Michigan Estate Planning Lawyer Blog

As Michigan estate planning lawyers, our clients appreciate the work we put in to make sure their estate plans are properly set up and work the way our clients want and expect.  Unfortunately, we also review estate plans and handle the estate administration and Michigan probates for people that did not do their initial estate planning with our Bloomfield Hills law firm.

These estates that haven't gone well that were not handled by our firm typically have a few common issues or planning mistakes.

One of the biggest problems we see that leads to a messy estate administration is people doing it themselves.  Thanks to the internet (Legalzoom), software (Quicken Willmaker), and personal finance "gurus" (Suze Orman), many people think they can set up their estate plan on their own.  They think that their situation is simple and maybe they just need a simple will.  Unfortunately, every family situation is a little different, and downloading a one-size fits all estate plan just doesn't cut it.  These types of plans often lead to higher administration expenses and legal fees when the person who uses these products passes.   Thereby leaving the burden to loved ones.