Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, Attorneys & Counselors at Law

Estate Planning & Probate Attorneys in Troy, Michigan

Estate planning may involve more than preparing documents for the transfer of personal property. A family business, substantial retirement assets, tax considerations, a beneficiary with disabilities or concerns about future incapacity can require several legal and financial arrangements to work together.

Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton’s Trusts and Estates Practice Group assists individuals, families, business owners, trustees and other fiduciaries with estate planning, business succession, wealth-transfer planning, probate and trust administration, tax matters and contested estates and trusts. The firm also has offices in Okemos and Munising.

When a Family Business Is Part of Your Legacy

For many Michigan families, an estate plan involves more than passing assets from one generation to the next. A closely held business may represent years of work, provide income for multiple family members, or employ key employees whose futures depend on a successful transition.

Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton's attorneys help clients coordinate business succession planning with their estate plans so ownership transfers, management responsibilities, and tax considerations are addressed together. The planning may require coordination among wills, trusts, company agreements, ownership arrangements, tax considerations and decisions about who will manage or control the business in the future.

Planning Beyond a Simple Will

Some families need planning that accounts for changing financial circumstances, blended families, significant assets, or concerns about future incapacity. The firm prepares wills, revocable living trusts, durable financial powers of attorney and healthcare powers of attorney as part of its estate-planning work.

By considering both lifetime decision-making and the transfer of assets after death, the attorneys help clients create coordinated plans that reflect their personal and financial goals while providing guidance for loved ones who may one day need to act on their behalf.

Preserving Wealth for Future Generations

Families who have accumulated substantial assets often face planning questions that extend beyond basic estate administration. Gift planning, estate tax considerations, generation-skipping transfer tax issues, charitable giving, and retirement assets may all affect how wealth is transferred to future generations.

Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton advises clients on charitable planning, lifetime gifting, retirement accounts and trust arrangements used to address particular transfer, tax or family objectives. The firm's attorneys also prepare gift and estate tax returns when required as part of an overall estate planning strategy.

Providing for a Loved One With Special Needs

Leaving financial support to a child or family member with disabilities requires careful planning. An inheritance that is not properly structured can unintentionally affect eligibility for certain public benefit programs.

The firm assists families with planning that includes special needs trusts and related estate planning strategies designed to provide long-term financial support while addressing each family's individual circumstances. Attorneys also advise clients regarding Medicaid and veterans benefits as part of broader long-term planning when appropriate.

When an Irrevocable Trust No Longer Fits the Family's Needs

Circumstances sometimes change after an irrevocable trust has been established. Changes in family relationships, tax law, or financial circumstances may lead beneficiaries or trustees to explore whether a trust can be modified.

Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton advises clients on available legal options, including trust decanting and the use of powers of appointment where permitted. By evaluating both the governing trust documents and applicable Michigan law, the attorneys evaluate whether Michigan law and the governing document permit a modification and what procedures would be required.

Helping Trustees and Personal Representatives Navigate Their Responsibilities

Administering an estate or trust often involves unfamiliar legal obligations. Personal representatives and trustees may be responsible for gathering assets, communicating with beneficiaries, satisfying creditor claims, filing required tax documents, and distributing property according to a will or trust.

The firm's attorneys guide fiduciaries through both probate administration and trust administration, helping them understand their responsibilities while working toward an orderly settlement of the estate. The firm represents both individual fiduciaries and corporate trustees in carrying out these duties.

When Probate or Trust Disputes Cannot Be Avoided

Not every estate administration proceeds smoothly. Questions may arise regarding the validity of a will, the interpretation of trust provisions, the conduct of a trustee or personal representative, or disagreements among beneficiaries.

Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton represents clients in probate and trust litigation involving contested estates, fiduciary disputes, and other matters heard in Michigan probate courts. Its litigation experience allows the firm to represent trustees, beneficiaries, personal representatives, and other interested parties when legal conflicts develop during estate administration.

Communities Served

Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton has offices in Troy, Okemos and Munising and represents clients throughout Michigan. Its trusts and estates work includes planning, administration, tax matters, business succession, trust modification and contested probate and trust proceedings.

Practice Areas

• Estate Planning

• Wills

• Revocable Living Trusts

• Trust Planning

• Trust Administration

• Probate Administration

• Probate Litigation

• Estate Administration

• Business Succession Planning

• Wealth Transfer Planning

• Gift and Estate Tax Planning

• Charitable Planning

• Retirement Benefit Planning

• Special Needs Planning

• Medicaid Planning

• Veterans Benefits Planning

• Durable Financial Powers of Attorney

• Healthcare Powers of Attorney

• Trust Modification (Including Decanting)

• Fiduciary Representation