[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":4267},["ShallowReactive",2],{"service-last-will-and-testament":3,"locations":159,"locationAll":1932,"leadership":3267,"blogLatest-/blog/why-a-michigan-will-alone-won-t-keep-your-family-out-of-probate-/blog/is-your-simple-will-doing-more-harm-than-good-/blog/a-clear-plan-today-prevents-conflict-tomorrow-will-last will and testament-intestacy":3476,"$QEJIbFX0hy":4165},{"_path":4,"_dir":5,"_draft":6,"_partial":6,"_locale":7,"title":8,"description":9,"h1":10,"eyebrow":11,"answerCapsule":12,"hub":5,"topic":13,"serviceType":14,"testimonialsType":15,"differentiators":16,"heroImage":19,"heroImageAlt":20,"faqs":21,"relatedPosts":37,"topics":41,"body":45,"_type":153,"_id":154,"_source":155,"_file":156,"_stem":157,"_extension":158},"/services/estate-planning/last-will-and-testament","estate-planning",false,"en","Last Will and Testament in Michigan","A will directs who inherits your Michigan estate but on its own doesn't avoid probate. Rutkowski Law Firm explains what a will does and doesn't do.","Protect Your Family's Inheritance and Name Who Cares for Your Children","Michigan Last Will and Testament Lawyer","A will protects your children and your wishes. It says who inherits, who raises your kids if you're not there, and who's in charge of sorting it all out. What it doesn't do is keep your family out of probate court. At Rutkowski Law Firm, we build your will as one flat-fee piece of your Asset Shield™, alongside the tools that do avoid probate, so your family gets clear instructions and a faster, simpler process, not just one or the other.","wills","Last Will and Testament","estatePlanning",[17,18],"funding","asset-shield","/img/hero/last-will.webp","Family spending time together at home",[22,25,28,31,34],{"q":23,"a":24},"Does a will avoid probate in Michigan?","No. A will tells the probate court who should receive your assets and who should manage your estate, but the assets still have to go through the probate process. It just goes through with clear instructions instead of Michigan's default inheritance rules.",{"q":26,"a":27},"What happens if I die without a will in Michigan?","Michigan's intestacy laws decide who inherits, using a fixed formula based on your closest relatives, not your personal wishes. That can mean assets go to relatives you wouldn't have chosen, and it removes your ability to name a guardian for minor children.",{"q":29,"a":30},"Do I need a will if I already have a trust?","Usually yes, in the form of a short \"pour-over\" will that catches anything left out of the trust and, critically, still lets you name a guardian for minor children. A trust cannot do that on its own.",{"q":32,"a":33},"Can a will and a trust work together?","Yes, and for most families they should. The trust protects the assets placed in it from probate; the will names guardians for minor children and acts as a backstop for anything left outside the trust.",{"q":35,"a":36},"Is a will a flat fee, or does it cost more with a trust?","A will on its own is a flat, one-time fee we quote upfront. If you add a trust or other documents, that's one combined flat fee too. Never a surprise bill per document.",[38,39,40],"/blog/why-a-michigan-will-alone-won-t-keep-your-family-out-of-probate","/blog/is-your-simple-will-doing-more-harm-than-good","/blog/a-clear-plan-today-prevents-conflict-tomorrow",[42,43,44],"will","last will and testament","intestacy",{"type":46,"children":47,"toc":142},"root",[48,57,63,68,74,85,91,96,102,109,115,120,126,131,137],{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":51,"children":53},"element","h2",{"id":52},"what-does-a-last-will-and-testament-do-in-michigan",[54],{"type":55,"value":56},"text","What Does a Last Will and Testament Do in Michigan?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":59,"children":60},"p",{},[61],{"type":55,"value":62},"A will protects the people you love by putting your wishes in writing: who inherits, who raises your minor children if you can't, and who's in charge of carrying it all out. It's usually the first document people think of for estate planning, and for naming a guardian for a child, it's the only one that can do that job. A trust can't appoint a guardian. At Rutkowski Law Firm, we build the will as one piece of your Asset Shield™, not a document that stands alone.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":64,"children":65},{},[66],{"type":55,"value":67},"If you're putting this together for a parent, check whether their will still names the right executor and still reflects the family as it is today. A will written decades ago, before a divorce, a remarriage, or a grandchild, can have real gaps nobody notices until it's too late to fix them.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":69,"children":71},{"id":70},"does-a-will-avoid-probate-in-michigan",[72],{"type":55,"value":73},"Does a Will Avoid Probate in Michigan?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":75,"children":76},{},[77,83],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":79,"children":80},"strong",{},[81],{"type":55,"value":82},"No.",{"type":55,"value":84}," This is the single biggest misunderstanding families bring into their first meeting. A will tells the probate court exactly who should get what and who's in charge, but the assets still have to go through probate to get there. Skip the will, and the state's own formula decides who inherits instead, which can mean people you wouldn't have chosen, and it takes away your say over who raises your kids. A will makes probate calmer and more predictable. It doesn't make probate disappear.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":86,"children":88},{"id":87},"will-vs-trust-which-do-you-need",[89],{"type":55,"value":90},"Will vs. Trust: Which Do You Need?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":92,"children":93},{},[94],{"type":55,"value":95},"A will and a revocable living trust solve different problems, and most complete Michigan estate plans use both. A will names guardians for minor children and directs anything not otherwise accounted for, but assets passing through a will still go through probate. A trust, once properly funded, lets assets pass to beneficiaries without probate at all, and can include more detailed instructions, such as a staggered inheritance for a young adult. For a family with minor children, the will's guardian nomination is not optional. No matter how the rest of the estate is structured, that job still belongs to the will.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":97,"children":99},{"id":98},"what-happens-without-a-will-in-michigan",[100],{"type":55,"value":101},"What Happens Without a Will in Michigan?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":103,"children":104},{},[105,107],{"type":55,"value":106},"If you die without a will, the state decides for you, using a fixed formula based on your closest living relatives, in a set order, with no regard for what you'd actually have wanted. ",{"type":55,"value":108}," The formula doesn't see an unmarried partner, a stepchild you never formally adopted, or a close friend. It only recognizes legal relationships. And if something happens to both parents, a judge picks the guardian for your kids, not you.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":110,"children":112},{"id":111},"what-goes-into-a-michigan-will",[113],{"type":55,"value":114},"What Goes Into a Michigan Will",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":116,"children":117},{},[118],{"type":55,"value":119},"A Michigan will typically names an executor (called a personal representative) to manage the estate, directs how assets not otherwise covered by a trust or beneficiary designation should be distributed, and, for parents of minor children, nominates a guardian. It can also include specific bequests (a particular item left to a particular person) and instructions for anything from pets to sentimental property that a family often forgets to address until it becomes a source of disagreement. A will drafted without attention to these details is often the source of exactly the kind of family conflict a good estate plan is meant to prevent. Vague language about \"my belongings\" or \"my personal property\" leaves room for disagreement that specific instructions avoid.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":121,"children":123},{"id":122},"choosing-your-executor-and-guardian",[124],{"type":55,"value":125},"Choosing Your Executor and Guardian",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":127,"children":128},{},[129],{"type":55,"value":130},"The executor (personal representative) you name is responsible for filing the will with probate court, paying the estate's debts and taxes, and distributing what's left according to your instructions. It's a role that involves real paperwork and, often, months of ongoing responsibility. Most Michigan families name a spouse first, with an adult child as a backup, though the right choice depends on who's organized, local, and willing to take on the job rather than simply who's oldest. For a guardian nomination, the calculation is different: it should be whoever you'd actually want raising your children day to day, and it's worth naming a backup guardian too, in case your first choice is unable or unwilling to serve when the time comes. Both roles are worth revisiting any time a major family change happens, such as a divorce, a falling-out, or a move out of state, rather than assuming the names in an old will still make sense.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":132,"children":134},{"id":133},"how-a-will-fits-into-a-complete-estate-plan",[135],{"type":55,"value":136},"How a Will Fits Into a Complete Estate Plan",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":138,"children":139},{},[140],{"type":55,"value":141},"If you have minor children, a will isn't optional. Nothing else can name their guardian. For everyone else, it's still worth having as a backstop, but on its own it leaves probate in place for whatever it covers. At Rutkowski Law Firm, we usually pair a will with the tools that actually avoid probate for the bigger assets: a revocable living trust for accounts and investments, a Lady Bird deed for the home. It's all one flat fee, not a bill per document. The binder doesn't leave our office until everything is signed, and where a trust is involved, until we've confirmed the accounts are actually retitled into it. A will nobody ever coordinated with the rest of the plan is one of the most common gaps we find when we review a family's paperwork.",{"title":143,"searchDepth":144,"depth":144,"links":145},"",2,[146,147,148,149,150,151,152],{"id":52,"depth":144,"text":56},{"id":70,"depth":144,"text":73},{"id":87,"depth":144,"text":90},{"id":98,"depth":144,"text":101},{"id":111,"depth":144,"text":114},{"id":122,"depth":144,"text":125},{"id":133,"depth":144,"text":136},"markdown","content:services:estate-planning:last-will-and-testament.md","content","services/estate-planning/last-will-and-testament.md","services/estate-planning/last-will-and-testament","md",[160,513,785,1082,1368,1641],{"_path":161,"_dir":162,"_draft":6,"_partial":6,"_locale":7,"title":163,"description":164,"seoTitle":165,"h1":165,"headline":166,"answerCapsule":167,"streetAddress":168,"city":163,"state":169,"zip":170,"phone":171,"url":172,"map":173,"directions":174,"review":175,"phoneDisplay":176,"attorney":177,"attorneyUrl":178,"meetings":179,"inPerson":6,"ratingValue":180,"reviewCount":181,"ratingAsOf":182,"gbpName":183,"gbpCid":184,"latitude":185,"longitude":186,"county":187,"probateCourt":188,"areasServed":189,"services":195,"testimonialsLocation":205,"heroImage":206,"heroImageAlt":207,"differentiators":208,"faqs":212,"subhead":225,"nearestOffice":226,"nearestOfficeName":227,"nearestOfficeAddress":228,"nearestOfficeDirections":229,"body":230,"_type":153,"_id":510,"_source":155,"_file":511,"_stem":512,"_extension":158},"/about-us/locations/ann-arbor","locations","Ann Arbor","Estate planning and asset protection for Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County, by video or at our Troy office. Home and accounts moved into your trust. 4.9 stars from 67 Google reviews. Call (866) 577-7296.","Estate Planning Lawyer in Ann Arbor, MI","Probate avoidance and asset protection for Ann Arbor families","Rutkowski Law Firm works with Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County families by secure video and in person at its Troy office, 801 W. Big Beaver Road, led by founding attorney Michael L. Rutkowski. We protect homes, savings and retirement accounts from probate court, lawsuits and long-term care costs, and we do the work families usually get stuck on: moving your home and accounts into your trust, recording your deed with the county and confirming in writing that your plan is done. Rated 4.9 out of 5 from 67 Google reviews. Call (866) 577-7296.","315 E Eisenhower Pkwy, Suite 303b","MI","48108","+1 866-577-7296","https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rutkowski+Law+Firm+Asset+Protection+%26+Estate+Planning/@42.237035,-83.724137,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xcb96ebb3a1e6ba72!8m2!3d42.2452637!4d-83.7470967?shorturl=1","https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d11815.771197002985!2d-83.724137!3d42.237035!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x883caf0ac4d8dc43%3A0xcb96ebb3a1e6ba72!2sRutkowski%20Law%20Firm%20Asset%20Protection%20%26%20Estate%20Planning!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sgg!4v1737720648098!5m2!1sen!2sgg","https://maps.app.goo.gl/FgDyxKGAMCxzsB7b6","https://www.google.com/search?q=rutkowski+law+firm+ann+arbor&rlz=1C1RXQR_enUS960US960&oq=rutkowski+law+firm+ann+arbor+&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i65j69i60j69i65j69i60l3j69i65.3146j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-#lrd=0x883caf0ac4d8dc43:0xcb96ebb3a1e6ba72,3,,,,","(866) 577-7296","Michael L. Rutkowski","/about-us/team/michael-rutkowski/","By secure video, or in person at our Troy or Rochester office","4.9",67,"October 6, 2026","Rutkowski Law Firm Estate Planning & Asset Protection","14670171992953895538",42.2452637,-83.7470967,"Washtenaw","Washtenaw County Probate Court in Ann Arbor",[163,190,191,192,193,194],"Ypsilanti","Saline","Dexter","Chelsea","Pittsfield Township",[196,197,198,199,200,201,202,203,204],"Estate planning","Living trusts","Wills","Powers of attorney","Lady Bird deeds","Medicaid and nursing home planning","Elder law","Probate","Guardianship and conservatorship","Ann Arbor, MI","/img/hero/ann-arbor.webp","Downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan",[17,18,209,210,211],"crisis-speed","process","virtual",[213,216,219,222],{"q":214,"a":215},"Which court handles probate for Ann Arbor estates?","Ann Arbor is in Washtenaw County, so estates go through the Washtenaw County Probate Court in Ann Arbor. Assets in a funded living trust skip that court.",{"q":217,"a":218},"Do my retirement accounts go into the trust?","Usually not directly. IRAs, 401(k)s and 403(b)s pass by beneficiary designation, so we review and update those forms to match your plan instead of retitling the account.",{"q":220,"a":221},"Where do in-person meetings happen?","Most Ann Arbor clients meet with us by secure video. If you'd rather meet in person, we'll see you at our Troy office at 801 W. Big Beaver Road or our Rochester office at 312 East Street.",{"q":223,"a":224},"Our kids live out of state. Can they be part of the process?","Yes. They can join any meeting by video, and we make sure the powers of attorney name people who can actually act when it's needed.","Most law firms hand you a binder and a to-do list. Rutkowski Law Firm does the work families usually get stuck on: moving your home and accounts into your trust, recording your deed with the county and confirming in writing that your plan is done.","troy","Troy","801 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 600, Troy, MI 48084","https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=801+W+Big+Beaver+Rd+Suite+600,+Troy,+MI+48084",{"type":46,"children":231,"toc":502},[232,238,254,309,314,320,325,330,335,341,346,365,371,376,443,448,458,464,469,474,480,485,490],{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":233,"children":235},{"id":234},"whats-different-about-planning-in-ann-arbor",[236],{"type":55,"value":237},"What's different about planning in Ann Arbor?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":239,"children":240},{},[241,243,252],{"type":55,"value":242},"Many Ann Arbor families hold much of their wealth in retirement accounts and a valuable home. The median Ann Arbor home is worth about $453,000, according to the ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":245,"children":249},"a",{"href":246,"rel":247},"https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/annarborcitymichigan/PST045224",[248],"nofollow",[250],{"type":55,"value":251},"U.S. Census Bureau",{"type":55,"value":253},". Retirement accounts pass by beneficiary form, not by will or trust, so those forms have to match the plan.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":255,"children":256},{},[257,259,265,267,273,274,279,280,286,287,292,293,299,301,307],{"type":55,"value":258},"That's where plans most often go wrong: a careful trust, and an IRA or 403(b) still naming an ex-spouse or a parent who has passed. If your children live out of state, a finished plan, and powers of attorney someone can actually use from a distance, matter even more. Rutkowski Law Firm handles ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":260,"children":262},{"href":261},"/estate-planning/",[263],{"type":55,"value":264},"estate planning",{"type":55,"value":266},", ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":268,"children":270},{"href":269},"/estate-planning/trusts/revocable-trust/",[271],{"type":55,"value":272},"living trusts",{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":275,"children":277},{"href":276},"/estate-planning/lady-bird-deed/",[278],{"type":55,"value":200},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":281,"children":283},{"href":282},"/estate-planning/power-of-attorney/",[284],{"type":55,"value":285},"powers of attorney",{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":288,"children":290},{"href":289},"/medicaid-planning/",[291],{"type":55,"value":201},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":294,"children":296},{"href":295},"/asset-protection/",[297],{"type":55,"value":298},"asset protection",{"type":55,"value":300}," and ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":302,"children":304},{"href":303},"/guardianship-conservatorship/",[305],{"type":55,"value":306},"guardianship and conservatorship",{"type":55,"value":308},".",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":310,"children":311},{},[312],{"type":55,"value":313},"The Asset Shield™ is the complete plan: your trust, deeds, powers of attorney and beneficiary forms, drafted, signed and funded so they work together.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":315,"children":317},{"id":316},"what-does-done-for-you-mean-at-rutkowski-law-firm",[318],{"type":55,"value":319},"What does \"done for you\" mean at Rutkowski Law Firm?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":321,"children":322},{},[323],{"type":55,"value":324},"It means Ann Arbor 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.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":326,"children":327},{},[328],{"type":55,"value":329},"For most Ann Arbor families that means retitling the home and bank accounts into the trust, recording the deed with the Washtenaw County Register of Deeds, and reviewing every retirement-account and life-insurance beneficiary form so it matches the plan.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":331,"children":332},{},[333],{"type":55,"value":334},"Most Michigan estate planning attorneys hand Ann Arbor 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.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":336,"children":338},{"id":337},"what-if-the-family-is-already-in-a-crisis",[339],{"type":55,"value":340},"What if the family is already in a crisis?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":342,"children":343},{},[344],{"type":55,"value":345},"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 Michigan Medicine or Trinity Health Ann Arbor.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":347,"children":348},{},[349,351,355,357,363],{"type":55,"value":350},"If a parent can no longer make decisions and there's no power of attorney in place, we handle ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":352,"children":353},{"href":303},[354],{"type":55,"value":306},{"type":55,"value":356},". 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. ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":358,"children":360},{"href":359},"/practice-areas/crisis-planning/",[361],{"type":55,"value":362},"Crisis planning",{"type":55,"value":364}," can often still protect part of the savings.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":366,"children":368},{"id":367},"how-does-the-process-work",[369],{"type":55,"value":370},"How does the process work?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":372,"children":373},{},[374],{"type":55,"value":375},"Every Ann Arbor 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.",{"type":49,"tag":377,"props":378,"children":379},"ol",{},[380,407,423,433],{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":382,"children":383},"li",{},[384,389,391,397,399,405],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":385,"children":386},{},[387],{"type":55,"value":388},"Vision Consultation.",{"type":55,"value":390}," ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":392,"children":394},{"href":393},"/about-us/team/chris-pletkovic/",[395],{"type":55,"value":396},"Chris Pletkovic",{"type":55,"value":398}," or ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":400,"children":402},{"href":401},"/about-us/team/josh-heppner/",[403],{"type":55,"value":404},"Josh Heppner",{"type":55,"value":406}," 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.",{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":408,"children":409},{},[410,415,417,421],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":411,"children":412},{},[413],{"type":55,"value":414},"Design.",{"type":55,"value":416}," Our attorneys and paralegals, under founding attorney ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":418,"children":419},{"href":178},[420],{"type":55,"value":177},{"type":55,"value":422},", build the plan around your family, your property and your accounts.",{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":424,"children":425},{},[426,431],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":427,"children":428},{},[429],{"type":55,"value":430},"Signing.",{"type":55,"value":432}," By secure video with a notary, or in person at our Troy office.",{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":434,"children":435},{},[436,441],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":437,"children":438},{},[439],{"type":55,"value":440},"Funding.",{"type":55,"value":442}," We move your assets into the trust, record the deeds and deliver the finished documents.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":444,"children":445},{},[446],{"type":55,"value":447},"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.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":449,"children":450},{},[451,457],{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":452,"children":454},{"href":453},"/schedule/",[455],{"type":55,"value":456},"Schedule your Vision Consultation",{"type":55,"value":308},{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":459,"children":461},{"id":460},"do-i-have-to-come-to-an-office",[462],{"type":55,"value":463},"Do I have to come to an office?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":465,"children":466},{},[467],{"type":55,"value":468},"No. Most Ann Arbor families work with us entirely by secure video, including the signing. To meet face to face, we'll see you at our Troy office at 801 W. Big Beaver Road or our Rochester office at 312 East Street.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":470,"children":471},{},[472],{"type":55,"value":473},"Phones are answered 24 hours a day; the offices are open weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Video also lets adult children who live elsewhere join the same meeting, so the whole family hears the plan together.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":475,"children":477},{"id":476},"which-communities-do-you-serve-near-ann-arbor",[478],{"type":55,"value":479},"Which communities do you serve near Ann Arbor?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":481,"children":482},{},[483],{"type":55,"value":484},"We serve Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Saline, Dexter, Chelsea and Pittsfield Township, and families anywhere in Michigan by video. Estates in this area are handled by the Washtenaw County Probate Court in Ann Arbor.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":486,"children":487},{},[488],{"type":55,"value":489},"Rutkowski Law Firm meets clients in person at its Troy and Rochester offices and works with families anywhere in Michigan by secure video.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":491,"children":492},{},[493,495,501],{"type":55,"value":494},"See ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":496,"children":498},{"href":497},"/about-us/locations/",[499],{"type":55,"value":500},"every area Rutkowski Law Firm serves",{"type":55,"value":308},{"title":143,"searchDepth":144,"depth":144,"links":503},[504,505,506,507,508,509],{"id":234,"depth":144,"text":237},{"id":316,"depth":144,"text":319},{"id":337,"depth":144,"text":340},{"id":367,"depth":144,"text":370},{"id":460,"depth":144,"text":463},{"id":476,"depth":144,"text":479},"content:about-us:locations:ann-arbor.md","about-us/locations/ann-arbor.md","about-us/locations/ann-arbor",{"_path":514,"_dir":162,"_draft":6,"_partial":6,"_locale":7,"title":515,"description":516,"seoTitle":517,"h1":517,"headline":518,"answerCapsule":519,"streetAddress":520,"city":515,"state":169,"zip":521,"phone":522,"url":523,"map":524,"directions":525,"review":526,"phoneDisplay":527,"attorney":177,"attorneyUrl":178,"meetings":179,"inPerson":6,"ratingValue":180,"reviewCount":528,"ratingAsOf":182,"gbpName":183,"gbpCid":529,"latitude":530,"longitude":531,"county":532,"probateCourt":533,"areasServed":534,"services":540,"testimonialsLocation":541,"heroImage":542,"heroImageAlt":543,"differentiators":544,"faqs":545,"subhead":225,"nearestOffice":226,"nearestOfficeName":227,"nearestOfficeAddress":228,"nearestOfficeDirections":229,"body":557,"_type":153,"_id":782,"_source":155,"_file":783,"_stem":784,"_extension":158},"/about-us/locations/detroit","Detroit","Estate planning for Detroit and Wayne County families: Lady Bird deeds, trusts and powers of attorney, finished for you. 4.9 stars from 89 Google reviews. Call (313) 631-8477.","Estate Planning Lawyer in Detroit, MI","Keep the family home in the family, not in probate court","Rutkowski Law Firm works with Detroit and Wayne County families by secure video and in person at its Troy office, 801 W. Big Beaver Road, led by founding attorney Michael L. Rutkowski. We help families keep the family home out of probate court and protect it from long-term care costs, and we do the work families usually get stuck on: moving your home and accounts into your trust, recording your deed with the county and confirming in writing that your plan is done. Rated 4.9 out of 5 from 89 Google reviews. Call (313) 631-8477.","420 Washington Blvd STE 301","48226","+1 313-631-8477","https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rutkowski+Law+Firm+Asset+Protection+%26+Estate+Planning/@42.3279089,-83.0485417,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x2eeaba7b51d31b24!8m2!3d42.3279089!4d-83.0485417?shorturl=1","https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d11798.741509319454!2d-83.0485417!3d42.3279089!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x88179d5ca4bbb14d%3A0x2eeaba7b51d31b24!2sRutkowski%20Law%20Firm%20Asset%20Protection%20%26%20Estate%20Planning!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sgg!4v1737720254793!5m2!1sen!2sgg","https://goo.gl/maps/njvtT375bBg13nYE8","https://www.google.com/search?q=Rutkowski+Law+Firm+Asset+Protection+%26+Estate+Planning%2C+420+Washington+Blvd+STE+301%2C+Detroit%2C+MI+48226&sca_esv=78c2cdce3559d586&hl=en-PK&gl=pk&ei=v4CTZ7zbDtSXhbIPzKqU4AI&ved=0ahUKEwj8tpi6p46LAxXUS0EAHUwVBSwQ4dUDCA8&uact=5&oq=Rutkowski+Law+Firm+Asset+Protection+%26+Estate+Planning%2C+420+Washington+Blvd+STE+301%2C+Detroit%2C+MI+48226&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiZVJ1dGtvd3NraSBMYXcgRmlybSBBc3NldCBQcm90ZWN0aW9uICYgRXN0YXRlIFBsYW5uaW5nLCA0MjAgV2FzaGluZ3RvbiBCbHZkIFNURSAzMDEsIERldHJvaXQsIE1JIDQ4MjI2MgUQABiABDIGEAAYFhgeMgYQABgWGB4yBhAAGBYYHjIGEAAYFhgeMgsQABiABBiGAxiKBTILEAAYgAQYhgMYigUyCxAAGIAEGIYDGIoFMgsQABiABBiGAxiKBTILEAAYgAQYhgMYigVIywxQAFjgAXAAeAGQAQCYAXegAXeqAQMwLjG4AQPIAQD4AQH4AQKYAgGgAn6YAwCSBwMwLjGgB8kJ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#lrd=0x88179d5ca4bbb14d:0x2eeaba7b51d31b24,3,,,,","(313) 631-8477",89,"3380719509111511844",42.3279089,-83.0485417,"Wayne","Wayne County Probate Court in Detroit",[515,535,536,537,538,539],"Dearborn","Grosse Pointe","Hamtramck","Southfield","Livonia",[196,197,198,199,200,201,202,203,204],"Detroit, MI","/img/hero/detroit.webp","Downtown Detroit, Michigan",[17,18,209,210,211],[546,549,552,554],{"q":547,"a":548},"Which court handles probate for Detroit estates?","Detroit is in Wayne County, so estates go through the Wayne County Probate Court in Detroit. A recorded Lady Bird deed or a funded living trust keeps the house out of it.",{"q":550,"a":551},"My parent's house is the only big asset. Do they still need a plan?","Yes. A house on its own is enough to send an estate to probate, and it's the asset most exposed to nursing home costs. A recorded Lady Bird deed is often the fastest fix.",{"q":220,"a":553},"Most Detroit clients meet with us by secure video. If you'd rather meet in person, we'll see you at our Troy office at 801 W. Big Beaver Road or our Rochester office at 312 East Street.",{"q":555,"a":556},"The house is still in a late parent's name. Can you help?","Yes. That usually takes a probate case to clear the title before the house can be sold, refinanced or protected. Call us and we'll explain the steps for your situation.",{"type":46,"children":558,"toc":774},[559,565,579,619,623,627,632,637,642,646,651,665,669,674,724,728,736,740,745,750,756,761,765],{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":560,"children":562},{"id":561},"why-do-so-many-detroit-homes-get-stuck-after-a-death",[563],{"type":55,"value":564},"Why do so many Detroit homes get stuck after a death?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":566,"children":567},{},[568,570,577],{"type":55,"value":569},"Because the house passes down without the paperwork. More than 5,500 Detroit homes have been passed down without legal documentation, according to a ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":571,"children":574},{"href":572,"rel":573},"https://wdet.org/2024/03/04/more-than-5500-family-homes-in-detroit-passed-down-without-legal-documentation-report-finds/",[248],[575],{"type":55,"value":576},"2024 Detroit Future City report",{"type":55,"value":578},". Without a recorded deed, the family often can't sell, refinance or get help with repairs.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":580,"children":581},{},[582,584,588,589,593,594,598,599,603,604,608,609,613,614,618],{"type":55,"value":583},"For many Detroit families, the home is the single biggest thing they'll pass on. A Lady Bird deed, recorded properly, lets the house go straight to the person you choose without probate court, while you keep full control for the rest of your life. It's often the most affordable way to protect it. Where there are savings to protect from nursing home costs, we build the rest of the plan around it. Rutkowski Law Firm handles ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":585,"children":586},{"href":261},[587],{"type":55,"value":264},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":590,"children":591},{"href":269},[592],{"type":55,"value":272},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":595,"children":596},{"href":276},[597],{"type":55,"value":200},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":600,"children":601},{"href":282},[602],{"type":55,"value":285},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":605,"children":606},{"href":289},[607],{"type":55,"value":201},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":610,"children":611},{"href":295},[612],{"type":55,"value":298},{"type":55,"value":300},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":615,"children":616},{"href":303},[617],{"type":55,"value":306},{"type":55,"value":308},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":620,"children":621},{},[622],{"type":55,"value":313},{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":624,"children":625},{"id":316},[626],{"type":55,"value":319},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":628,"children":629},{},[630],{"type":55,"value":631},"It means Detroit 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.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":633,"children":634},{},[635],{"type":55,"value":636},"For most Detroit families that starts with the house: we prepare the Lady Bird deed, record it with the Wayne County Register of Deeds, and confirm it was recorded. Then we prepare your powers of attorney and see them signed with the witnesses or notary Michigan requires, so someone can act for you if you can't.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":638,"children":639},{},[640],{"type":55,"value":641},"Most Michigan estate planning attorneys hand Detroit 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.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":643,"children":644},{"id":337},[645],{"type":55,"value":340},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":647,"children":648},{},[649],{"type":55,"value":650},"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 Henry Ford Hospital or the Detroit Medical Center.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":652,"children":653},{},[654,655,659,660,664],{"type":55,"value":350},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":656,"children":657},{"href":303},[658],{"type":55,"value":306},{"type":55,"value":356},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":661,"children":662},{"href":359},[663],{"type":55,"value":362},{"type":55,"value":364},{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":666,"children":667},{"id":367},[668],{"type":55,"value":370},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":670,"children":671},{},[672],{"type":55,"value":673},"Every Detroit 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.",{"type":49,"tag":377,"props":675,"children":676},{},[677,695,708,716],{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":678,"children":679},{},[680,684,685,689,690,694],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":681,"children":682},{},[683],{"type":55,"value":388},{"type":55,"value":390},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":686,"children":687},{"href":393},[688],{"type":55,"value":396},{"type":55,"value":398},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":691,"children":692},{"href":401},[693],{"type":55,"value":404},{"type":55,"value":406},{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":696,"children":697},{},[698,702,703,707],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":699,"children":700},{},[701],{"type":55,"value":414},{"type":55,"value":416},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":704,"children":705},{"href":178},[706],{"type":55,"value":177},{"type":55,"value":422},{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":709,"children":710},{},[711,715],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":712,"children":713},{},[714],{"type":55,"value":430},{"type":55,"value":432},{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":717,"children":718},{},[719,723],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":720,"children":721},{},[722],{"type":55,"value":440},{"type":55,"value":442},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":725,"children":726},{},[727],{"type":55,"value":447},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":729,"children":730},{},[731,735],{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":732,"children":733},{"href":453},[734],{"type":55,"value":456},{"type":55,"value":308},{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":737,"children":738},{"id":460},[739],{"type":55,"value":463},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":741,"children":742},{},[743],{"type":55,"value":744},"No. Most Detroit families work with us entirely by secure video, including the signing. To meet face to face, we'll see you at our Troy office at 801 W. Big Beaver Road or our Rochester office at 312 East Street.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":746,"children":747},{},[748],{"type":55,"value":749},"Phones are answered 24 hours a day; the offices are open weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Video also makes it easier to include brothers and sisters who live out of state, so everyone hears the same plan at the same time.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":751,"children":753},{"id":752},"which-communities-do-you-serve-near-detroit",[754],{"type":55,"value":755},"Which communities do you serve near Detroit?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":757,"children":758},{},[759],{"type":55,"value":760},"We serve Detroit, Dearborn, Grosse Pointe, Hamtramck, Southfield and Livonia, and families anywhere in Michigan by video. Estates in this area are handled by the Wayne County Probate Court in Detroit.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":762,"children":763},{},[764],{"type":55,"value":489},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":766,"children":767},{},[768,769,773],{"type":55,"value":494},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":770,"children":771},{"href":497},[772],{"type":55,"value":500},{"type":55,"value":308},{"title":143,"searchDepth":144,"depth":144,"links":775},[776,777,778,779,780,781],{"id":561,"depth":144,"text":564},{"id":316,"depth":144,"text":319},{"id":337,"depth":144,"text":340},{"id":367,"depth":144,"text":370},{"id":460,"depth":144,"text":463},{"id":752,"depth":144,"text":755},"content:about-us:locations:detroit.md","about-us/locations/detroit.md","about-us/locations/detroit",{"_path":786,"_dir":162,"_draft":6,"_partial":6,"_locale":7,"title":787,"description":788,"seoTitle":789,"h1":789,"headline":790,"answerCapsule":791,"streetAddress":792,"city":787,"state":169,"zip":793,"phone":794,"url":795,"map":796,"directions":797,"review":798,"phoneDisplay":799,"attorney":177,"attorneyUrl":178,"meetings":800,"inPerson":6,"ratingValue":180,"reviewCount":801,"ratingAsOf":182,"gbpName":802,"gbpCid":803,"latitude":804,"longitude":805,"county":787,"probateCourt":806,"areasServed":807,"services":813,"testimonialsLocation":814,"heroImage":815,"heroImageAlt":816,"differentiators":817,"faqs":818,"subhead":225,"nearestOffice":226,"nearestOfficeName":227,"nearestOfficeAddress":228,"nearestOfficeDirections":229,"body":834,"_type":153,"_id":1079,"_source":155,"_file":1080,"_stem":1081,"_extension":158},"/about-us/locations/marquette","Marquette","Estate planning and asset protection for Marquette and the Upper Peninsula, done entirely by video. 4.9 stars from 43 Google reviews. Call (906) 212-9945.","Estate Planning Lawyer in Marquette, MI","Protect your home, camp and savings without the drive downstate","Rutkowski Law Firm works with Marquette and Upper Peninsula families entirely by secure video, led by founding attorney Michael L. Rutkowski. We protect homes, camps and savings from probate court, lawsuits and long-term care costs, and we do the work families usually get stuck on: moving your home and accounts into your trust, recording your deed with the county and confirming in writing that your plan is done, all without a trip downstate. Rated 4.9 out of 5 from 43 Google reviews. Call (906) 212-9945.","132 W Washington St Suite A","49855","+1 906-212-9945","https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rutkowski+Law+Firm+Asset+Protection+%26+Estate+Planning/@46.5435342,-87.3942241,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x4d4e21ae063a94d9:0xe22ce3d857cd9c05!8m2!3d46.5435342!4d-87.3942241!16s%2Fg%2F11srkksw5p?coh=164777&entry=tt&shorturl=1","https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d2744.2099143863543!2d-87.3942241!3d46.543534199999996!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x4d4e21ae063a94d9%3A0xe22ce3d857cd9c05!2sRutkowski%20Law%20Firm%20Asset%20Protection%20%26%20Estate%20Planning!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sgg!4v1737720904707!5m2!1sen!2sgg","https://goo.gl/maps/zQrfLgV9akvnYokj9","https://www.google.com/search?q=rutkowski+law+firm+marquette%2C+mi&sca_esv=07057cd0c5299605&rlz=1C1RXQR_enUS960US960&ei=5YOTZ9jjG8S6hbIP4cSXmQI&ved=0ahUKEwiY6s-6qo6LAxVEXUEAHWHiJSMQ4dUDCA8&uact=5&oq=rutkowski+law+firm+marquette%2C+mi&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiIHJ1dGtvd3NraSBsYXcgZmlybSBtYXJxdWV0dGUsIG1pMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABSL4eUIUPWMkccAJ4AZABAJgBkAGgAewJqgEEMTAuM7gBA8gBAPgBAZgCD6ACkwrCAgoQABiwAxjWBBhHwgIGEAAYFhgewgIIEAAYgAQYogTCAgUQABjvBcICBRAhGJ8FwgIEECEYFcICBxAhGKABGAqYAwCIBgGQBgiSBwQxMS40oAenQQ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#lrd=0x4d4e21ae063a94d9:0xe22ce3d857cd9c05,3,,,,","(906) 212-9945","By secure video",43,"Rutkowski Law Firm Asset Protection & Estate Planning","16297651669872516101",46.5435342,-87.3942241,"Marquette County Probate Court in Marquette",[787,808,809,810,811,812],"Negaunee","Ishpeming","Harvey","Gwinn","Munising",[196,197,198,199,200,201,202,203,204],"Marquette, MI","/img/hero/marquette.webp","Marquette, Michigan, on Lake Superior",[17,18,209,210,211],[819,822,825,828,831],{"q":820,"a":821},"Which court handles probate for Marquette estates?","Marquette is in Marquette County, so estates go through the Marquette County Probate Court. Assets held in a funded living trust skip that court.",{"q":823,"a":824},"Can we do the whole process without traveling?","Yes. Marquette clients work with us by secure video for every step, including the signing.",{"q":826,"a":827},"We own a camp or cottage. Should it go in the trust?","Usually, yes. Holding it in a funded trust keeps it out of probate and lets you decide in advance how the family shares it.",{"q":829,"a":830},"Should we use a local Marquette attorney instead?","You can, but many small-town attorneys handle all kinds of cases. Rutkowski Law Firm's practice is limited to estate planning, asset protection, Medicaid planning, elder law and guardianship, and we work with Marquette families entirely by secure video.",{"q":832,"a":833},"Our kids live downstate. Can they help manage things?","Yes. We set up powers of attorney and trustee roles that work from a distance, and family members can join any meeting by video.",{"type":46,"children":835,"toc":1070},[836,842,855,896,900,904,909,914,919,923,928,942,946,951,1002,1006,1014,1020,1025,1030,1036,1041,1046,1052,1057,1061],{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":837,"children":839},{"id":838},"why-plan-now-if-you-live-in-the-up",[840],{"type":55,"value":841},"Why plan now if you live in the U.P.?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":843,"children":844},{},[845,847,853],{"type":55,"value":846},"Because families here are older on average, and distance makes a crisis harder. Nearly one in four Marquette County residents is 65 or older, according to the ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":848,"children":851},{"href":849,"rel":850},"https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/marquettecountymichigan/PST045224",[248],[852],{"type":55,"value":251},{"type":55,"value":854},". When something happens, the family is often hours away, and paperwork that isn't finished becomes the problem.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":856,"children":857},{},[858,860,864,865,869,870,874,875,879,880,884,885,889,890,894],{"type":55,"value":859},"Many Upper Peninsula families own more than one piece of property: the house, a camp, a cottage on the lake, family land. Each one needs its deed handled, or it can end up in probate. Holding them in a funded trust also lets you decide in advance how the family shares them. Rutkowski Law Firm handles ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":861,"children":862},{"href":261},[863],{"type":55,"value":264},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":866,"children":867},{"href":269},[868],{"type":55,"value":272},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":871,"children":872},{"href":276},[873],{"type":55,"value":200},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":876,"children":877},{"href":282},[878],{"type":55,"value":285},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":881,"children":882},{"href":289},[883],{"type":55,"value":201},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":886,"children":887},{"href":295},[888],{"type":55,"value":298},{"type":55,"value":300},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":891,"children":892},{"href":303},[893],{"type":55,"value":306},{"type":55,"value":895},", all by video.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":897,"children":898},{},[899],{"type":55,"value":313},{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":901,"children":902},{"id":316},[903],{"type":55,"value":319},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":905,"children":906},{},[907],{"type":55,"value":908},"It means Marquette 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.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":910,"children":911},{},[912],{"type":55,"value":913},"For most U.P. families that means recording a deed for every property, sometimes in more than one county, retitling the accounts, and signing powers of attorney so someone can act for you even if they live downstate.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":915,"children":916},{},[917],{"type":55,"value":918},"Most Michigan estate planning attorneys hand Marquette 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.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":920,"children":921},{"id":337},[922],{"type":55,"value":340},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":924,"children":925},{},[926],{"type":55,"value":927},"Call us. Rutkowski Law Firm has turned around emergency powers of attorney by the next day. If a parent is suddenly at UP Health System–Marquette or back home after a fall, we can arrange the signing by video with a notary where they are.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":929,"children":930},{},[931,932,936,937,941],{"type":55,"value":350},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":933,"children":934},{"href":303},[935],{"type":55,"value":306},{"type":55,"value":356},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":938,"children":939},{"href":359},[940],{"type":55,"value":362},{"type":55,"value":364},{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":943,"children":944},{"id":367},[945],{"type":55,"value":370},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":947,"children":948},{},[949],{"type":55,"value":950},"Every Marquette 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.",{"type":49,"tag":377,"props":952,"children":953},{},[954,972,985,994],{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":955,"children":956},{},[957,961,962,966,967,971],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":958,"children":959},{},[960],{"type":55,"value":388},{"type":55,"value":390},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":963,"children":964},{"href":393},[965],{"type":55,"value":396},{"type":55,"value":398},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":968,"children":969},{"href":401},[970],{"type":55,"value":404},{"type":55,"value":406},{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":973,"children":974},{},[975,979,980,984],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":976,"children":977},{},[978],{"type":55,"value":414},{"type":55,"value":416},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":981,"children":982},{"href":178},[983],{"type":55,"value":177},{"type":55,"value":422},{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":986,"children":987},{},[988,992],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":989,"children":990},{},[991],{"type":55,"value":430},{"type":55,"value":993}," By secure video with a notary, from home.",{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":995,"children":996},{},[997,1001],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":998,"children":999},{},[1000],{"type":55,"value":440},{"type":55,"value":442},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1003,"children":1004},{},[1005],{"type":55,"value":447},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1007,"children":1008},{},[1009,1013],{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1010,"children":1011},{"href":453},[1012],{"type":55,"value":456},{"type":55,"value":308},{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1015,"children":1017},{"id":1016},"do-i-have-to-travel-to-meet-with-you",[1018],{"type":55,"value":1019},"Do I have to travel to meet with you?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1021,"children":1022},{},[1023],{"type":55,"value":1024},"No. Marquette and Upper Peninsula families work with us entirely by secure video, from the first conversation through the signing. Phones are answered 24 hours a day, and our team is available Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1026,"children":1027},{},[1028],{"type":55,"value":1029},"If you're downstate anyway, you're welcome to meet in person at our Troy office at 801 W. Big Beaver Road or our Rochester office at 312 East Street.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1031,"children":1033},{"id":1032},"should-i-hire-a-local-marquette-attorney-instead",[1034],{"type":55,"value":1035},"Should I hire a local Marquette attorney instead?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1037,"children":1038},{},[1039],{"type":55,"value":1040},"You can, but in smaller communities the local attorney often handles many kinds of cases, from real estate closings to divorces, with estate planning as one part of the job. Rutkowski Law Firm's practice is limited to estate planning, asset protection, Medicaid planning, elder law and guardianship.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1042,"children":1043},{},[1044],{"type":55,"value":1045},"Your plan is governed by Michigan law, which is the same in Marquette as it is in Troy, and a Michigan attorney can handle it from anywhere in the state. What matters more than the drive is whether the plan gets finished: your home and accounts moved into your trust, your deed recorded with the Marquette County Register of Deeds and your beneficiary designations updated. Rutkowski Law Firm does that part for you, by secure video, from the first conversation through the signing.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1047,"children":1049},{"id":1048},"which-communities-do-you-serve-near-marquette",[1050],{"type":55,"value":1051},"Which communities do you serve near Marquette?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1053,"children":1054},{},[1055],{"type":55,"value":1056},"We serve Marquette, Negaunee, Ishpeming, Harvey, Gwinn and Munising, and families anywhere in Michigan by video. Estates in Marquette County are handled by the Marquette County Probate Court.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1058,"children":1059},{},[1060],{"type":55,"value":489},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1062,"children":1063},{},[1064,1065,1069],{"type":55,"value":494},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1066,"children":1067},{"href":497},[1068],{"type":55,"value":500},{"type":55,"value":308},{"title":143,"searchDepth":144,"depth":144,"links":1071},[1072,1073,1074,1075,1076,1077,1078],{"id":838,"depth":144,"text":841},{"id":316,"depth":144,"text":319},{"id":337,"depth":144,"text":340},{"id":367,"depth":144,"text":370},{"id":1016,"depth":144,"text":1019},{"id":1032,"depth":144,"text":1035},{"id":1048,"depth":144,"text":1051},"content:about-us:locations:marquette.md","about-us/locations/marquette.md","about-us/locations/marquette",{"_path":1083,"_dir":162,"_draft":6,"_partial":6,"_locale":7,"title":1084,"description":1085,"seoTitle":1086,"h1":1086,"headline":1087,"answerCapsule":1088,"streetAddress":1089,"city":1084,"state":169,"zip":1090,"phone":1091,"url":1092,"map":1093,"directions":1094,"review":1095,"phoneDisplay":1096,"attorney":177,"attorneyUrl":178,"meetings":1097,"inPerson":1098,"ratingValue":1099,"reviewCount":1100,"ratingAsOf":182,"gbpName":183,"gbpCid":1101,"latitude":1102,"longitude":1103,"county":1104,"probateCourt":1105,"areasServed":1106,"services":1112,"testimonialsLocation":1113,"heroImage":1114,"heroImageAlt":1115,"differentiators":1116,"faqs":1117,"subhead":225,"body":1130,"_type":153,"_id":1365,"_source":155,"_file":1366,"_stem":1367,"_extension":158},"/about-us/locations/rochester","Rochester","Estate planning and asset protection on East Street in Rochester, MI. Home and accounts moved into your trust, deed recorded with the county. 4.8 stars from 202 Google reviews. Call (248) 920-9841.","Estate Planning Lawyer in Rochester, MI","Keep your home and savings out of probate court","Rutkowski Law Firm is an estate planning and asset protection law firm at 312 East Street in downtown Rochester, Michigan, led by founding attorney Michael L. Rutkowski. We help Rochester and Rochester Hills homeowners protect what they've built from probate court, lawsuits and long-term care costs, and we do the work families usually get stuck on: moving your home and accounts into your trust, recording your deed with the county and confirming in writing that your plan is done. Rated 4.8 out of 5 from 202 Google reviews. Call (248) 920-9841.","312 East Street","48307","+1 248-920-9841","https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rutkowski+Law+Firm+Asset+Protection+%26+Estate+Planning/@42.6762956,-83.1475895,14z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x9fcee7fcbcbc795e!8m2!3d42.6746006!4d-83.1513735?shorturl=1","https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d23466.35904315655!2d-83.1475895!3d42.6762956!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x8824e995caa5852d%3A0x9fcee7fcbcbc795e!2sRutkowski%20Law%20Firm%20Asset%20Protection%20%26%20Estate%20Planning!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sgg!4v1737720474633!5m2!1sen!2sgg","https://goo.gl/maps/LP75GYr7Co6ECN4F9","https://g.page/r/CV55vLz8586fEAI/review","(248) 920-9841","In person at our East Street office, or by secure video",true,"4.8",202,"11515396369917180254",42.6800904,-83.1318299,"Oakland","Oakland County Probate Court in Pontiac",[1084,1107,1108,1109,1110,1111],"Rochester Hills","Oakland Township","Auburn Hills","Lake Orion","Shelby Township",[196,197,198,199,200,201,202,203,204],"Rochester, MI","/img/hero/rochester.webp","Downtown Rochester, Michigan, near the Rutkowski Law Firm office on East Street",[17,18,209,210,211],[1118,1121,1124,1127],{"q":1119,"a":1120},"Is there parking at the Rochester office?","Yes. Rutkowski Law Firm has dedicated on-site parking at the building on East Street, so you can pull right up instead of hunting for a spot downtown.",{"q":1122,"a":1123},"Which court handles probate for Rochester and Rochester Hills estates?","Both are in Oakland County, so estates go through the Oakland County Probate Court in Pontiac. Assets held in a funded living trust stay out of that court.",{"q":1125,"a":1126},"We already have a trust from another firm. Can you check whether it's funded?","Yes. Bring the documents to a Vision Consultation. Many trusts we review were signed but never funded, which means the house and accounts would still go through probate.",{"q":1128,"a":1129},"Do I need to live in Rochester to work with this office?","No. Families across Michigan work with the Rochester office, and every meeting, including the signing, can happen by secure video.",{"type":46,"children":1131,"toc":1357},[1132,1138,1151,1191,1195,1199,1204,1209,1214,1218,1223,1237,1241,1246,1297,1301,1309,1315,1320,1325,1331,1336,1348],{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1133,"children":1135},{"id":1134},"why-do-rochester-families-need-more-than-a-will",[1136],{"type":55,"value":1137},"Why do Rochester families need more than a will?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1139,"children":1140},{},[1141,1143,1149],{"type":55,"value":1142},"Because the house alone puts most Rochester estates over the line. The median Rochester home is worth about $473,000, according to the ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1144,"children":1147},{"href":1145,"rel":1146},"https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/rochestercitymichigan/PST045224",[248],[1148],{"type":55,"value":251},{"type":55,"value":1150},". Without a funded trust or a Lady Bird deed, that home goes through the Oakland County Probate Court in Pontiac, on the public record.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1152,"children":1153},{},[1154,1156,1160,1161,1165,1166,1170,1171,1175,1176,1180,1181,1185,1186,1190],{"type":55,"value":1155},"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 ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1157,"children":1158},{"href":261},[1159],{"type":55,"value":264},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1162,"children":1163},{"href":269},[1164],{"type":55,"value":272},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1167,"children":1168},{"href":276},[1169],{"type":55,"value":200},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1172,"children":1173},{"href":282},[1174],{"type":55,"value":285},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1177,"children":1178},{"href":289},[1179],{"type":55,"value":201},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1182,"children":1183},{"href":295},[1184],{"type":55,"value":298},{"type":55,"value":300},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1187,"children":1188},{"href":303},[1189],{"type":55,"value":306},{"type":55,"value":308},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1192,"children":1193},{},[1194],{"type":55,"value":313},{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1196,"children":1197},{"id":316},[1198],{"type":55,"value":319},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1200,"children":1201},{},[1202],{"type":55,"value":1203},"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.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1205,"children":1206},{},[1207],{"type":55,"value":1208},"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.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1210,"children":1211},{},[1212],{"type":55,"value":1213},"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.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1215,"children":1216},{"id":337},[1217],{"type":55,"value":340},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1219,"children":1220},{},[1221],{"type":55,"value":1222},"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.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1224,"children":1225},{},[1226,1227,1231,1232,1236],{"type":55,"value":350},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1228,"children":1229},{"href":303},[1230],{"type":55,"value":306},{"type":55,"value":356},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1233,"children":1234},{"href":359},[1235],{"type":55,"value":362},{"type":55,"value":364},{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1238,"children":1239},{"id":367},[1240],{"type":55,"value":370},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1242,"children":1243},{},[1244],{"type":55,"value":1245},"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.",{"type":49,"tag":377,"props":1247,"children":1248},{},[1249,1267,1280,1289],{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":1250,"children":1251},{},[1252,1256,1257,1261,1262,1266],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":1253,"children":1254},{},[1255],{"type":55,"value":388},{"type":55,"value":390},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1258,"children":1259},{"href":393},[1260],{"type":55,"value":396},{"type":55,"value":398},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1263,"children":1264},{"href":401},[1265],{"type":55,"value":404},{"type":55,"value":406},{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":1268,"children":1269},{},[1270,1274,1275,1279],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":1271,"children":1272},{},[1273],{"type":55,"value":414},{"type":55,"value":416},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1276,"children":1277},{"href":178},[1278],{"type":55,"value":177},{"type":55,"value":422},{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":1281,"children":1282},{},[1283,1287],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":1284,"children":1285},{},[1286],{"type":55,"value":430},{"type":55,"value":1288}," At our East Street office, at the Troy office, or through our secure virtual signing process.",{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":1290,"children":1291},{},[1292,1296],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":1293,"children":1294},{},[1295],{"type":55,"value":440},{"type":55,"value":442},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1298,"children":1299},{},[1300],{"type":55,"value":447},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1302,"children":1303},{},[1304,1308],{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1305,"children":1306},{"href":453},[1307],{"type":55,"value":456},{"type":55,"value":308},{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1310,"children":1312},{"id":1311},"can-i-meet-in-person-at-the-rochester-office",[1313],{"type":55,"value":1314},"Can I meet in person at the Rochester office?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1316,"children":1317},{},[1318],{"type":55,"value":1319},"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.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1321,"children":1322},{},[1323],{"type":55,"value":1324},"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.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1326,"children":1328},{"id":1327},"which-communities-do-you-serve-near-rochester",[1329],{"type":55,"value":1330},"Which communities do you serve near Rochester?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1332,"children":1333},{},[1334],{"type":55,"value":1335},"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.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1337,"children":1338},{},[1339,1341,1346],{"type":55,"value":1340},"Rutkowski Law Firm meets clients in person at its ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1342,"children":1344},{"href":1343},"/about-us/locations/troy/",[1345],{"type":55,"value":227},{"type":55,"value":1347}," and Rochester offices and works with families anywhere in Michigan by secure video.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1349,"children":1350},{},[1351,1352,1356],{"type":55,"value":494},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1353,"children":1354},{"href":497},[1355],{"type":55,"value":500},{"type":55,"value":308},{"title":143,"searchDepth":144,"depth":144,"links":1358},[1359,1360,1361,1362,1363,1364],{"id":1134,"depth":144,"text":1137},{"id":316,"depth":144,"text":319},{"id":337,"depth":144,"text":340},{"id":367,"depth":144,"text":370},{"id":1311,"depth":144,"text":1314},{"id":1327,"depth":144,"text":1330},"content:about-us:locations:rochester.md","about-us/locations/rochester.md","about-us/locations/rochester",{"_path":1369,"_dir":162,"_draft":6,"_partial":6,"_locale":7,"title":1370,"description":1371,"seoTitle":1372,"h1":1372,"headline":1373,"answerCapsule":1374,"streetAddress":1375,"city":1370,"state":169,"zip":1376,"phone":1377,"url":1378,"map":1379,"directions":1380,"review":1381,"phoneDisplay":1382,"attorney":177,"attorneyUrl":178,"meetings":179,"inPerson":6,"ratingValue":1383,"reviewCount":1384,"ratingAsOf":182,"gbpName":1385,"gbpCid":1386,"latitude":1387,"longitude":1388,"county":1389,"probateCourt":1390,"areasServed":1391,"services":1396,"testimonialsLocation":1397,"heroImage":1398,"heroImageAlt":1399,"differentiators":1400,"faqs":1401,"subhead":225,"nearestOffice":226,"nearestOfficeName":227,"nearestOfficeAddress":228,"nearestOfficeDirections":229,"body":1413,"_type":153,"_id":1638,"_source":155,"_file":1639,"_stem":1640,"_extension":158},"/about-us/locations/sterling-heights","Sterling Heights","Estate planning and asset protection for Sterling Heights and Macomb County families, by video or at our Troy or Rochester office. 5.0 stars from 158 Google reviews. Call (586) 519-6318.","Estate Planning Lawyer in Sterling Heights, MI","Protect the house, the business and the family","Rutkowski Law Firm works with Sterling Heights and Macomb County families by secure video and in person at its Troy and Rochester offices, led by founding attorney Michael L. Rutkowski. We protect what you've built from probate court, lawsuits and long-term care costs, and we do the work families usually get stuck on: moving your home and accounts into your trust, recording your deed with the county and confirming in writing that your plan is done. Rated 5.0 out of 5 from 158 Google reviews. Call (586) 519-6318.","12900 Hall Rd #180","48313","+1 (586) 519-6318","https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rutkowski+Law+Firm+Asset+Protection+%26+Estate+Planning/@42.6253986,-83.0004654,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x467fb05f67273e7a!8m2!3d42.6253986!4d-83.0004654?shorturl=1","https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d11742.784812154274!2d-83.0004654!3d42.6253986!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x8824dde4d52b9b17%3A0x467fb05f67273e7a!2sRutkowski%20Law%20Firm%20Asset%20Protection%20%26%20Estate%20Planning!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sgg!4v1737720352678!5m2!1sen!2sgg","https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=12900+Hall+Rd+%23180,+Sterling+Heights,+MI+48313","https://www.google.com/search?q=Rutkowski+Law+Firm+Asset+Protection+%26+Estate+Planning%2C+12900+Hall+Rd+%23180%2C+Sterling+Heights%2C+MI+48313&sca_esv=78c2cdce3559d586&hl=en-PK&gl=pk&ei=B4CTZ8W5BI6qhbIPhJKYmQU&ved=0ahUKEwiF2a_ipo6LAxUOVUEAHQQJJlMQ4dUDCA8&uact=5&oq=Rutkowski+Law+Firm+Asset+Protection+%26+Estate+Planning%2C+12900+Hall+Rd+%23180%2C+Sterling+Heights%2C+MI+48313&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiZVJ1dGtvd3NraSBMYXcgRmlybSBBc3NldCBQcm90ZWN0aW9uICYgRXN0YXRlIFBsYW5uaW5nLCAxMjkwMCBIYWxsIFJkICMxODAsIFN0ZXJsaW5nIEhlaWdodHMsIE1JIDQ4MzEzSABQAFgAcAB4AZABAJgBAKABAKoBALgBA8gBAPgBAvgBAZgCAKACAJgDAJIHAKAHAA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#lrd=0x8824dde4d52b9b17:0x467fb05f67273e7a,3,,,,","(586) 519-6318","5.0",158,"Rutkowski Law Firm","5079972828496215674",42.6253986,-83.0004654,"Macomb","Macomb County Probate Court in Mount Clemens",[1370,1111,1392,1393,1394,1395],"Macomb Township","Clinton Township","Utica","Warren",[196,197,198,199,200,201,202,203,204],"Sterling Heights, MI","/img/hero/sterling-heights.webp","Sterling Heights, Michigan",[17,18,209,210,211],[1402,1405,1407,1410],{"q":1403,"a":1404},"Which court handles probate for Sterling Heights estates?","Sterling Heights is in Macomb County, so estates go through the Macomb County Probate Court in Mount Clemens. Assets in a funded living trust skip that court.",{"q":220,"a":1406},"Most Sterling Heights clients meet with us by secure video. If you'd rather meet in person, we'll see you at our Troy office at 801 W. Big Beaver Road or our Rochester office at 312 East Street.",{"q":1408,"a":1409},"We own a family business. Does it belong in the estate plan?","Yes. The plan should say who runs the business and who owns it if you can't, and keep a lawsuit against the business from reaching your personal savings, or the reverse.",{"q":1411,"a":1412},"Is a Lady Bird deed enough on its own?","It protects the house from probate, but not your accounts, and it doesn't name anyone to make decisions if you can't. Most families pair it with a will, powers of attorney and, often, a trust.",{"type":46,"children":1414,"toc":1630},[1415,1421,1434,1474,1478,1482,1487,1492,1497,1501,1506,1520,1524,1529,1580,1584,1592,1596,1601,1606,1612,1617,1621],{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1416,"children":1418},{"id":1417},"what-do-sterling-heights-families-most-need-to-protect",[1419],{"type":55,"value":1420},"What do Sterling Heights families most need to protect?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1422,"children":1423},{},[1424,1426,1432],{"type":55,"value":1425},"Usually the house and, often, a family business. About three in four Sterling Heights homes are owner-occupied and nearly one in five residents is 65 or older, according to the ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1427,"children":1430},{"href":1428,"rel":1429},"https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/sterlingheightscitymichigan/PST045224",[248],[1431],{"type":55,"value":251},{"type":55,"value":1433},". That's a lot of paid-off homes heading toward probate and nursing home bills.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1435,"children":1436},{},[1437,1439,1443,1444,1448,1449,1453,1454,1458,1459,1463,1464,1468,1469,1473],{"type":55,"value":1438},"Sterling Heights is also a diverse city: more than a third of residents speak a language other than English at home. Many families here are multigenerational, with parents, children and sometimes a family business under one plan. Keeping the business and the house apart from each other's risks, and making sure everyone understands the plan, matters as much as the documents. Rutkowski Law Firm handles ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1440,"children":1441},{"href":261},[1442],{"type":55,"value":264},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1445,"children":1446},{"href":269},[1447],{"type":55,"value":272},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1450,"children":1451},{"href":276},[1452],{"type":55,"value":200},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1455,"children":1456},{"href":282},[1457],{"type":55,"value":285},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1460,"children":1461},{"href":289},[1462],{"type":55,"value":201},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1465,"children":1466},{"href":295},[1467],{"type":55,"value":298},{"type":55,"value":300},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1470,"children":1471},{"href":303},[1472],{"type":55,"value":306},{"type":55,"value":308},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1475,"children":1476},{},[1477],{"type":55,"value":313},{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1479,"children":1480},{"id":316},[1481],{"type":55,"value":319},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1483,"children":1484},{},[1485],{"type":55,"value":1486},"It means Sterling Heights 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.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1488,"children":1489},{},[1490],{"type":55,"value":1491},"For most Sterling Heights families that means recording a Lady Bird deed or trust deed with the Macomb County Register of Deeds, retitling the accounts, and, where there's a business, making sure the plan covers who runs it and who owns it if something happens.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1493,"children":1494},{},[1495],{"type":55,"value":1496},"Most Michigan estate planning attorneys hand Sterling Heights 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.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1498,"children":1499},{"id":337},[1500],{"type":55,"value":340},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1502,"children":1503},{},[1504],{"type":55,"value":1505},"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 Henry Ford Macomb Hospital or Ascension Macomb-Oakland.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1507,"children":1508},{},[1509,1510,1514,1515,1519],{"type":55,"value":350},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1511,"children":1512},{"href":303},[1513],{"type":55,"value":306},{"type":55,"value":356},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1516,"children":1517},{"href":359},[1518],{"type":55,"value":362},{"type":55,"value":364},{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1521,"children":1522},{"id":367},[1523],{"type":55,"value":370},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1525,"children":1526},{},[1527],{"type":55,"value":1528},"Every Sterling Heights 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.",{"type":49,"tag":377,"props":1530,"children":1531},{},[1532,1550,1563,1572],{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":1533,"children":1534},{},[1535,1539,1540,1544,1545,1549],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":1536,"children":1537},{},[1538],{"type":55,"value":388},{"type":55,"value":390},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1541,"children":1542},{"href":393},[1543],{"type":55,"value":396},{"type":55,"value":398},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1546,"children":1547},{"href":401},[1548],{"type":55,"value":404},{"type":55,"value":406},{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":1551,"children":1552},{},[1553,1557,1558,1562],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":1554,"children":1555},{},[1556],{"type":55,"value":414},{"type":55,"value":416},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1559,"children":1560},{"href":178},[1561],{"type":55,"value":177},{"type":55,"value":422},{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":1564,"children":1565},{},[1566,1570],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":1567,"children":1568},{},[1569],{"type":55,"value":430},{"type":55,"value":1571}," By secure video with a notary, or in person at our Troy or Rochester office.",{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":1573,"children":1574},{},[1575,1579],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":1576,"children":1577},{},[1578],{"type":55,"value":440},{"type":55,"value":442},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1581,"children":1582},{},[1583],{"type":55,"value":447},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1585,"children":1586},{},[1587,1591],{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1588,"children":1589},{"href":453},[1590],{"type":55,"value":456},{"type":55,"value":308},{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1593,"children":1594},{"id":460},[1595],{"type":55,"value":463},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1597,"children":1598},{},[1599],{"type":55,"value":1600},"No. Most Sterling Heights families work with us entirely by secure video, including the signing. To meet face to face, we'll see you at our Troy office at 801 W. Big Beaver Road or our Rochester office at 312 East Street.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1602,"children":1603},{},[1604],{"type":55,"value":1605},"Phones are answered 24 hours a day; the offices are open weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Video works well for multigenerational families: parents, adult children and anyone helping with the business can join the same meeting from wherever they are.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1607,"children":1609},{"id":1608},"which-communities-do-you-serve-near-sterling-heights",[1610],{"type":55,"value":1611},"Which communities do you serve near Sterling Heights?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1613,"children":1614},{},[1615],{"type":55,"value":1616},"We serve Sterling Heights, Shelby Township, Macomb Township, Clinton Township, Utica and Warren, and families anywhere in Michigan by video. Estates in this area are handled by the Macomb County Probate Court in Mount Clemens.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1618,"children":1619},{},[1620],{"type":55,"value":489},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1622,"children":1623},{},[1624,1625,1629],{"type":55,"value":494},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1626,"children":1627},{"href":497},[1628],{"type":55,"value":500},{"type":55,"value":308},{"title":143,"searchDepth":144,"depth":144,"links":1631},[1632,1633,1634,1635,1636,1637],{"id":1417,"depth":144,"text":1420},{"id":316,"depth":144,"text":319},{"id":337,"depth":144,"text":340},{"id":367,"depth":144,"text":370},{"id":460,"depth":144,"text":463},{"id":1608,"depth":144,"text":1611},"content:about-us:locations:sterling-heights.md","about-us/locations/sterling-heights.md","about-us/locations/sterling-heights",{"_path":1642,"_dir":162,"_draft":6,"_partial":6,"_locale":7,"title":227,"description":1643,"seoTitle":1644,"h1":1644,"headline":1645,"answerCapsule":1646,"streetAddress":1647,"city":227,"primaryOffice":1098,"state":169,"zip":1648,"phone":1649,"url":1650,"map":1651,"directions":229,"review":1650,"phoneDisplay":1652,"attorney":177,"attorneyUrl":178,"meetings":1653,"inPerson":1098,"ratingValue":1099,"reviewCount":1654,"ratingAsOf":182,"gbpName":183,"gbpCid":1655,"county":1104,"probateCourt":1105,"areasServed":1656,"services":1662,"testimonialsLocation":1663,"heroImage":1664,"heroImageAlt":1665,"differentiators":1666,"faqs":1667,"subhead":225,"body":1685,"_type":153,"_id":1929,"_source":155,"_file":1930,"_stem":1931,"_extension":158},"/about-us/locations/troy","Estate planning and asset protection on Big Beaver Road in Troy, MI, serving Troy, Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham. 4.8 stars from 217 Google reviews. Call (248) 951-9446.","Estate Planning Lawyer in Troy, MI","Protect what you've built, and finish the plan properly","Rutkowski Law Firm is an estate planning and asset protection law firm at 801 W. Big Beaver Road, Suite 600, in Troy, Michigan, serving Troy, Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham. Led by founding attorney Michael L. Rutkowski, our attorneys, paralegals and Customer Success team help families with homes, investments and businesses protect them from probate court, lawsuits and long-term care costs, and we do the work families usually get stuck on: moving your home and accounts into your trust, recording your deed with the county and confirming in writing that your plan is done. Rated 4.8 out of 5 from 217 Google reviews. Call (248) 951-9446.","801 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 600","48084","+1 248-951-9446","https://share.google/6caqSgs0gmAzv1vD8","https://www.google.com/maps?q=801+W+Big+Beaver+Rd+Suite+600,+Troy,+MI+48084&output=embed","(248) 951-9446","In person at our Big Beaver Road office by appointment, or by secure video",217,"9733594504382005779",[227,1657,1658,1659,1660,1661],"Bloomfield Hills","Birmingham","Royal Oak","Clawson","West Bloomfield",[196,197,198,199,200,201,202,203,204],"Bloomfield Hills, MI","/img/locations/troy-reception-rudy.webp","The sixth-floor reception area of Rutkowski Law Firm's Troy office in Suite 600 at 801 W. Big Beaver Road, with the Rutkowski Law Firm sign on the wall behind the front desk, gray lounge seating and a navy Rutkowski Law Firm table beside a wall of windows overlooking Troy, and Rudy, the office's chocolate Lab, lying on the polished concrete floor",[17,18,209,210,211],[1668,1671,1673,1676,1679,1682],{"q":1669,"a":1670},"Did the Bloomfield Hills office move?","Yes. Rutkowski Law Firm's Bloomfield Hills office on Woodward Avenue has moved to 801 W. Big Beaver Road, Suite 600, in Troy. The phone number, (248) 951-9446, stayed the same.",{"q":1672,"a":1123},"Which court handles probate for Troy and Bloomfield Hills estates?",{"q":1674,"a":1675},"Can you work with our financial advisor or CPA?","Yes. We coordinate with your existing advisor and CPA so the legal plan and the financial plan line up, especially on retirement accounts and beneficiary designations.",{"q":1677,"a":1678},"Where do I park at the Troy office?","Rutkowski Law Firm has reserved spaces outside 801 W. Big Beaver Road, marked with blue and white \"Welcome, Reserved\" signs. Park in any of those, then head for the doors under the vertical Entrance sign.",{"q":1680,"a":1681},"How do I get up to Suite 600 when I arrive?","Come in through the doors under the vertical Entrance sign and call (248) 792-9193 from the ground-floor lobby. Elevator access has to be granted, and we'll get you up to the sixth floor.",{"q":1683,"a":1684},"Do we need to come into the office to sign?","No. You can sign at the Troy office, at our Rochester office, or through our secure virtual signing process.",{"type":46,"children":1686,"toc":1921},[1687,1693,1706,1746,1750,1754,1759,1764,1769,1773,1778,1792,1796,1801,1806,1857,1861,1869,1875,1880,1884,1897,1903,1908,1912],{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1688,"children":1690},{"id":1689},"why-does-a-troy-or-bloomfield-hills-plan-need-to-be-finished-properly",[1691],{"type":55,"value":1692},"Why does a Troy or Bloomfield Hills plan need to be finished properly?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1694,"children":1695},{},[1696,1698,1704],{"type":55,"value":1697},"More assets means more places for a plan to fail. Troy's median household income is about $120,000, according to the ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1699,"children":1702},{"href":1700,"rel":1701},"https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/troycitymichigan/PST045224",[248],[1703],{"type":55,"value":251},{"type":55,"value":1705},", 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.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1707,"children":1708},{},[1709,1711,1715,1716,1720,1721,1725,1726,1730,1731,1735,1736,1740,1741,1745],{"type":55,"value":1710},"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 ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1712,"children":1713},{"href":261},[1714],{"type":55,"value":264},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1717,"children":1718},{"href":269},[1719],{"type":55,"value":272},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1722,"children":1723},{"href":276},[1724],{"type":55,"value":200},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1727,"children":1728},{"href":282},[1729],{"type":55,"value":285},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1732,"children":1733},{"href":289},[1734],{"type":55,"value":201},{"type":55,"value":266},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1737,"children":1738},{"href":295},[1739],{"type":55,"value":298},{"type":55,"value":300},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1742,"children":1743},{"href":303},[1744],{"type":55,"value":306},{"type":55,"value":308},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1747,"children":1748},{},[1749],{"type":55,"value":313},{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1751,"children":1752},{"id":316},[1753],{"type":55,"value":319},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1755,"children":1756},{},[1757],{"type":55,"value":1758},"It means Troy 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.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1760,"children":1761},{},[1762],{"type":55,"value":1763},"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.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1765,"children":1766},{},[1767],{"type":55,"value":1768},"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.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1770,"children":1771},{"id":337},[1772],{"type":55,"value":340},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1774,"children":1775},{},[1776],{"type":55,"value":1777},"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.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1779,"children":1780},{},[1781,1782,1786,1787,1791],{"type":55,"value":350},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1783,"children":1784},{"href":303},[1785],{"type":55,"value":306},{"type":55,"value":356},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1788,"children":1789},{"href":359},[1790],{"type":55,"value":362},{"type":55,"value":364},{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1793,"children":1794},{"id":367},[1795],{"type":55,"value":370},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1797,"children":1798},{},[1799],{"type":55,"value":1800},"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.",{"type":49,"tag":1802,"props":1803,"children":1805},"photo-grid",{":photos":1804},"[{\"src\":\"/img/locations/troy-vision-consultation-office.webp\",\"alt\":\"A Vision Consultation office at Rutkowski Law Firm in Troy, with a dark wood desk facing four gray mesh guest chairs, framed photos on the left wall, a corkboard of sticky notes on the right wall, and a wide window looking out over Big Beaver Road, its parking lots and the neighboring office towers\",\"caption\":\"The Troy office where Vision Consultations happen.\"}]",[],{"type":49,"tag":377,"props":1807,"children":1808},{},[1809,1827,1840,1849],{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":1810,"children":1811},{},[1812,1816,1817,1821,1822,1826],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":1813,"children":1814},{},[1815],{"type":55,"value":388},{"type":55,"value":390},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1818,"children":1819},{"href":393},[1820],{"type":55,"value":396},{"type":55,"value":398},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1823,"children":1824},{"href":401},[1825],{"type":55,"value":404},{"type":55,"value":406},{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":1828,"children":1829},{},[1830,1834,1835,1839],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":1831,"children":1832},{},[1833],{"type":55,"value":414},{"type":55,"value":416},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1836,"children":1837},{"href":178},[1838],{"type":55,"value":177},{"type":55,"value":422},{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":1841,"children":1842},{},[1843,1847],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":1844,"children":1845},{},[1846],{"type":55,"value":430},{"type":55,"value":1848}," At our Troy office, at the Rochester office, or through our secure virtual signing process.",{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":1850,"children":1851},{},[1852,1856],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":1853,"children":1854},{},[1855],{"type":55,"value":440},{"type":55,"value":442},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1858,"children":1859},{},[1860],{"type":55,"value":447},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1862,"children":1863},{},[1864,1868],{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":1865,"children":1866},{"href":453},[1867],{"type":55,"value":456},{"type":55,"value":308},{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":1870,"children":1872},{"id":1871},"can-i-meet-in-person-at-the-troy-office",[1873],{"type":55,"value":1874},"Can I meet in person at the Troy office?",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":1876,"children":1877},{},[1878],{"type":55,"value":1879},"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.",{"type":49,"tag":1802,"props":1881,"children":1883},{":photos":1882},"[{\"src\":\"/img/locations/troy-reserved-parking.webp\",\"step\":1,\"alt\":\"Three blue and white Rutkowski Law Firm \\\"Welcome, Reserved\\\" parking signs on posts along a rock-lined curb island outside 801 W. Big Beaver Road in Troy, with yellow autumn trees and the building's white side wall behind them\",\"caption\":\"Park in the spaces marked with blue and white Rutkowski Law Firm \\\"Welcome, Reserved\\\" signs.\"},{\"src\":\"/img/locations/troy-801-exterior-entrance.webp\",\"step\":2,\"alt\":\"The white, angular office building at 801 W. Big Beaver Road in Troy, with a tall vertical Entrance sign beside the glass front doors, a row of autumn trees along the walkway and two reserved parking signs at the curb in the foreground\",\"caption\":\"From the reserved spaces, head for the doors under the vertical Entrance sign.\"},{\"src\":\"/img/locations/troy-lobby-elevators.webp\",\"step\":3,\"alt\":\"The ground-floor lobby at 801 W. Big Beaver Road, with a wood-slat front desk marked 801/803 on the left, a Rutkowski Law Firm welcome sign on an easel in the center listing the elevator phone number 248-792-9193, and two stainless steel elevators on the right\",\"caption\":\"Inside, the elevators need to be called for you. Phone (248) 792-9193 when you arrive in the lobby and we'll get you up to the sixth floor.\"},{\"src\":\"/img/locations/troy-sixth-floor-elevators.webp\",\"step\":4,\"alt\":\"The sixth-floor elevator lobby at Rutkowski Law Firm's Troy office, with two stainless steel elevators along the back wall, a reception desk with a computer and phone in the foreground, gray lounge seating, and a navy Rutkowski Law Firm table beneath a wall of windows overlooking Troy\",\"caption\":\"Suite 600 is on the sixth floor. Our reception area is right off the elevators.\"},{\"src\":\"/img/locations/troy-rudy-office-dog.webp\",\"tall\":true,\"position\":\"50% 35%\",\"alt\":\"Rudy, the Troy office's chocolate Labrador and Director of Asset Relocation, sitting upright in a teal collar on the polished concrete floor of the office hallway and looking straight at the camera, with glass-walled offices behind him\",\"caption\":\"You'll probably meet Rudy, our chocolate Lab and Director of Asset Relocation. 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She works closely with attorneys and clients to ensure that every document is prepared accurately and timely.","Paralegal","/img/team/gail-gonos.webp",4,"Head shot of Gail Gonos",[3278],{"type":46,"children":3451,"toc":3471},[3452,3456,3461,3466],{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3453,"children":3454},{},[3455],{"type":55,"value":3444},{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3457,"children":3458},{},[3459],{"type":55,"value":3460},"With a detail-oriented mindset and a calm, compassionate approach, Gail helps guide clients through what can often feel like complex or emotional decisions. She plays a key role in drafting documents, managing case files, and ensuring that each plan aligns with the client’s goals and the firm’s high standards. ",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3462,"children":3463},{},[3464],{"type":55,"value":3465},"Gail is known for her reliability, professionalism, and commitment to making sure clients feel supported every step of the way. She takes pride in contributing to plans that provide clarity, protection, and peace of mind for individuals and families. ",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3467,"children":3468},{},[3469],{"type":55,"value":3470},"When Gail is not working, she enjoys walks on the beach, hiking, and kayaking, but is best known for her passion for football.",{"title":143,"searchDepth":144,"depth":144,"links":3472},[],"content:about-us:team:gail-gonos.md","about-us/team/gail-gonos.md","about-us/team/gail-gonos",[3477,3708,3992],{"_path":38,"_dir":3478,"_draft":6,"_partial":6,"_locale":7,"title":3479,"description":3480,"date":3481,"imageUrl":3482,"author":177,"imageAlt":3483,"practiceArea":5,"body":3484,"_type":153,"_id":3705,"_source":155,"_file":3706,"_stem":3707,"_extension":158},"blog","Why a Michigan will alone won't keep your family out of probate","A basic will does not avoid court or protect bank accounts. Learn how a proactive trust framework provides true peace of mind.","2026-07-28T20:20:00.000Z","https://media.rutkowskilawfirm.com/be4ffdee-1b1a-43a5-bea0-463689f18434-rlf-will-alone-wont-keep-your-family-out-of-probate.webp","Family at lake side",{"type":46,"children":3485,"toc":3698},[3486,3491,3496,3501,3507,3518,3523,3556,3562,3567,3572,3577,3583,3588,3611,3616,3622,3634,3639,3672,3678,3683,3688,3693],{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3487,"children":3488},{},[3489],{"type":55,"value":3490},"Across Michigan, many parents sit at the kitchen table feeling a sense of relief after signing a basic last will and testament. It’s common to assume that once a will is in place, your home, bank accounts, and lifetime of savings are fully shielded from the court system.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3492,"children":3493},{},[3494],{"type":55,"value":3495},"However, under Michigan inheritance laws, even with a traditional will, your estate can still be forced through the court process. In truth, a will functions more like a formal letter of instruction directed to a county probate judge in areas such as Oakland, Macomb, Wayne, or Washtenaw counties.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3497,"children":3498},{},[3499],{"type":55,"value":3500},"Depending solely on this single document can leave your loved ones facing public court records, bureaucratic delays, and unexpected financial strain. Learning how Michigan inheritance laws actually work is the first step toward creating a plan that genuinely safeguards what matters most.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":3502,"children":3504},{"id":3503},"the-common-misconception-what-a-will-actually-does",[3505],{"type":55,"value":3506},"The Common Misconception: What a Will Actually Does",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3508,"children":3509},{},[3510,3512,3516],{"type":55,"value":3511},"The most widespread misunderstanding in Michigan ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":3513,"children":3514},{"href":261},[3515],{"type":55,"value":264},{"type":55,"value":3517}," is that having a will keeps your loved ones out of court. Many families hire a generalist attorney or turn to a cheap document mill, assuming that once a will is signed, the job is finished.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3519,"children":3520},{},[3521],{"type":55,"value":3522},"To understand why a will alone is not enough, you must look at what a will actually accomplishes under state law:",{"type":49,"tag":3338,"props":3524,"children":3525},{},[3526,3536,3546],{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":3527,"children":3528},{},[3529,3534],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3530,"children":3531},{},[3532],{"type":55,"value":3533},"A letter to the judge:",{"type":55,"value":3535}," A will serves as written instructions telling a probate judge who you want appointed as your personal representative and who should receive your assets after court clearance.",{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":3537,"children":3538},{},[3539,3544],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3540,"children":3541},{},[3542],{"type":55,"value":3543},"Zero power during life:",{"type":55,"value":3545}," A will has no legal authority while you are alive. It cannot provide private management of your affairs if you become ill or incapacitated.",{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":3547,"children":3548},{},[3549,3554],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3550,"children":3551},{},[3552],{"type":55,"value":3553},"Takes effect only after death:",{"type":55,"value":3555}," Because a will only activates upon death, any asset titled solely in your individual name remains legally frozen until a judge validates the document.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":3557,"children":3559},{"id":3558},"why-probate-is-still-required-for-solely-titled-assets",[3560],{"type":55,"value":3561},"Why Probate Is Still Required for Solely Titled Assets",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3563,"children":3564},{},[3565],{"type":55,"value":3566},"If a will doesn’t keep your estate out of court, why do so many people believe it does? Much of the confusion comes from not distinguishing between simply distributing assets and truly avoiding probate.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3568,"children":3569},{},[3570],{"type":55,"value":3571},"A will spells out how your property should be divided, but it does not change who owns those assets while you’re alive. When a home, bank account, or investment portfolio is titled only in your personal name, your children cannot receive those assets without court authorization.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3573,"children":3574},{},[3575],{"type":55,"value":3576},"If the total value of this solely owned property exceeds Michigan’s $53,000 small estate limit, your children must open a formal probate case. The probate process in Michigan requires public filings, court fees, property inventories, and mandatory waiting periods for creditors. During these months, bank accounts can remain frozen, leaving your family unable to cover everyday expenses or mortgage payments.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":3578,"children":3580},{"id":3579},"the-operational-difference-distributing-assets-vs-avoiding-probate",[3581],{"type":55,"value":3582},"The Operational Difference: Distributing Assets vs. Avoiding Probate",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3584,"children":3585},{},[3586],{"type":55,"value":3587},"There is a vast legal and practical difference between directing a judge on how to pass down your property and eliminating court interference entirely:",{"type":49,"tag":3338,"props":3589,"children":3590},{},[3591,3601],{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":3592,"children":3593},{},[3594,3599],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3595,"children":3596},{},[3597],{"type":55,"value":3598},"Distributing assets through probate:",{"type":55,"value":3600}," This path requires a judge to oversee every transfer. Your personal financial details become a matter of public record, and court-mandated procedures can delay distributions to your children for up to a year or longer.",{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":3602,"children":3603},{},[3604,3609],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3605,"children":3606},{},[3607],{"type":55,"value":3608},"Avoiding probate completely:",{"type":55,"value":3610}," This approach bypasses the court system entirely. Assets pass directly and privately to your beneficiaries immediately upon your passing, without public exposure, judge approvals, or court fees.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3612,"children":3613},{},[3614],{"type":55,"value":3615},"For most Michigan families, achieving complete probate avoidance is the primary goal of the entire estate planning process. Bypassing court protects your family's privacy, preserves your hard-earned wealth from administrative costs, and shields your home from long-term care risks—such as the $12,216 monthly cost of Michigan nursing home care.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":3617,"children":3619},{"id":3618},"how-a-revocable-living-trust-secures-true-protection",[3620],{"type":55,"value":3621},"How a Revocable Living Trust Secures True Protection",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3623,"children":3624},{},[3625,3627,3632],{"type":55,"value":3626},"To keep your family out of the courtroom, your strategy must move beyond a basic piece of paper. The most effective way to avoid court is by establishing a ",{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3628,"children":3629},{},[3630],{"type":55,"value":3631},"revocable living trust",{"type":55,"value":3633}," paired with fully coordinated beneficiary designations.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3635,"children":3636},{},[3637],{"type":55,"value":3638},"Unlike a traditional will, a trust operates as a private legal shield for your assets:",{"type":49,"tag":3338,"props":3640,"children":3641},{},[3642,3652,3662],{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":3643,"children":3644},{},[3645,3650],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3646,"children":3647},{},[3648],{"type":55,"value":3649},"Immediate private management:",{"type":55,"value":3651}," If you experience a health crisis, your appointed trustee can manage your bank accounts and real estate immediately, avoiding the need for a public guardianship proceeding.",{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":3653,"children":3654},{},[3655,3660],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3656,"children":3657},{},[3658],{"type":55,"value":3659},"Seamless asset transfers:",{"type":55,"value":3661}," Because your trust owns the assets, ownership transfers to your heirs privately and automatically when you pass away, with zero court intervention.",{"type":49,"tag":381,"props":3663,"children":3664},{},[3665,3670],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3666,"children":3667},{},[3668],{"type":55,"value":3669},"Protection for complex dynamics:",{"type":55,"value":3671}," A trust allows you to set specific guidelines for minor children, protect inheritances from potential divorces or creditors, and ensure fair treatment for blended families.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":3673,"children":3675},{"id":3674},"why-michigan-families-must-review-their-strategy-today",[3676],{"type":55,"value":3677},"Why Michigan Families Must Review Their Strategy Today",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3679,"children":3680},{},[3681],{"type":55,"value":3682},"A paper binder tucked away on a closet shelf is not a real plan. The typical method used by generic document mills puts the burden back on you—leaving you to navigate bank retitling and account changes alone. When deeds and financial accounts aren’t properly aligned, your trust stays unfunded, and your family can still be dragged into probate court.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3684,"children":3685},{},[3686],{"type":55,"value":3687},"At the Rutkowski Law Firm, we turn confusion into clarity. We don’t simply hand you a pile of legal forms and send you on your way. Through our Proven Process, our team delivers a white-glove, done-for-you trust funding service supported by more than 50 years of combined experience. We take on the heavy lifting with your banks and institutions, transferring your accounts, property deeds, and investments into your trust structure to create a fortified Asset Shield—lifting the administrative load from your children’s shoulders.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3689,"children":3690},{},[3691],{"type":55,"value":3692},"From our offices in Rochester, Bloomfield Hills, Sterling Heights, Ann Arbor, and Marquette, we can review your existing documents, uncover hidden vulnerabilities, and make sure your plan functions the way it should when your family needs it most.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3694,"children":3695},{},[3696],{"type":55,"value":3697},"Are you ready to ensure your plan actually works and keeps your family out of court?",{"title":143,"searchDepth":144,"depth":144,"links":3699},[3700,3701,3702,3703,3704],{"id":3503,"depth":144,"text":3506},{"id":3558,"depth":144,"text":3561},{"id":3579,"depth":144,"text":3582},{"id":3618,"depth":144,"text":3621},{"id":3674,"depth":144,"text":3677},"content:blog:why-a-michigan-will-alone-won-t-keep-your-family-out-of-probate.md","blog/why-a-michigan-will-alone-won-t-keep-your-family-out-of-probate.md","blog/why-a-michigan-will-alone-won-t-keep-your-family-out-of-probate",{"_path":39,"_dir":3478,"_draft":6,"_partial":6,"_locale":7,"title":3709,"description":3710,"date":3711,"imageUrl":3712,"imageAlt":3713,"author":177,"body":3714,"_type":153,"_id":3989,"_source":155,"_file":3990,"_stem":3991,"_extension":158},"Is your Simple Will doing more harm than good?","A Will is just a letter to a probate judge. Learn why \"simple\" can lead to a 12-month delay for your family.\n","2026-03-10T00:00:00Z","/img/blog/rlf-blog-simple-will-march-16.webp","couple",{"type":46,"children":3715,"toc":3982},[3716,3735,3740,3745,3754,3775,3787,3804,3813,3825,3845,3877,3886,3896,3901,3931,3940,3952,3964,3973,3978],{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3717,"children":3718},{},[3719,3721,3726,3728,3733],{"type":55,"value":3720},"Many Michigan families start their estate planning journey with a ",{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3722,"children":3723},{},[3724],{"type":55,"value":3725},"Simple Will",{"type":55,"value":3727},". It feels like the easiest, most straightforward path to checking \"protect my family\" off the to-do list. However, in the legal world, \"simple\" can quickly become a ",{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3729,"children":3730},{},[3731],{"type":55,"value":3732},"technical disaster",{"type":55,"value":3734}," when life—and the Michigan probate court—gets involved.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3736,"children":3737},{},[3738],{"type":55,"value":3739},"At the Rutkowski Law Firm, we often tell our clients that a Will is essentially just a letter to a probate judge. It’s a set of instructions for a court process you likely want to avoid.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3741,"children":3742},{},[3743],{"type":55,"value":3744},"Here is when a Simple Will stops being a solution and starts being a liability.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":3746,"children":3748},{"id":3747},"you-want-to-avoid-the-michigan-probate-delay",[3749],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3750,"children":3751},{},[3752],{"type":55,"value":3753},"You Want to Avoid the Michigan Probate Delay",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3755,"children":3756},{},[3757,3759,3765,3767,3773],{"type":55,"value":3758},"The biggest misconception about a ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":3760,"children":3762},{"href":3761},"/estate-planning/living-will/",[3763],{"type":55,"value":3764},"Will",{"type":55,"value":3766}," is that it keeps your family out of court. In reality, a Will is the primary document that ",{"type":49,"tag":3768,"props":3769,"children":3770},"em",{},[3771],{"type":55,"value":3772},"triggers",{"type":55,"value":3774}," the probate process.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3776,"children":3777},{},[3778,3780,3785],{"type":55,"value":3779},"In Michigan, even a well-drafted Will must be validated by a judge. This means your family is looking at a ",{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3781,"children":3782},{},[3783],{"type":55,"value":3784},"12-to-18-month delay",{"type":55,"value":3786}," before they can fully settle your estate. During this time, your assets can be frozen, and your private family business becomes a matter of public record.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3788,"children":3789},{},[3790,3795,3797,3802],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3791,"children":3792},{},[3793],{"type":55,"value":3794},"The Solution:",{"type":55,"value":3796}," A ",{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3798,"children":3799},{},[3800],{"type":55,"value":3801},"Living Trust",{"type":55,"value":3803}," is the only way to bypass the probate court entirely, allowing your assets to pass to your loved ones privately and immediately.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":3805,"children":3807},{"id":3806},"you-are-concerned-about-nursing-home-costs",[3808],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3809,"children":3810},{},[3811],{"type":55,"value":3812},"You are Concerned About Nursing Home Costs",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3814,"children":3815},{},[3816,3818,3823],{"type":55,"value":3817},"A Simple Will is a \"death document\"—it only kicks in when you pass away. It provides ",{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3819,"children":3820},{},[3821],{"type":55,"value":3822},"zero protection",{"type":55,"value":3824}," while you are alive, but you need care.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3826,"children":3827},{},[3828,3830,3835,3837,3843],{"type":55,"value":3829},"With the cost of skilled nursing in Michigan now averaging ",{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3831,"children":3832},{},[3833],{"type":55,"value":3834},"$12,000 per month",{"type":55,"value":3836},", a healthcare crisis can vaporize a lifetime of savings in a matter of months. A Simple Will cannot shield your home from a ",{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":3838,"children":3840},{"href":3839},"/medicaid-planning/what-is-medicaid-spend-down/",[3841],{"type":55,"value":3842},"Medicaid spend-down",{"type":55,"value":3844}," or protect your spouse from being left impoverished.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3846,"children":3847},{},[3848,3852,3854,3859,3861,3866,3867,3875],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3849,"children":3850},{},[3851],{"type":55,"value":3794},{"type":55,"value":3853}," We use specialized ",{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3855,"children":3856},{},[3857],{"type":55,"value":3858},"Asset Shields",{"type":55,"value":3860}," and the ",{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3862,"children":3863},{},[3864],{"type":55,"value":3865},"Michigan",{"type":55,"value":390},{"type":49,"tag":244,"props":3868,"children":3869},{"href":276},[3870],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3871,"children":3872},{},[3873],{"type":55,"value":3874},"Lady Bird Deed",{"type":55,"value":3876}," to protect your home and savings from long-term care costs, ensuring you qualify for help without losing everything you've worked for.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":3878,"children":3880},{"id":3879},"you-want-to-protect-your-childrens-inheritance",[3881],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3882,"children":3883},{},[3884],{"type":55,"value":3885},"You Want to Protect Your Children’s Inheritance",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3887,"children":3888},{},[3889,3891],{"type":55,"value":3890},"A Simple Will typically distributes assets to your heirs \"outright.\" While this sounds generous, it actually leaves their inheritance vulnerable to the \"Three Ds\": ",{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3892,"children":3893},{},[3894],{"type":55,"value":3895},"Divorce, Debt, and Decisions.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3897,"children":3898},{},[3899],{"type":55,"value":3900},"If your child receives their inheritance via a Simple Will and later faces a divorce or a lawsuit, those family assets could be seized by a former spouse or a creditor.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3902,"children":3903},{},[3904,3908,3910,3915,3917,3922,3924,3929],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3905,"children":3906},{},[3907],{"type":55,"value":3794},{"type":55,"value":3909}," By using a ",{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3911,"children":3912},{},[3913],{"type":55,"value":3914},"Proven Process",{"type":55,"value":3916}," to title assets into a Trust, you can give your children the ",{"type":49,"tag":3768,"props":3918,"children":3919},{},[3920],{"type":55,"value":3921},"benefit",{"type":55,"value":3923}," of the money without the ",{"type":49,"tag":3768,"props":3925,"children":3926},{},[3927],{"type":55,"value":3928},"risk",{"type":55,"value":3930},". You can ensure the money stays in your bloodline and is protected from outside threats.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":3932,"children":3934},{"id":3933},"dont-settle-for-an-empty-binder",[3935],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3936,"children":3937},{},[3938],{"type":55,"value":3939},"Don’t Settle for an “Empty Binder”",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3941,"children":3942},{},[3943,3945,3950],{"type":55,"value":3944},"The difference between a \"Document Mill\" and the Rutkowski Law Firm is our commitment to ",{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3946,"children":3947},{},[3948],{"type":55,"value":3949},"Trust Funding",{"type":55,"value":3951},". Most attorneys hand you a binder and tell you to move your own bank accounts. If you don't do it perfectly, your plan fails.",{"type":49,"tag":58,"props":3953,"children":3954},{},[3955,3957,3962],{"type":55,"value":3956},"We offer a ",{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3958,"children":3959},{},[3960],{"type":55,"value":3961},"white-glove, Done-For-You service",{"type":55,"value":3963},". We don't just draft the papers; we ensure your assets are actually protected by moving them into the shield we’ve built for you.",{"type":49,"tag":50,"props":3965,"children":3967},{"id":3966},"plan-today-peace-of-mind-tomorrow",[3968],{"type":49,"tag":78,"props":3969,"children":3970},{},[3971],{"type":55,"value":3972},"Plan Today. 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