In the estate planning and administration practice at Kendricks Bordeau, P.C., our highly respected attorneys provide clients throughout the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with experienced guidance in establishing a sound estate plan and in administering an estate consistent with the estate documents and the applicable state laws.

Our services in this practice reflect the firm’s overall commitment to excellence and to providing value by delivering the highest quality legal services with an unsurpassed level of client service and satisfaction. We proudly uphold our long-standing reputation for offering the premium capabilities found in a big firm with a level of personal service that is only possible in a small, local law firm with an established presence in the Upper Peninsula.

Estate Planning

In our estate planning practice at Kendricks Bordeau, P.C., we work with a wide range of clients and all sizes of estates. We help everyone from established business owners wanting to address their future succession plans and legacy to young professionals who need an estate plan to protect a young family or just themselves.

No matter what your circumstances are, your estate plan is a set of legal documents that work together to accomplish two critical concerns. Some documents in your plan determine distribution of the property and assets in your estate after your death. Other documents protect you and your loved ones during your life by designating trusted persons to make decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated. If you do not create an estate plan to address these concerns, Michigan state laws decide who inherits your property and who makes decisions for you in the event of your incapacity. Those legislatively imposed outcomes may well be very different from your own wishes and goals.

Every estate plan is as unique as the person who creates it, but certain documents are part of most estate plans. Our knowledgeable estate planning attorneys at Kendricks Bordeau, P.C. work closely with you in creating customized estate planning documents to address your property and assets and reflect your goals and wishes. The documents we prepare may include a will, trust, durable powers of attorney, and other specialized legal documents.

Wills

A will is part of virtually every estate plan. Traditionally (and formerly) known as a last will and testament, your will expresses your wishes regarding how certain matters should be handled following your death.

In your will, you (the testator) designate a trusted individual to be appointed by the probate court as the personal representative of your estate. Your will may also address your wishes concerning your final arrangements, as well as other specific matters.

In addition, your will may distribute property to beneficiaries. However, there are other ways to distribute property after death, and using a will may not be the most beneficial. Before you make a decision on how to distribute your property, your estate planning attorney will explain the other options that may be more beneficial for property distribution, such as a trust.

Trusts

A trust is a legal arrangement created through a detailed document drafted by an experienced estate planning attorney according to your wishes and the applicable legal requirements. A trust can be revocable or irrevocable. Some trusts are legally required to be irrevocable due to the benefits they provide.

As a grantor (person creating a trust), you fund a trust with assets either during your lifetime or upon your death. In the trust document, you appoint a trustee, who manages and administers the trust and distributes the trust assets according to the terms of the trust document.

Trusts are a valuable and flexible estate planning tool that can accomplish many specific purposes, including asset protection. Some estate plans benefit significantly from having a trust as part of the plan’s structure. When you work with an estate planning attorney at Kendricks Bordeau, P.C., your attorney explains whether your estate plan might benefit from a trust and what type of trust you may wish to consider. If you decide to include a trust, your attorney drafts a customized trust document to reflect your goals and wishes in detail.

Durable Powers of Attorney

Durable powers of attorney are important estate planning documents. In a durable financial power of attorney, you name a trusted individual to manage your finances if you become incapacitated and unable to manage them yourself. A Patient Advocate Designation is a durable healthcare power of attorney in which you name someone to make healthcare decisions according to your wishes in the event of your incapacity.

Other Documents

An estate plan may also include other documents, depending on your personal and financial circumstances. Your estate planning attorney makes certain that all aspects of your situation are addressed in your estate plan, including special assets and circumstances, such as a family camp or cottage, charitable gifting, tax planning, and business succession planning.

When you trust in our accomplished estate planning attorneys to create your estate plan, you gain the invaluable confidence and peace of mind that come with knowing you have taken critically important steps to protect your loved ones and provide for their security in the future.

Estate Administration

When a Michigan resident passes away, state laws and the estate documents determine the process for administration and settlement of the estate. Trust administration is the process for estates with a trust. Probate is the process established by state law for estates distributed through a will or under the laws of intestate succession. Both processes have specific steps that must be followed. In some cases, guidance from the probate court is necessary to complete the required process.

Regardless of what type of estate administration is appropriate for a specific estate, our experienced estate administration attorneys at Kendricks Bordeau, P.C. assist clients with administration and settlement of estates throughout the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.