Battle Creek Estate Planning Lawyer, Michigan

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Includes: Gift Taxation

David P. Lucas

Wills & Probate, Estate Planning, Pension & Benefits, Business Organization
Status:  In Good Standing           

Chris T. Christ

Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Family Law, Business Organization
Status:  In Good Standing           

Robert J. Sharkey

Estate Planning, Employment, Family Law, Business Organization
Status:  In Good Standing           

Martha J. Widdows-Witham

Tax, Real Estate, Estate Planning, Business Organization
Status:  In Good Standing           

Samuel D. Carpenter

Real Estate, Litigation, Wills & Probate, Estate Planning
Status:  In Good Standing           

Kay E. Kossen

Medicare & Medicaid, Estate Planning, Elder Law, Business
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  27 Years

Jason S. H. Ter Avest

Estate Planning, Slip & Fall Accident
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  11 Years

Tracie L. Tomak

Estate Planning, Estate, Family Law, Criminal
Status:  In Good Standing           

Stephen L. Simons

Real Estate, Estate Planning, Elder Law, Business
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  43 Years

Michael L. Lind

Litigation, Estate Planning, Family Law, Criminal
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  24 Years

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Free Help: Use This Form or Call 800-943-8690

Member Representative

Call me for fastest results!
800-943-8690

Free Help: Use This Form or Call 800-943-8690

By submitting this lawyer request, I confirm I have read and agree to the Consent to Receive Messages from all messaging and voice technologies including Email, Text, Phone, Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy. Information provided is not privileged or confidential.

TIPS

Easily find Battle Creek Estate Planning Lawyers and Battle Creek Estate Planning Law Firms. For more attorneys, search all Estate areas including Trusts, Wills & Probate and Power of Attorney attorneys.

LEGAL TERMS

FINAL BENEFICIARY

The person or institution designated to receive trust property upon the death of a life beneficiary. For example, Jim creates a trust through which his wife Jan... (more...)
The person or institution designated to receive trust property upon the death of a life beneficiary. For example, Jim creates a trust through which his wife Jane receives income for the duration of her life. Their daughter, the final beneficiary, receives the trust principal after Jane's death.

TRUST MERGER

Under a trust, the situation that occurs when the sole trustee and the sole beneficiary are the same person or institution. Then, there's no longer the separati... (more...)
Under a trust, the situation that occurs when the sole trustee and the sole beneficiary are the same person or institution. Then, there's no longer the separation between the trustee's legal ownership of trust property from the beneficiary's interest. The trust 'merges' and ceases to exist.

CURATOR

See conservator.

ENDOWMENT INSURANCE

Provides that an insured person who lives for the specified endowment period receives the face value of the insurance policy--that is, the amount paid at death.... (more...)
Provides that an insured person who lives for the specified endowment period receives the face value of the insurance policy--that is, the amount paid at death. If the policy-holder dies sooner, the beneficiary named in the policy receives the proceeds.

GENERATION-SKIPPING TRANSFER TAX

A federal tax imposed on money placed in a generation-skipping trust. Currently, there is a $1 million exemption to the GSTT; that is, each person may leave $1 ... (more...)
A federal tax imposed on money placed in a generation-skipping trust. Currently, there is a $1 million exemption to the GSTT; that is, each person may leave $1 million in a generation-skipping trust free of this tax. The GSST is imposed when the middle-generation beneficiaries die and the property is transferred to the third-generation beneficiaries. Every dollar over $1 million is subject to the highest existing estate tax rate--currently 55%--at the time the GSTT tax is applied.

REAL ESTATE AGENT

A foot soldier of the real estate business who shows houses and does most of the other nitty-gritty tasks associated with selling real estate. An agent must hav... (more...)
A foot soldier of the real estate business who shows houses and does most of the other nitty-gritty tasks associated with selling real estate. An agent must have a state license and be supervised by a real estate broker. Most agents are completely dependent upon commissions from sellers for their income, so it pays to find out which side the agent represents (buyer, seller or both) before you place too much trust in the agent's opinion.

PER CAPITA

Under a will, the most common method of determining what share of property each beneficiary gets when one of the beneficiaries dies before the willmaker, leavin... (more...)
Under a will, the most common method of determining what share of property each beneficiary gets when one of the beneficiaries dies before the willmaker, leaving children of his or her own. For example, Fred leaves his house jointly to his son Alan and his daughter Julie. But Alan dies before Fred, leaving two young children. If Fred's will states that heirs of a deceased beneficiary are to receive the property per capita, Julie and the two grandchildren will each take a third. If, on the other hand, Fred's will states that heirs of a deceased beneficiary are to receive the property per stirpes, Julie will receive one-half of the property, and Alan's two children will share his half in equal shares (through Alan by right of representation).

ESTATE TAXES

Taxes imposed by the state or federal government on property as it passes from the dead to the living. All property you own, whatever the form of ownership, and... (more...)
Taxes imposed by the state or federal government on property as it passes from the dead to the living. All property you own, whatever the form of ownership, and whether or not it goes through probate after your death, is subject to federal estate tax. Currently, however, federal estate tax is due only if your property is worth at least $2 million when you die. The estate tax is scheduled to be repealed for one year, in 2010, but Congress will probably make the repeal (or a very high exempt amount) permanent. Any property left to a surviving spouse (if he or she is a U.S. citizen) or a tax-exempt charity is exempt from federal estate taxes. Many states now also impose their own estate taxes or inheritance taxes.

QDOT TRUST

A trust used to postpone estate tax when more than the amount of the personal federal estate tax exemption is left to a non-U.S. citizen spouse by the other spo... (more...)
A trust used to postpone estate tax when more than the amount of the personal federal estate tax exemption is left to a non-U.S. citizen spouse by the other spouse. QDOT stands for qualified domestic trust.

SAMPLE LEGAL CASES

IN RE ESTATE OF SOUTHWORTH

... Margaret Noe. In February 2005, the decedent consulted Noe for estate planning advice. The ... estate plan. The representative offered to meet with the decedent and answer any questions regarding estate planning and the college. Despite ...

IN RE HAYES

... In addition, the survivor may amend or revoke the trust." [Brief at 8, citing Michigan Estate Planning Handbook (Carol J. Karr ed., ICLE 2d ed, 2006), ch 22, § 22.4.]. ... [Michigan Estate Planning Handbook (Carol J. Karr ed., ICLE 2d ed, 2006), ch 22, § 22.4.]. ...

Charfoos v. Schultz

... including trust documents, as in this case. Bullis v Downes, 240 Mich App 462, 468; 612 NW2d 435 (2000) (no distinction made among varieties of modern estate planning tools). Here, the trial court prohibited plaintiffs from ...