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Elder Law & Estate Planning Blogs
5 Things to Know About Medicaid Planning
In some cases, many residents of nursing homes end up draining all of their assets on long-term care, but thanks to Medicaid planning it is possible [...]
Differences Between Wills and Trusts
What is a trust? What is a will? Is there a difference? Everyone has assets, whether they are large ones like your house or car in [...]
Medicaid Planning – Paying for Senior Care
You and your family may have to confront the need for long-term care with limited funds to pay for it. And you may need to seek [...]
What Is Estate Planning?
Nearly everyone has an estate, believe it or not. Your estate includes everything you currently own – your home, car, checking and savings accounts, investments, personal [...]
Asset Protection Help for Nursing Home Medicaid
If your spouse or parent is facing the prospect of entering a nursing home, they do not have to lose all of their assets to become [...]
Estate Planning Help: Post-Divorce Changes
Estate planning is probably low on the list of things going through your mind while going through a divorce, a stressful and emotional time. In between all [...]
Estate Plan Myths You Can Overcome (part 2 of our series)
In our first blog post about common estate plan myths, we covered two important and problematic financial misconceptions that hold people back from making an estate [...]
Estate Law Myths You Can Overcome (Part 1)
Everyone has a to-do list and at the very bottom of most everyone’s list is to make an estate plan. Are estate law myths keeping you [...]
The Importance of Timing in Asset Protection Planning
Starting January 1, 2018, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act increased federal estate and gift tax exemptions to approximately $11 million. While the exemptions sunset on [...]
Shelter Your Single Parent’s Assets with a Half-a-loaf Divestment Plan
Is your parent single and in need of nursing home care? Medicaid is the single largest payer of nursing home expenses in the United States. Unfortunately, [...]
Top Reasons Everyone Needs a Comprehensive Power of Attorney
The benefits of a highly detailed, comprehensive power of attorney are numerous. Unfortunately, many powers of attorney are more general in nature and can actually cause more problems than they [...]
How the Graham-Cassidy Bill Would Affect Michigan Seniors
Republicans are trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and replace it with the Graham-Cassidy Bill. Under the Graham-Cassidy Bill, Michigan can expect to lose [...]
5 Signs of Decline to Watch for in Elderly Parents
The holidays are a great time for catching up with loved ones and visiting family. If you have elderly parents, it can also be a time to [...]
The Cost of Long-Term Care Increased in 2017 – Are You Prepared?
The cost of nursing home care in 2017 is $97,455 a year for a private room, according to a recent study by Genworth. While most Americans [...]
What is Probate and How Do You Avoid It?
Many of our clients ask how to avoid probate so that their estate won’t be withheld from beneficiaries for months or even years while the last [...]
3 Estate Planning Tips You Should Know
No one wants to think about their preferences for end-of-life care. However, it’s important to outline how you want your finances and medical care handled in the [...]
Benefits of Hiring an Elder Law Attorney
Have questions about retirement planning? We understand that it can be stressful planning for a future where you may not be able to make your own decisions. [...]
How to Make an Ironclad Will and Testament
Emotions run high after people pass away, which is why it’s important you have an ironclad will that can stand up in court. Well-meaning, but dissatisfied, [...]
5 Estate Planning Tips to Avoid Family Inheritance Disputes
A death in the family is hard enough without family members getting into disputes over inheritance. The truth is that many family inheritance disputes can be [...]
Nursing Home Care versus Home Care
As more Americans live well into their elder years, their adult children are faced with the challenge of deciding whether or not to seek assisted living for [...]
Aging in Place: Protect What You Have Worked Your Whole Life For
No one likes to think about aging, but the old adage is true: death and taxes are the only two certainties in life. There are a variety [...]
Why You’ll Need an Attorney for Estate Planning
While we understand it can be tempting for people to write their own estate plan documents, this simply isn’t enough to make sure your assets and properties are [...]
What is a MiABLE Account?
A MiABLE account allows you to save money without disqualifying yourself from certain government benefits and assistance programs. If you or a loved one is interested in applying for a [...]
What If I Die Without a Will?
If you die without creating a will (a legal circumstance called intestate), your assets will be divided according to Michigan’s inheritance law. Your estate can also be held up [...]
What Documents Do I Need for Estate Planning?
Have questions about estate planning? Keep reading to learn how an elder law attorney, Grand Rapids Mi can help you make a will and other legal documents to protect you and your [...]
Family Law Blogs
Should I Move Out Of The House In A Divorce Or Custody Case?
If you were to ask this question you will find that the best divorce lawyers in Grand Rapids, Mi will almost always tell you that it is [...]
What You Must Know About Child Custody and Tax Law
Separation and divorce often comes with overwhelming emotions, practical challenges, and complexities affecting numerous aspects of everyday life. In light of how tax season can already [...]
Understanding the Importance of Establishing Legal Fatherhood
Whenever a child is born out of wedlock, an attempt is made to have the presumed father sign an affidavit of parentage, usually in the hours [...]
Four Family Law Mistakes You Can Avoid
Family law mistakes can cost you money, time, and emotional stability, but you can avoid them with the right legal representation. Here are the Top Four Family Law [...]
Family Law Attorney Help: Prevent Unduly Beneficiary Influence
Many times, families realize far too late they haven’t properly set up a beneficiary plan with a family law attorney Grand Rapids Mi. In a recent case, [...]
Children Are Not Weapons
Caught in this crossfire are the innocents who do not have the emotional ability to protect themselves. Children are not weapons, but unfortunately, they can become one [...]
Michigan Child Support Formula Changes
Are you aware that changes were made to the Michigan Child Support Formula? Nearly every four years the Friend of the Court Bureau reviews and makes [...]
Alimony & Spousal Maintenance
Getting a divorce in Michigan? You may be eligible for spousal maintenance (alimony) if you are unable to support yourself and your children following divorce. Alimony payments continue until [...]
Prenuptial Agreements FAQs
While we understand why couples want to believe marriage lasts forever, it's important to protect yourself financially if your happily-ever-after ends in divorce. Our family law attorney Grand [...]
5 Benefits of Arbitration during Divorce
A divorce can drag on for months (or even years) if one party is unwilling to cooperate. We've found that one of the best ways to [...]
How Does Collaborative Divorce Work?
The divorce process doesn't have to drag on for years in court. If you and your spouse are able to come to some agreements outside of court, you [...]
What Does Contempt of Court Mean During Divorce?
During or after the divorce process, you may be given court orders. It's important that you comply with these orders as soon as possible. Otherwise, the [...]
What is Divorce Mediation?
Our divorce attorney understands that not all disagreements need to be settled in court. If you're interested in avoiding public court proceedings, we highly recommend divorce mediation. [...]
What to Expect During a Family Law Appeal
Like the name suggests, family law affects divorce, child custody arrangements, adoption, and other similar issues that start in the home. Our skilled attorney is here to help and make sure [...]
What is Common Law Marriage?
Just because you didn’t have a big church ceremony, doesn’t mean you’re not married to your partner in the eyes of the law. If you live [...]
5 Financial Benefits of Filing for Divorce First
Don’t know how to file for divorce? While there are many advantages to filing for divorce first, only an experienced divorce attorney will be able to [...]
How to Protect Your Business in a Divorce
Do you own a business? If you’ve worked hard to build your company, the last thing you want is to lose ownership to your ex-spouse. Fortunately, [...]
3 Things You Will Need to File for Divorce
After a period of separation, you and your spouse may have decided that divorce is the best possible option for everyone involved. While divorce is never [...]
Parental Custody and the Holiday Season
Visitation and custody rights are a complicated labyrinth to navigate, as all recently divorced parents are likely to know. Adding the chaos of the holiday season [...]
Other Blogs
Why You Need a Veterans Benefits Attorney in Michigan
Too many veterans aren’t getting full access to their benefits. If you or a loved one served in uniform for our country, there are many reasons why you [...]
Veterans Benefits After World War I
The United States, through various agencies such as the Veterans Administration (VA), have historically provided for wartime veterans, their spouses, and their families. Depending on the time in [...]
End of Life Care Discussion Misses Valuable Point
If you happened to read this recent Newsweek article about end of life care, it may be difficult not to have a strong reaction. And how [...]
5 Big Advantages Sean Cox Law Gives You With VA Benefits
Even though the veterans resources and VA support facilities in West Michigan have not seen problems like those in other parts of the country, we know it can still be [...]
How to Protect Your Assets from Nursing Home Expenses
Medicaid is a major source of payment for long-term care in the United States. Unfortunately, many elderly people in nursing homes end up spending through their savings before [...]
VA Aid & Attendance Pension Overview
The VA Aid and Attendance pension was created in 1951 by Congress and is a pension for non-service related disability. The program was designed to provide benefits to [...]
Underestimating the Risk of Disability
No one likes to think about the possibility of their own disability or the disability of a loved one. Unfortunately, disabilities arise in shocking numbers and there is [...]
Why You Should Start Retirement Planning
About 52% of Americans turning 65 today will need long-term care, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. While we don’t like to think [...]