Estate Administration

When Can a House Be Sold in a Probate Estate?

People often ask if they need to wait until after a decedent’s estate closes in order to sell the deceased loved one’s house. This is a common misconception and nothing could be further from the truth. The sale process may be completed while the estate is open. When a loved

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Estate plan: a need for people of all income levels

As many Michigan readers know, estate planning is often associated with people who are wealthy or possess valuable assets. In reality, an estate plan is a practical and beneficial step for people of all income levels. Anything that a person owns, including vehicles, homes or a retirement portfolio is considered

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Michigan families can avoid mistakes in estate plan

All estate plans are highly personal, yet many people fall prey to the same common mistakes when drafting their plans. By being aware of the most common mistakes found in estate plans, Michigan families can prevent those mistakes from causing problems after loved ones have passed. These common estate plan

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An estate plan may need to accommodate digital assets

The role technology plays in daily life is ever-expanding for the average American. When a Michigan resident or family decides to venture into the task of creating an estate plan, digital assets may need to be addressed as part of that plan. Regardless of how vast a person’s digital life

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Ideas for broaching the subject of an estate plan

When a family member decides the time is right to being to the process of estate planning, including the appointing of trustees and heirs, the act of broaching the subject can be a little tricky. Each family is vastly different, and, therefore, the best way to go about ensuring that

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Estate administration is an important undertaking

When an estate plan is mapped out and put into motion, the duties of those involved should be clearly outlined and defined, preferably before attending to those duties is necessary. Knowing what role a person is accepting is as important as acting as an estate administrator, and it should not

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Simple mistakes can lead to chaos for an estate plan

Many people might not give too much of their time and energy to thinking about the estate planning process. However, having a comprehensive estate plan long before it is needed is the best way to ensure that a Michigan family is properly cared for. However, if an estate plan isn’t

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Importance of choosing the right executor

Many people may think that if they have completed a comprehensive estate plan that once they die things will be taken care of for them. While estate planning is very important, an estate administration process will still be necessary following a Michigan resident’s death. During the estate administration process, estate

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Rare half-cent coin hidden for 50 years sells for $357,000

High-value assets can be good investments. However, passing along such assets to family members or beneficiaries is not always simple. When a person dies, an inventory must be made of both debts and assets. Any debts must be paid before the intended recipients can inherit from an estate. Proper estate

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City inherits historic property, plans to auction it off

Working hard, saving and investing are good ways to prepare for the future. If those preparations include estate planning, someone will have to be in charge of handling the estate owner’s assets after that person passes away. Estate administration can clear up any possible confusion over a deceased person’s debts,

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Michigan court denies benefits in frozen sperm case

The determination of heirs is not always a cut-and-dried process. When disputes arise, probate courts oversee estate administration and are often called in to determine how wills, estates and benefits will be divided amongst heirs. Those who are attempting to unravel the will of a deceased loved one should seek

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Judge upholds the will of Sherman Hemsley

When the death of a loved one occurs and there are no clear instructions left for estate administration or burial, loved ones can be left unsure of what the deceased’s wishes were. Sometimes, even when a will is in place before the death, the family of the deceased can contest

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Legal issues regarding access to digital assets growing

As we discussed a few weeks back, online or digital assets can be problematic for some Michigan residents as people increase their online presence, the amount of information they access and store online grows. The growing use of email and paperless bill paying has created a situation where vital records

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