Individual Services – Estate planning, probate, and family law

• How Does the Election Impact Estate and Gift Taxes?

  November 20, 2016

  (November 21, 2016) The recent election could mean significant changes in estate and gift tax laws.  We believe recent regulatory efforts to abolish valuation discounts will effectively be suspended, and the federal estate/gift tax may soon be repealed. Under current federal estate and gift tax laws, a person is typically taxed at about a 40% […]

• New Ruling Impacts Child Support for Children over 18

  November 17, 2016

  (November 17, 2016) In a published opinion, the Michigan Court of Appeals has clarified the meaning of “full-time basis” for child support after a child’s 18th birthday.  In Weaver v Giffels, the Court of Appeals reversed a ruling by a Kalamazoo Circuit Court Judge which allowed child support beyond a child’s 18th birthday under the […]

• Court of Appeals Rules on Parenting Rights for Unmarried Same-Sex Couples

  July 11, 2016

  A July 5, 2016 decision by the Michigan Court of Appeals will affect unmarried same-sex couples. In Lake v Putnam, the court rejected a claim for custody and parenting time made by the former same-sex partner of the child’s biological mother, where the parties had been in a relationship for 13 years, the child was conceived […]

• Are Your Digital Assets Included in Your Estate Plan?

  May 2, 2016

  (May 3, 2016) For many of us life has changed drastically.  Although, if you are like me, the change has been slow, we must face the inevitable.  We used to pay bills by check through the USPS, receive hard copy bank statement in our mailbox, organize receipts in filing cabinets, and store photos in photo […]

• Should I Sign a Trust?

  March 1, 2016

  People regularly ask me whether they should have a Trust, or “just” a Will.  The answer is:  “It depends.”  First, let’s start with some definitions. What Is a Will? Most people have a general understanding of a Will.  In short, it lays out instructions for the distribution of property upon the owner’s death, names a […]

• Michigan Supreme Court Permits Homeowners to Recover Transfer Taxes

  October 6, 2015

  (October 8, 2015) This summer, the Michigan Supreme Court issued an opinion in Gardner v. Department of Treasury, ruling that homeowners who can demonstrate, when they sell their principal residence, that the state equalized value (SEV) at the time of sale is less than or equal to the SEV at the time of their purchase […]

• A Primer on Asset Purchase Agreements

  June 8, 2015

  Most business transactions are structured as either a “stock sale” or an “asset sale.”  When a business sells its assets, the primary agreement governing the transaction is an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “APA”).  While the details contained in an APA will depend on the specifics of each business transaction, there are several key questions that […]

• A Primer on Stock Purchase Agreements

  June 8, 2015

  Most business transactions are structured as either a “stock sale” or an “asset sale.”  When a business owner sells stock, the primary agreement governing the transaction is a Stock Purchase Agreement (the “SPA”).  While the specifics of each business transaction will drive the details contained in the SPA, there are several key questions that will […]

• New Michigan Personal Property Tax Exemption Requirements

  January 26, 2015

  (January 26, 2015) The personal property tax reform mandated by Michigan voters by way of Proposal 1 last August is now in effect. This is welcome news for businesses, especially manufacturers. However, the new statutory provisions have their share of nuances and steps to take in order to benefit from the reform.  There are two main […]