Dickenson Wright

Estate Planning & Probate Attorneys in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Dickinson Wright's Grand Rapids office includes attorneys who help individuals and families plan for the transfer and management of their assets during life and after death. The firm's estate planning work ranges from wills, trusts and powers of attorney to more complicated situations involving blended families, special needs, closely held businesses and significant family assets.

For many families, the difficult part of estate planning is not simply deciding who inherits. A second marriage may require balancing a surviving spouse's needs with an inheritance intended for children from a previous relationship. Parents may need to provide for a child with special needs without disrupting eligibility for government benefits. A family that has owned a cottage for generations may want a plan for keeping and managing the property after the parents are gone. Dickinson Wright advises clients on planning structures designed around circumstances such as these.

Wills, Trusts & Planning for Incapacity

The firm's estate planning attorneys prepare wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney and healthcare directives. These documents can address both the eventual distribution of property and what happens if illness, injury or declining capacity leaves someone unable to manage financial or medical decisions independently.

Trust planning can also help families address concerns that a straightforward inheritance may not solve. Depending on the circumstances, a trust may be used to manage assets for younger beneficiaries, provide continuing oversight of inherited property or establish conditions for how and when assets are distributed.

Blended Families & Changing Family Circumstances

Second marriages and blended families can create competing estate planning priorities. A person may want to provide financial security for a spouse while also making certain that children from an earlier relationship ultimately receive an intended inheritance.

Dickinson Wright advises clients on customized estate plans that take family relationships and individual circumstances into account. The firm's materials specifically identify blended families among the situations that may require more individualized planning rather than relying on a basic estate plan.

Special Needs Planning

Families supporting a person with a disability may need to consider how an inheritance will affect that person's long-term financial support and access to public benefits. Dickinson Wright assists with special-needs planning as part of its broader estate planning practice.

This can be particularly important for parents who want to leave resources for a child or other beneficiary without simply transferring an inheritance outright. Appropriate trust planning can provide a structure for managing those assets while taking the beneficiary's circumstances into consideration.

Family Cottages, Second Homes & Generational Property

Some estate plans involve property with significance beyond its monetary value. Dickinson Wright advises families considering how cottages, vacation properties and other assets can be transferred and maintained across generations.

These situations can require decisions about who will own the property, how expenses and responsibilities will be shared and what should happen if some family members eventually want to sell while others want to retain it. Addressing those issues as part of an estate plan can establish a clearer framework for the next generation.

Business Succession & Closely Held Companies

For business owners, an estate plan may also need to answer what happens to the company when an owner retires, becomes incapacitated or dies. Dickinson Wright's estate planning practice includes succession planning for family businesses and other closely held companies.

Depending on the owner's objectives, planning may involve transferring ownership to family members, coordinating estate planning with existing business arrangements or developing a transition strategy for future ownership and management.

Probate & Trust Administration After a Death

Dickinson Wright also represents personal representatives, trustees and beneficiaries after a death. Its Estate Planning & Administration practice assists with probate proceedings, trust administration, asset distribution and related tax matters.

Administering an estate or trust can involve much more than distributing property. A fiduciary may need to identify and value assets, address creditor claims, complete required filings, manage property during the administration period and determine when distributions can properly be made. Legal guidance can be particularly useful when an estate contains complicated assets, tax issues or interests in a family business.

Probate, Trust & Fiduciary Disputes

Dickinson Wright maintains a separate Probate and Fiduciary Litigation practice for contested estate and trust matters. The firm's work includes disputes involving wills and trusts, fiduciary responsibilities, guardianships and conservatorships.

Disagreements can arise when beneficiaries question how a trustee or personal representative is managing assets, family members dispute the validity or interpretation of estate planning documents, or relatives disagree about who should manage the affairs of an incapacitated person. The firm's litigation practice represents clients when these matters cannot be resolved through routine estate or trust administration.

Grand Rapids Office

Dickinson Wright's Grand Rapids office is located at 200 Ottawa Avenue NW, Suite 900, Grand Rapids, Michigan. The firm has maintained a presence in Grand Rapids since 1989 and also has Michigan offices in Ann Arbor, Detroit, Lansing, Saginaw and Troy.

Alexandre M. Zucco is among the Grand Rapids attorneys whose practice includes estate planning and administration. His work includes planning involving wills and trusts, probate avoidance, blended families, special needs, family cottages, charitable and educational objectives, and business succession.

Practice Areas

• Estate Planning

• Wills

• Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts

• Powers of Attorney

• Healthcare Directives

• Probate Administration

• Trust Administration

• Special Needs Planning

• Blended Family Estate Planning

• Business Succession Planning

• Family Cottage and Second-Home Planning

• Estate and Gift Tax Planning

• Charitable Planning

• Asset Protection Planning

• Probate and Fiduciary Litigation

• Will and Trust Contests

• Guardianships

• Conservatorships