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Death, Disability and the Online World
In late March 2004, a notice appeared on the weblog named “The Buck Stops Here”, maintained by Stuart Buck, a lawyer then living in Washington, D.C. We can only paraphrase from memory because the posting has been removed from the site, despite the fact that Buck maintains an otherwise extensive archive on his weblog.
“Hello, this
What will happen with estate taxes?
In the early years of the first Bush Administration, Congress passed a series of tax relief measures which included a progressive loosening of the estate tax laws. At the time that these laws were passed, the “exemption amount”, the amount which one person could leave to his or her heirs without having to be concerned
THE DO-IT-YOURSELF RETIREMENT ACCOUNT “CHECKUP”
This article provides information to allow you to do a bit of your own preventive maintenance on your retirement accounts (pension, 401(k), 403(b), or IRA). Start by contacting the custodian of your account, most likely a brokerage house, and requesting a copy of your beneficiary designation form.
The following comments can serve as your guide to
Meet Michael J. Swogger:
, a shareholder and managing partner of the Traverse City office of Garan Lucow Miller, received his B.A. (cum laude) from Western Michigan University, in 1986, and his J.D. (cum laude) from the Detroit College of Law in 1989. He is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and
Western Districts of Michigan. He
Estate Recovery Comes to Michigan
On September 30, 2007, facing a budget crisis and a possible government shutdown, Governor Granholm signed estate recovery into law requiring Michigan to
recover its Medicaid costs against a recipient’s estate at death. Until then, Michigan was the last holdout from the federal government’s requirement that states adopt estate recovery programs. What does this mean for Michigan
Fall 2007
From the Estate Planning & Settlement Group
PERSONAL PLANNING
Meet Tara L. Velting:
is an associate in the firm’s Grand Rapids office, serving West Michigan. Her areas of practice include estate planning and settlement, probate, wills and trusts, Medicaid planning, and special needs planning. Previously, she was in private practice.
Ms. Velting is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys,
Meet M. Sean Fosmire:
is a shareholder in the firm’s Marquette office, serving the entire Upper Peninsula of Michigan. His practice includes estate planning, personal planning, probate, and trust management. He has particular interest in the estate planning aspects of IRAs and retirement plans, and was the author of an article entitled “Retirement Plans and Estate Planning Issues”, published in the Michigan
WHO WILL CARE FOR MY PET WHEN I’M GONE?
For many of us, pets are valued members of our families. They often serve as companions and friends to the elderly. In fact, many elderly people will spend more time with their pets than they ever do with their children. Given that, it is natural that people want to provide for their
Meet The Director: Thomas A. Doyle
Tom Doyle is the director of Garan Lucow Miller, PC’s Estate Planning & Settlement Group. Tom has been a licensed practicing attorney in Michigan for more than 25 years, and specializes in estate planning and settlement. Although located in GLM’s Lansing office, Tom is responsible for estate planning and settlement services firm-wide. Tom has been featured