Avoiding Probate - Galloway Collens

Avoiding Probate in Michigan

When you and your family are mourning the death of a loved one, the last thing you should need to worry about is the often complicated probate process. Likewise, if you are going through the estate planning process, there are steps you can take to help your family avoid the probate process.

At Galloway and Collens, PLLC, our lawyers have a deep knowledge of Michigan probate law that they can use to help you use the right strategies to help your beneficiaries avoid the probate process.

We serve clients in the Detroit metro area and throughout Michigan. Call us today at 248-545-2500 to schedule a consultation.

Finding The Strategies That Work Best For You

One of the more common strategies that many Michigan families use to avoid probate is establishing a living trust. This allows you to transfer all of your assets into a trust that you manage. You then designate a trustee to take over the trust after your death, and the trustee will distribute assets outside of the probate process.

Other strategies to avoid probate can include:

Joint ownership — This works well for married and unmarried couples who acquire property together, such as real estate, vehicles or other large purchases. Upon death, the property passes to the other owner without going through the probate process.
Payable-on-death and transfer-upon-death — These are designations that Michigan law allows you to make on financial assets, such as bank accounts and stock portfolios. The account merely transfers to the designated beneficiary.

Our lawyers have worked with families of all sizes who have all types of assets. We understand that most families do not want to deal with the probate process after the loss of a loved one. Our attorneys will sit down with you and help you find the estate planning approach that fits your unique needs.

Contact Galloway and Collens, PLLC, For Help

Getting clarity on these issues now will benefit you and your family in the long run. To get peace of mind knowing that your estate is in good hands, schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys by calling 248-545-2500.

Estates, Probate & Elder Law

Real Estate Law

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Let Us Know Your Concern

Contact Our Metro Detroit Attorneys

Our law firm is ready to help. Contact the real estate and estate planning attorneys at Galloway and Collens, PLLC.

Howard Collens helped us establish and maintain our family trust and was instrumental in finding a solution to an inheritance issue. We highly recommend him as a trustworthy attorney of good character and integrity. Jo & Art Mondrala

Art Mondrala

July 16, 2023

Scott Galloway and Howard Collens are very knowledgeable in the areas of probate, estate planning, elder law and real estate. They are actively involved in the legal community and work hard to stay on the cutting edge of their practice areas. And, they are very kind - I really enjoy working with them.

Katie Lynwood

June 30, 2023

Galloway and Collens has been my go-to law firm in the Detroit Metro area for years. Pleasant and easy to deal with, my experience with each of their attorneys has always been very good. They've helped me with various real estate issues such as title changes, land contract forfeitures, and now property management issues. Best of all they are very responsive and reasonably priced. I highly recommend.

John Plewa

May 30, 2023

An attorney’s attorney!!! I consulted with Howard on a pending case and his advice and knowledge was excellent. His suggestions verify his keen knowledge of the courts, judges, and the law. I strongly recommend him to anyone in need of probate court representation.

danny weberman

March 16, 2023

Our law firm consulted Howard on a case and he was great to work with; provided expert advice, helpful and very knowledgable. His clients are in good hands!

lori weberman

Howard is a delight to work with. His sincerity is evident and the clarity he provides in explaining challenging topics is reassuring. Our work with him was simple, but he gave us his full focus and mastery of details.

Paulette Spagnuolo

January 18, 2023

Loved working with Howard Collens, he explained everything really well and made sure we were taken care of throughout the process. More than glad to have chosen Galloway and Collens!

Carly Spagnuolo

January 13, 2023