Estate Planning Lawyer in Michigan
A typical Michigan estate plan includes a will or trust, a durable power of attorney, and a patient advocate designation. Spickard Law helps Ingham County families prepare these documents. Our Michigan estate planning firm explains what each document does before you sign.
What Does a Michigan Estate Plan Include?
A will states who should receive your property and names your preferred guardians for minor children. A revocable trust can manage your assets if you become incapacitated and can help your family avoid probate.
A durable power of attorney names someone to handle your finances. For a power of attorney signed on or after July 1, 2024, Michigan generally requires it to be notarized or signed in front of two witnesses. Your agent cannot serve as one of those witnesses.
Estate Planning Services at Spickard Law
Our firm drafts the documents Michigan families use to protect their property and health care wishes. Our services include:
- Wills and guardian nominations
- Revocable living trusts
- Lady Bird Deeds
- Durable powers of attorney
- Patient advocate designations
Founding attorney Mack Spickard is a retired U.S. Army Colonel. His years in the courtroom have shown him where family disputes tend to challenge estate documents, so he drafts with those weak points in mind.
How Lady Bird Deeds Work for Michigan Homeowners
A Lady Bird Deed, also called an enhanced life estate deed, lets you keep ownership of your home and sell or mortgage it without your beneficiary’s signature. When you die, the home passes to your beneficiary without probate.
Signing a Lady Bird Deed does not uncap your home’s taxable value. When the home passes at death, a transfer to certain close relatives may also qualify for an exemption from uncapping.
Patient Advocate Designations and Ingham County Probate
A patient advocate designation names the person who will make medical decisions for you if you cannot. Under MCL 700.5506, it must be signed in front of two witnesses, and many people close to you cannot serve as one. That includes your spouse, parent, child, grandchild, sibling, presumptive heir, physician, and the patient advocate you choose. For example, an adult son or daughter who attends the signing still cannot act as a witness.
The Ingham County Probate Court handles local probate matters, with filings occurring at the Veterans Memorial Courthouse in Lansing. In-person hearings might be at the Lansing courthouse or the Mason Historical Courthouse in Mason, MI.
From the First Call to a Signed Estate Plan
Estate planning follows a clear sequence. A typical plan moves through these stages:
- First phone call: You describe your family, property, and main concerns, then schedule a free consultation.
- Gathering information: You collect deeds, account statements, and beneficiary forms, and you choose your agents and guardians.
- Reviewing drafts: You read each document in plain language and note any changes before signing day.
- Signing meeting: Witnesses and a notary complete Michigan’s formal requirements, and the Lady Bird Deed is recorded with the register of deeds.
- Final binder: You receive organized copies of every signed document so your family knows where to find them.
Keep the binder where your personal representative and patient advocate can access it. Review your plan after a move, marriage, divorce, or the birth of a grandchild.
Start Your Michigan Estate Plan
Every document in your estate plan should work together. Our firm represents individuals and families across Mid-Michigan. Call (517) 908-0818 for a free consultation, or reach out to us online to request a meeting time.