Estate Planning Lawyer in Rochester, MI

Why do Rochester families need more than a will?

Because the house alone puts most Rochester estates over the line. The median Rochester home is worth about $473,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Without a funded trust or a Lady Bird deed, that home goes through the Oakland County Probate Court in Pontiac, on the public record.

If you've lived in Rochester or Rochester Hills for years, you probably own the house outright, have retirement accounts and savings, and want three things: keep the house out of court, keep a nursing home from taking it, and keep the peace between the kids afterwards. Rutkowski Law Firm handles estate planning, living trusts, Lady Bird deeds, powers of attorney, Medicaid and nursing home planning, asset protection and guardianship and conservatorship.

The Asset Shield™ is the complete plan: your trust, deeds, powers of attorney and beneficiary forms, drafted, signed and funded so they work together.

What does "done for you" mean at Rutkowski Law Firm?

It means Rochester families leave with a finished plan, not a to-do list. We move your home and accounts into your trust, record your deed with the county, send the beneficiary-change forms and confirm in writing that your plan is done.

For most Rochester families that means recording the deed that moves the house into the trust with the Oakland County Register of Deeds, retitling the bank and brokerage accounts, and updating the beneficiary forms on IRAs and 401(k)s so they match the plan.

Most Michigan estate planning attorneys hand Rochester families a binder and leave the bank visits and county filings to them. An unfunded trust doesn't keep anything out of probate court, which is why we treat funding as part of the plan, not an extra. You won't leave with homework.

What if the family is already in a crisis?

Call us. Rutkowski Law Firm has turned around emergency powers of attorney by the next day, with a notary sent to wherever the parent is, such as a hospital room at Ascension Providence Rochester Hospital or Corewell Health in Troy or Royal Oak.

If a parent can no longer make decisions and there's no power of attorney in place, we handle guardianship and conservatorship. Our guardianship fee includes ongoing guidance and a yearly check-in, so the family isn't left on its own after the court date. If a parent already needs nursing home care, Michigan Medicaid looks back five years at gifts and transfers, so talk to us before moving any money. Crisis planning can often still protect part of the savings.

How does the process work?

Every Rochester plan follows the same four steps, and the Rutkowski Law Firm team stays with you through all of them: a Vision Consultation, a design meeting, the signing, and the funding. Nothing is left for you to finish on your own.

1. Vision Consultation. Chris Pletkovic or Josh Heppner from our Customer Success team asks what you're protecting and who you're protecting it for, then lays out the options that fit, with the price for each, before you decide anything.
2. Design. Our attorneys and paralegals, under founding attorney Michael L. Rutkowski, build the plan around your family, your property and your accounts.
3. Signing. At our East Street office, at the Troy office, or through our secure virtual signing process.
4. Funding. We move your assets into the trust, record the deeds and deliver the finished documents.

You'll have a client portal for your matter, so you can see where things stand at any point. And we keep improving the process: Michael Rutkowski builds the firm's client management system himself, and the team keeps refining each step.

Schedule your Vision Consultation.

Can I meet in person at the Rochester office?

Yes. You can meet our team in person at 312 East Street, or do every meeting by secure video, including the signing. The office is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and our phones are answered 24 hours a day.

There's dedicated parking at the building on East Street, so you won't be feeding a meter downtown. Adult children helping a parent from out of state can join any meeting by video.

Which communities do you serve near Rochester?

The Rochester office serves Rochester, Rochester Hills, Oakland Township, Auburn Hills, Lake Orion and Shelby Township, and families anywhere in Michigan by video. Estates in this area are handled by the Oakland County Probate Court in Pontiac.

Rutkowski Law Firm meets clients in person at its Troy and Rochester offices and works with families anywhere in Michigan by secure video.

See every area Rutkowski Law Firm serves.