BBA Law

Estate Planning, Probate & Elder Law Attorneys in Shelby Township, Michigan

Many families assume that writing a will is enough to complete an estate plan. In reality, a plan often involves much more. Retirement accounts, life insurance policies, jointly owned property, trusts, and beneficiary designations all work under different legal rules. If these pieces are not coordinated, assets may pass in ways you never intended.

BBA Law helps individuals and families develop estate plans that bring these pieces together. The firm's practice includes wills, living trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, beneficiary planning, and related estate-planning services designed to prepare families for both incapacity and the eventual transfer of assets.

Will Your Trust Actually Work When It's Needed?

Creating a trust is only one step in the planning process. Property generally must be transferred into the trust, and beneficiary designations should be reviewed to ensure they work alongside the overall estate plan. A trust that is never properly funded may still leave loved ones facing probate for some assets.

BBA Law assists clients with living trusts and trust funding, helping families understand how trusts fit into a comprehensive estate plan rather than viewing them as standalone documents.

Estate plans also need to keep pace with changes in a family's life. BBA Law recommends reviewing a plan after events such as marriage, divorce, births, deaths, or significant changes in assets, and periodically even when no major event has occurred. That review can include making sure beneficiary designations and assets intended for a trust still work with the overall plan.

What Happens If Someone Becomes Incapacitated?

Estate planning is not only about what happens after death. Illness, dementia, or an unexpected accident can leave someone unable to manage finances or make medical decisions while still alive.

The firm prepares financial powers of attorney and healthcare directives so clients can designate trusted individuals to act on their behalf if they become unable to make those decisions themselves.

Planning for Long-Term Care Before a Crisis

One of the greatest concerns many Michigan families face is the possibility that nursing-home expenses could quickly consume a lifetime of savings. Some families have years to prepare, while others are seeking legal guidance only after long-term care has become necessary.

BBA Law advises clients on elder law and Medicaid planning, including both advance planning and crisis planning. The firm's services include Medicaid asset-protection strategies, planning for spouses who remain at home, and guidance for families navigating long-term-care decisions.

Providing for a Loved One with Disabilities

Leaving an inheritance to a child or other family member with disabilities may require careful planning if that person depends on government assistance programs.

BBA Law includes special-needs planning among its estate-planning services, helping families prepare for the future while considering the long-term financial needs of loved ones with disabilities.

Planning When the Estate Includes a Business or Significant Assets

A business interest can create estate-planning questions that do not arise when a family's property consists primarily of a home, retirement accounts, and personal assets. An owner may need to consider what happens to the business after incapacity or death and how ownership and control should fit into the larger estate plan.

BBA Law assists business owners with integrating business interests into their estate plans, including coordinating ownership interests with trusts and planning for transitions of control. When succession involves more complex issues such as buy-sell agreements, restructuring, or a multigenerational transition, the firm may also coordinate with business attorneys or financial advisors.

The firm also handles estate-tax planning for families with significant assets. Depending on the circumstances, that work may involve lifetime gifting, irrevocable trusts, charitable planning, family limited partnerships, or other strategies intended to address the transfer of substantial wealth and potential federal estate-tax exposure.

That material is all specifically supported by BBA's current estate-planning page. The site addresses business interests held through trusts, changes in control following incapacity or death, complex succession matters, and a substantial range of estate-tax planning strategies.

Helping Families Through Probate and Trust Administration

When someone dies, the legal work is often just beginning. Personal representatives and trustees may be responsible for collecting assets, paying debts, communicating with beneficiaries, preparing required filings, and distributing property according to Michigan law.

The firm represents personal representatives, trustees, beneficiaries, and families in probate proceedings, estate administration, and trust administration, helping clients understand the responsibilities that come with managing another person's estate.

When Families Disagree About an Estate

Not every estate is settled without conflict. Questions about the validity of a will, concerns regarding undue influence, or disagreements over the actions of a fiduciary can complicate the administration process.

BBA Law assists clients with probate disputes and will contests, helping families evaluate contested estate matters and understand the legal options available when disagreements arise.

A Shelby Township Practice Focused on Estate Planning and Elder Law

BBA Law concentrates a significant portion of its practice on estate planning, probate, trust administration, and elder law. The firm represents individuals planning for the future, families administering estates, and clients facing guardianship, conservatorship, or long-term-care issues. Its work spans both proactive planning and the legal matters that arise after incapacity or the death of a loved one.

Based in Shelby Township, with offices in Troy, Ann Arbor, and Lansing, the firm serves clients throughout Macomb County and surrounding communities across Southeast and Mid-Michigan, including Oakland, Wayne, Washtenaw, Genesee, Livingston, and St. Clair Counties. BBA Law helps clients create wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and comprehensive estate plans designed to protect families and preserve assets for future generations.

Practice Areas

• Estate Planning

• Wills

• Living Trusts

• Trust Funding

• Powers of Attorney

• Healthcare Directives

• Beneficiary Planning

• Probate

• Estate Administration

• Trust Administration

• Probate Disputes

• Will Contests

• Elder Law

• Medicaid Planning

• Long-Term Care Planning

• Special Needs Planning

• Guardianships

• Conservatorships

• Lady Bird Deeds

• Estate Plan Reviews