Beier Howlett, Attorneys and Counselors

Estate Planning & Probate Attorneys in Troy, Michigan

Estate planning may begin with the birth of a child, an approaching retirement, a serious illness or a change in property ownership. Legal assistance may also become necessary after a death, when a personal representative or trustee assumes responsibility for administering an estate or trust.

Beier Howlett’s Probate and Estate Planning Practice Group assists clients with preparing and updating estate plans, probate and trust administration, tax matters and related planning. As part of a full-service firm, the group can also address issues involving businesses, real estate or litigation when those matters overlap with an estate.

Planning for the Future While Preparing for the Unexpected

Estate planning addresses what happens to property after death as well as who can manage financial and medical decisions during incapacity. It can also provide continuing instructions for beneficiaries and identify the individuals who will eventually administer an estate or trust.

Beier Howlett works with clients to develop estate plans that reflect their individual goals and family circumstances. Depending on a client's needs, those plans may include wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, testamentary trusts, powers of attorney, and probate avoidance strategies. The firm also advises clients on estate, gift, and income tax considerations that may affect how assets are transferred to future generations.

Rather than relying on one approach for every family, the attorneys tailor planning recommendations to each client's objectives and changing circumstances.

Helping Families Settle Estates and Administer Trusts

Many people discover that administering an estate involves far more than filing paperwork with the probate court.

Personal representatives and trustees are often responsible for gathering assets, notifying interested parties, addressing creditor claims, preparing tax filings, managing trust property, and ultimately distributing assets according to a will or trust. These responsibilities can be unfamiliar, particularly for someone already coping with the loss of a family member.

Beier Howlett guides clients throughout probate and trust administration, helping fiduciaries understand their legal responsibilities while working toward an orderly administration of the estate. The firm also prepares federal estate tax returns, fiduciary income tax returns, and advises clients on post-mortem planning issues that may arise during the administration process.

Planning for Business Owners and Family Enterprises

For business owners, estate planning often extends beyond personal assets.

Ownership interests, succession planning, buy-sell arrangements, retirement planning, and tax considerations may all influence how a business is transferred to the next generation or new ownership.

Because Beier Howlett maintains an established business and corporate law practice, its estate planning attorneys can work alongside business attorneys to help clients coordinate personal estate planning with broader succession goals. This allows personal estate documents, company agreements, ownership arrangements and succession plans to be considered together when a closely held business is part of the estate.

Estate Planning Services From a Troy Office

Beier Howlett’s Troy office assists individuals, families, fiduciaries and business owners with estate planning, probate and trust administration, tax planning and related business matters. Its services address both advance planning and the responsibilities that arise when an estate or trust must be administered after a death.

Practice Areas

• Estate Planning

• Wills

• Trusts

• Probate Administration

• Estate Administration

• Trust Administration

• Probate Litigation

• Probate Avoidance

• Powers of Attorney

• Guardianships

• Conservatorships

• Elder Law

• Estate, Gift & Income Tax Planning