Estate Planning Lawyer in Troy, MI

Why does a Troy or Bloomfield Hills plan need to be finished properly?

More assets means more places for a plan to fail. Troy's median household income is about $120,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and many families here hold a home, brokerage accounts, retirement plans, rentals or a business. Each one has to be retitled or updated, or it lands in probate.

Families in Troy, Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham also tend to have more exposure to lawsuits: a business, a rental, a teenage driver. Asset protection planning keeps personal savings separate from those risks. And with nearly a third of Troy residents born outside the U.S., many families have relatives, property or accounts in more than one place. We plan for that rather than around it. 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 Troy families leave with a finished plan, not a to-do list. We fund your trust, record your Lady Bird deed or trust deed, complete and deliver your powers of attorney, send the beneficiary-change forms, and confirm in writing that everything is in place.

For many Troy and Bloomfield Hills families that means more than one deed, several brokerage and bank accounts, retirement plans with their own beneficiary forms, and sometimes business interests. We handle each one, record the deeds with the Oakland County Register of Deeds, and coordinate with your financial advisor or CPA so the legal plan and the financial plan line up.

Most Michigan estate planning attorneys hand Troy 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 Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital or Corewell Health in 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 Troy 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 client services 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. Founding attorney Michael L. Rutkowski and the team build the plan around your family, your property and your accounts.
3. Signing. At our Troy office, at the Rochester 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 Troy office?

Yes, by appointment. You can meet at 801 W. Big Beaver Road, Suite 600, 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.

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If you'd rather meet in Rochester, our East Street office is a short drive north. Adult children helping a parent from out of town can join any meeting by video.

Which communities do you serve near Troy?

The Troy office serves Troy, Bloomfield Hills, Birmingham, Royal Oak, Clawson and West Bloomfield, 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.