Gary B. Law

Estate Planning & Probate Attorney in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Most people know they should have an estate plan, but many are unsure where to begin. Some wonder whether they need only a will or whether a trust would better protect their family. Others worry about who would make financial or medical decisions if they became incapacitated, or how their children would be cared for if something unexpected happened.

After a loved one dies, the questions change again. A family member may suddenly become responsible for settling an estate, locating assets, paying debts, and distributing property according to a will or Michigan law.

Gary B. Law helps individuals and families prepare estate plans that address these concerns before they become crises. The practice focuses on estate planning, probate, wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare planning, and related legal services. Through its educational resources and planning materials, the firm emphasizes helping clients understand both the planning process and the purpose behind each document.

I Need an Estate Plan, but I Don't Know Where to Start

Estate planning is often delayed because it feels overwhelming. Many people are unsure what information they need, what documents they should prepare, or how the process actually works.

Gary B. Law takes an educational approach to planning. Rather than asking clients to make important legal decisions without context, the firm's materials explain the planning process, encourage clients to organize information about family members and assets, and provide worksheets that help identify the issues that should be considered before documents are drafted.

This preparation allows clients to make informed decisions about their estate plan instead of simply signing documents they do not fully understand.

Should I Have a Will or a Living Trust?

One of the most common estate-planning questions is whether a will is enough or whether a living trust would better accomplish a family's goals.

A will directs how probate assets should be distributed after death and allows parents to nominate guardians for minor children. A revocable living trust, however, can also provide for the management of assets during incapacity and may allow properly titled property to pass without the traditional probate process.

Neither document is automatically better than the other. The appropriate choice depends on a person's family, property, financial goals, and the way assets are owned.

Gary B. Law assists clients with both wills and revocable living trusts, helping them select the planning tools that best fit their individual circumstances.

A Trust Only Works If It Is Properly Funded

Creating a trust is only the beginning of the planning process.

A trust generally cannot control property that was never transferred into it. Bank accounts, investment accounts, real estate, and other assets often need to be retitled or otherwise coordinated with the trust after it has been signed.

This process, commonly called trust funding, is one of the topics emphasized throughout the firm's educational materials. Proper funding helps ensure that the trust actually performs the role it was designed to serve.

Without proper funding, a family may still need to open a probate estate even though a trust was created years earlier.

Helping clients understand this distinction is one of the practice's more notable educational strengths.

Who Will Handle My Affairs If I Become Incapacitated?

Estate planning is just as much about protecting you during life as it is about distributing property after death.

A serious illness, accident, or cognitive decline may leave someone unable to manage finances or make healthcare decisions. Without advance planning, family members may have to seek authority through the Probate Court before they can act.

Gary B. Law prepares durable powers of attorney that allow clients to appoint trusted individuals to manage financial matters if they become unable to do so themselves.

The firm also prepares patient advocate designations that authorize someone to make healthcare decisions when the patient cannot communicate informed choices.

Together, these documents help ensure that important decisions can continue without unnecessary delay or confusion.

Who Will Care for My Children?

For many parents, estate planning is less about property than about protecting their children.

Parents can use their estate plans to nominate guardians who would care for minor children if both parents were no longer able to do so. They can also identify trustees or other trusted individuals to manage inherited property until children reach an appropriate level of maturity.

Choosing these individuals is one of the most important decisions parents make during the planning process. Estate planning allows those choices to be made thoughtfully rather than leaving the Probate Court to determine them during a family crisis.

Gary B. Law's planning materials encourage parents to carefully consider these decisions before finalizing their estate plan.

How Can My Family Reduce Probate?

Many people hope to reduce the time, expense, and public nature of probate whenever appropriate.

The firm's educational resources explain that probate avoidance is rarely accomplished through a single document. Instead, it often depends on coordinating several parts of an estate plan.

Living trusts, beneficiary designations, jointly owned property, and properly titled assets may all influence whether particular property must pass through probate.

Because every estate is different, reducing probate requires reviewing how assets are actually owned rather than simply signing estate-planning documents.

Gary B. Law emphasizes coordinating all of these components so they work together as part of one overall plan.

Dad Died and Now I'm Responsible for the Estate

Being named personal representative can quickly become overwhelming.

The person responsible for an estate may need to identify assets, notify interested parties, address creditor claims, gather financial information, distribute property, and comply with Probate Court requirements.

The process often becomes even more complicated when beneficiaries have questions, records are incomplete, or no estate plan exists.

Gary B. Law assists personal representatives and families with probate matters and estate administration, helping them understand the legal responsibilities that accompany settling an estate.

I Have Been Named Trustee

Serving as trustee carries significant legal responsibilities.

A trustee must safeguard trust property, follow the trust document, maintain records, make distributions when appropriate, and communicate with beneficiaries.

The firm's educational materials explain the role of successor trustees and the importance of selecting individuals who are both trustworthy and capable of managing these responsibilities.

Because trustees frequently serve for many years, choosing the right person can be just as important as deciding who should ultimately inherit property.

Education Before Documents

One characteristic that distinguishes Gary B. Law is its emphasis on client education.

The firm's estate-planning website includes planning worksheets, questionnaires, explanatory articles, and practical guidance designed to help clients understand both the planning process and the purpose behind each document.

Rather than treating estate planning as simply preparing legal forms, the materials encourage clients to think carefully about family relationships, financial responsibilities, fiduciary appointments, asset ownership, and long-term goals before documents are finalized.

That educational approach can help families make more informed decisions while also creating estate plans that better reflect their individual circumstances.

Serving Ann Arbor and Southeast Michigan

Gary B. Law serves individuals and families in Ann Arbor and surrounding Southeast Michigan communities with estate planning and probate services.

Whether someone is preparing a first will, deciding whether a living trust is appropriate, planning for possible incapacity, protecting minor children, or administering a loved one's estate, the firm's practice emphasizes understanding the planning process as well as completing the necessary legal documents.

Practice Areas

• Estate Planning

• Wills

• Revocable Living Trusts

• Trust Funding

• Probate

• Estate Administration

• Durable Powers of Attorney

• Patient Advocate Designations

• Planning for Minor Children

• Guardian Nominations

• Successor Trustee Planning

• Probate Avoidance Planning