TOD titles (new 2024), small estate affidavit, revocable living trust, and the personal-property list under MCL 700.2513. Which strategy fits which asset, plus the under-$500 DIY playbook.
Read Full GuideMichigan updated pet trust law in February 2024. The old MCL 700.2722 was repealed and replaced by MCL 700.7408 - the 21-year cap is gone, so a trust can now run for the lifetime of any animal (matters for horses, parrots, and tortoises). Plain-English DIY guide covering caregiver vs trustee roles, realistic funding by species, the Leona-Helmsley over-funding trap Michigan courts can reduce, and how to structure care instructions that actually get followed.
Read Full GuideThe single most important estate-planning decision a Michigan parent can make. Under MCL 700.5202 you can nominate a guardian in your will or a separate signed writing with two witnesses - and Michigan probate courts give that nomination priority. Without it, a judge decides among whoever petitions. Practical DIY guide covering guardian vs conservator split, primary and backup structure, different-guardians-for-different-kids, the child-14+ veto rule, and what happens if you skip this step.
Read Full GuideYou can DRAFT your Michigan will online - but Michigan law still requires you to print, sign on paper, and have two witnesses sign. Michigan has NOT adopted the Uniform Electronic Wills Act. E-signatures alone are not valid. Remote witnessing IS permitted under MCL 700.1202 but works differently than you would think. What every online will service gets wrong about Michigan, plus the DIY playbook.
Read Full GuideMichigan gives a surviving spouse the right to reject the deceased spouse's will and claim a statutory minimum (MCL 700.2202), plus homestead, family, and exempt property allowances. But there is one enormous catch that Michigan lawyers do not always explain: the elective share only reaches the probate estate. If the spouse funded a revocable trust before dying, the elective share may be worth nothing. Second-marriage playbook plus 63-day deadlines that trip up most people.
Read Full GuideYou are 25 and you think estate planning is for retirees - but Michigan HIPAA rules lock parents out at 18, intestate default sends everything to parents even if estranged, and your 401(k) beneficiary is probably still your college roommate. Plain-English DIY guide covering the 5 Michigan documents under $100 total plus the weekend beneficiary-audit task that eliminates 70% of the risk.
Read Full GuideNon-citizen spouses have the SAME Michigan inheritance rights as citizen spouses under EPIC. The federal marital-deduction rule (IRC 2056(d)) only bites above the 2026 $15M exemption - so for 99% of Michigan families, no QDOT trust needed. Plain-English DIY guide with the annual gift-limit trap and three real Michigan scenarios.
Read Full GuideMichigan requires two witnesses under MCL 700.2502. Interested beneficiaries CAN witness (MCL 700.2505) but never should. Plain-English DIY guide with the 5 mistakes that get wills challenged, safe signing ceremony playbook, self-proving affidavit rules under MCL 700.2504, and the holographic-will exception.
Read Full GuideThe 2-page document that lets a Michigan trustee prove authority without handing over the entire 40-page trust. Full MCL 700.7913 breakdown, a copy-paste template, the 6 required elements, what NOT to include, and how to force a rejecting bank to accept the certificate under MCL 700.7913(6).
Read Full GuideA Michigan codicil requires the SAME formalities as a new will under MCL 700.2502 - so why bother? The 5-question test, the republication doctrine that quietly rewires beneficiary language, a copy-and-paste sample codicil skeleton with notary block, and 10-question FAQ. When to codicil, when to restart.
Read Full GuideMichigan recognizes exactly three methods to revoke a will under MCL 700.2507 and MCL 700.2807: a new will, a physical act with intent, or automatic revocation by divorce. Marriage does NOT revoke. Verbal does NOT revoke. Plain-English DIY guide with Windham, Smoke, and the divorce case-law traps that have invalidated DIY revocations.
Read Full GuideMichigan does not set a percentage. MCL 700.3719 and MCL 700.7708 just say 'reasonable.' Plain-English DIY guide with real-dollar benchmarks (2-4% executor, 0.5-2% trustee), the Comerica 12-factor test, the tax math that often makes waiving smarter than collecting, and a playbook for charging without getting objections.
Read Full GuideA Michigan trust amendment is one written page, not a $1,500 attorney bill. Step-by-step guide to MCL 700.7602 amendments, a full sample amendment skeleton you can copy, the two mistakes that get amendments thrown out, and when to restate instead. Plus 10 life events that should trigger an update.
Read Full GuideA side-by-side Michigan comparison of the two cheapest ways to skip probate. $30 Lady Bird deed vs. $199-$2,500 revocable living trust. Costs, coverage, Medicaid estate recovery, blended families, and a decision framework for picking the right one (or both).
Read Full GuideThe $175 filing fee is only the beginning. Full breakdown of Michigan's inventory fee schedule under MCL 600.871, certified copies, publication, motion fees, bond premiums, and attorney costs - with real-dollar examples for $30k, $75k, $250k, $500k, and $1M estates. Plus the small-estate procedures that bypass it all.
Read Full GuideMichigan stepchildren do NOT automatically inherit from a stepparent, and stepparents do NOT automatically inherit from a stepchild. Plain-English DIY guide to MCL 700.2114, the brutal second-marriage spousal-share math, stepparent adoption, and the cheap documents that fix the default.
Read Full GuideA complete Michigan estate planning checklist you can print and work through one section at a time. Wills, durable financial power of attorney, patient advocate designation, beneficiary forms, Lady Bird deed, digital assets, funeral preferences, and the documents most Michigan adults are missing. Free, no email required.
Read Full GuideMichigan intestate-succession law gives nothing to long-term unmarried partners -- no inheritance, no medical decisions, no banking access. Single parents face urgent guardianship issues. Second marriages with stepkids get the messiest split. Here is the plain-English DIY guide to which estate planning steps actually matter for your family status.
Read Full GuideFlorida will not honor your Michigan handwritten will. Florida hospitals may reject a Michigan patient advocate designation. A Florida condo without a Lady Bird deed triggers ancillary probate. Here is the DIY checklist of what every Michigan-to-Florida snowbird should update before winter.
Read Full GuideMichigan has no state estate tax. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act permanently raised the federal exemption to $15 million per person ($30 million per couple) on January 1, 2026 -- with no sunset. For 99 percent of Michigan families that means zero estate tax. Here is the plain-English guide to what changed and what middle-class families actually need to plan for.
Read Full GuideMichigan attorneys charge $500 to $800 to draft and file a Lady Bird deed. The county Register of Deeds charges about $30. The whole thing is a one-page document plus the Property Transfer Affidavit almost everyone forgets. Here is the complete DIY walkthrough -- drafting, signing, notarizing, recording, and the homeowner insurance fix.
Read Full GuideThe in-terrorem clause sounds powerful, and in Michigan it IS enforceable -- but the 1998 probable-cause statute quietly removed most of its teeth. Here is the DIY guide to when it works, when it does not, and the one drafting trick that still makes it effective.
Read Full GuideMichigan now calls them trust directors under the 2019 Uniform Directed Trust Act, but the function is the same. A third party with the power to remove a bad trustee without going to probate court, fix the trust if tax laws change, and resolve disputes. Here is the DIY guide.
Read Full GuideA Michigan pour-over will is the safety net for a living trust -- but only if it is funded, properly drafted, and paired with a Michigan trust that complies with EPIC and UTATA. Here is the DIY guide to when you need one, when you do not, and the mistakes that send the entire estate back to probate.
Read Full GuideYour photos, emails, crypto, and social profiles do not pass through your will the way a house does. Michigan's FADAA law and platform Legacy Contacts decide who gets in. Here is the 30-minute DIY setup that keeps your family from losing 20 years of digital memories.
Read Full GuideYou can leave money to a Michigan church, college, or favorite cause without shortchanging your kids. The trick is which asset you give from -- a $25,000 IRA beneficiary form update can give 100 percent to charity while saving your kids thousands in taxes. Here is how DIY donors do it right.
Read Full GuideIf you or someone you love has just received a terminal diagnosis, Michigan still gives you options. A handwritten holographic will, a Lady Bird deed, a beneficiary update by phone, and a deathbed gift can transfer assets and bypass probate -- if you do them right. Here is the practical playbook for the last days.
Read Full GuideWithout a durable power of attorney and patient advocate designation, a Michigan probate court appoints a guardian and conservator if you become incapacitated. Two attorney-drafted documents keep your family in charge instead of a judge. Here is exactly how to set them up this weekend.
Read Full GuideYour beneficiary form -- not your will -- controls your 401(k) and IRA. Forget to update it after divorce, name your estate by default, or run into the SECURE Act 10-year rule, and your heirs can lose tens of thousands. Here is the 30-minute DIY fix every Michigan adult should do.
Read Full GuideThe biggest probate fights in Michigan are not about money -- they are about Grandma's ring, Dad's shotgun, the dining room table. MCL 700.2513 gives you a one-page solution: a signed, dated list referenced by your will that controls who gets what. No notary, no witnesses, you can update it any time. Here is exactly how to write one and the mistakes that make it worthless.
Read Full GuideOnly 30 percent of Michigan family cottages make it past the second generation. The new 2024 Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act now lets any single co-owner force a sale of jointly inherited property -- a Michigan cottage held outright by siblings can be torn apart by one dissenting voice. A Cottage Trust avoids this and avoids property tax uncapping (which the LLC structure does NOT). Here are the use rules, cost-sharing structures, and buyout provisions that actually work.
Read Full GuideFederal SSI law caps disabled beneficiaries at $2,000 in countable resources. A single inheritance check can suspend benefits worth $20,000-$50,000 a year. A properly drafted Michigan supplemental needs trust prevents this -- and this is the one area of estate planning where DIY templates are genuinely dangerous because the trust language must satisfy federal SSI rules, federal Medicaid rules, and Michigan trust law simultaneously.
Read Full GuideIn Michigan, your second spouse can legally disinherit your kids from your first marriage even if your will says otherwise. The elective share gives them a statutory claim, stepchildren are legal strangers under intestacy, and verbal promises are unenforceable. Here is what tools actually work -- separate trusts, Lady Bird deeds, beneficiary discipline, prenuptial waivers, QTIP trusts -- and the under-$700 DIY path that covers most blended families.
Read Full GuideAn estimated 30 to 50 percent of Michigan revocable living trusts are partially or completely unfunded when the grantor dies -- which means probate happens anyway. Here is the weekend checklist for retitling your home, accounts, and beneficiary designations into the trust, the Michigan-specific deed and tax rules, and why retirement accounts often should NOT be funded into the trust.
Read Full GuideBank accounts, IRAs, brokerage accounts, and even your car can transfer directly to a named beneficiary in Michigan -- with zero probate, zero attorney fees, and zero waiting period. Here is which form each financial institution uses, what Michigan does for vehicles (no TOD title yet), and the mistakes that send the money to probate anyway.
Read Full GuideIf you die in Michigan without a Funeral Representative Designation, state law decides who picks your casket, burial plot, and cremation -- in the order spouse, kids, grandkids, parents. The 2016 Funeral Representative Designation Act lets you legally name anyone you trust. Here is the form, the law, and how to fill it out yourself.
Read Full GuideA Michigan Lady Bird deed transfers your home to your kids automatically at death, avoids probate (saving 3-5% in fees), protects against Medicaid estate recovery, and costs about $30 to record. Here is exactly what makes it different from a traditional life-estate deed and how to file one yourself with your county Register of Deeds.
Read Full GuideMichigan nursing-home care averages $9,000 to $12,000 per month and Medicare won't cover long-term care. This guide explains the 2026 Medicaid asset limits, the five-year lookback rule, the community spouse resource allowance, and how a Lady Bird deed protects your home from estate recovery -- all without paying a $5,000 elder-law retainer.
Read Full GuideMost Michigan gun owners don't need a gun trust, but if you own NFA items (suppressors, SBRs, machine guns) or plan to buy one, you do. This guide covers when a gun trust is required vs. overkill, ATF Rule 41F compliance, Michigan's Firearm Inheritance Protection Act, and the 2024 firearms safety law updates.
Read Full GuideYour pets can't inherit money directly, but Michigan law under MCL 700.7408 lets you create a legal trust that funds their care for life. This guide covers the updated 2024 Michigan pet trust law, how much money to put in, choosing a trustee and caregiver, and step-by-step instructions for setting one up yourself.
Read Full GuideIf something happens to both parents, who raises your kids? Michigan law lets you name a guardian in your will or a separate signed and witnessed document under MCL 700.5202. This guide covers the legal requirements, how to choose the right person, the 14-year-old objection rule, Michigan's new standby guardian law, and step-by-step instructions for doing it yourself.
Read Full GuideYes, you can draft a Michigan will online -- but you still need to print, sign, and witness it correctly. This guide covers what the law requires under MCL 700.2502, the Horton cell-phone-will case, remote notarization, a cost comparison of online will platforms, and a step-by-step process for doing it yourself.
Read Full GuideIn Michigan, you cannot completely disinherit your spouse through a will. The elective share under MCL 700.2202 gives surviving spouses the right to claim a portion of the probate estate, even if the will says otherwise. This guide covers how it's calculated, the trust loophole, filing deadlines, and strategies for both protecting yourself and planning your estate.
Read Full GuideAn estate plan is not a one-and-done document. Here are the 10 life events that require an immediate update, the codicil vs. new will decision, Michigan's 2024 Power of Attorney law changes, and a step-by-step DIY checklist for keeping your plan current without paying attorney fees.
Read Full GuideMost people assume everything goes through probate when someone dies. In Michigan, estates under $53,000 (2026 threshold) with no real property can skip probate entirely using a simple one-page affidavit. This guide walks you through the exact process step by step, compares the two small estate options, and explains what banks actually want to see.
Read Full GuideYou don't need to spend $3,000 on an attorney to get your estate plan done. This guide breaks down exactly what Michigan seniors need, what you can handle yourself with templates, and the one area where professional help is genuinely worth the money. Includes a Lady Bird deed primer, Medicaid basics, and a week-by-week action checklist.
Read Full GuideStepchildren have no automatic inheritance rights under Michigan law. Without proper planning, your children from a prior marriage could be accidentally disinherited when a surviving spouse inherits everything. This guide covers Michigan intestacy rules (MCL 700.2102), the elective share, QTIP trusts, prenuptial agreements, and strategies to protect both your spouse and your children.
Read Full GuideMichigan's Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (MCL 700.1001-1012) controls who can access your email, social media, cryptocurrency, and other online accounts after death. This guide explains the critical "envelope vs. letter" distinction, the three-tier access hierarchy, platform-specific rules for Google, Facebook, and Apple, and the exact language your estate plan needs to include.
Read Full GuideIf you have minor children, estate planning is not optional. Michigan law (MCL 700.5202) lets you name a guardian in your will, but without that document, a judge decides who raises your kids. This guide covers guardian nominations, protecting your children's inheritance with trusts, coordinating life insurance, and the essential documents every Michigan parent needs.
Read Full GuideMichigan probate typically takes 7-18 months and costs 3-7% of the estate value. This guide walks through the step-by-step process, informal vs. formal proceedings, the $53,000 small estate threshold for 2026, and five proven strategies to keep your assets out of probate court entirely.
Read the guideMichigan uses a Patient Advocate Designation instead of a healthcare power of attorney — and has specific legal requirements that generic forms don't meet. This guide covers MCL 700.5506 requirements, witness restrictions, the advocate acceptance rule, end-of-life authorization language, and the most common mistakes that invalidate the document.
Read the guideMichigan law requires a written will, your signature, and two witnesses. But getting those details right — and avoiding the mistakes that invalidate wills — is what this guide is about. We cover MCL 700.2502 requirements, self-proving affidavits, what to include, holographic wills, and an honest comparison of your options.
Read the guideShould you get a living trust or a will? It depends on your situation — and this guide gives you a clear, honest breakdown. We cover Michigan's probate timeline and costs, when a will alone is sufficient, when a trust makes sense, the elective share rules under MCL 700.2202, and a detailed cost comparison.
Read the guideMichigan adopted the Uniform Power of Attorney Act in 2023 (effective 2024). If you signed a POA before then, it may need updating. This guide covers the key changes, new signing requirements under MCL 700.5501, the now-required Agent's Acknowledgment form, gifting power restrictions, and the most common mistakes.
Read the guideMichigan's intestacy laws (MCL 700.2101–2114) decide who inherits your estate when you don't have a will — and the result probably isn't what you'd choose. We walk through the exact distribution formula for every family situation, the real costs of probate, what happens to your minor children, and anonymized examples of what actually goes wrong.
Read the guide67% of Americans have no estate plan. But even families who do have one often make costly mistakes: unfunded trusts, outdated beneficiary designations that override their will, missing healthcare directives, and plans that haven't been reviewed in years. This guide covers each mistake and gives you specific action items to fix them.
Read the guideBrowse our attorney-drafted estate planning document kits — designed specifically for Michigan residents. Starting at $47.