Howell, Parfet & Schau, Attorneys and Counselors

Estate Planning, Estate Administration and Probate Litigation Attorneys in Kalamazoo, Michigan

Howell, Parfet & Schau assists individuals, families, trusts and business owners with estate planning, estate administration and disputes arising in probate court. Its services include wills and trusts, adult guardianships and conservatorships, probate litigation and related business and real-estate matters.

The firm’s work covers different stages of the estate-planning timeline. A family may need to establish instructions for property and future decision-making, administer an estate after someone dies or resolve a disagreement involving inherited property. Business and real-estate experience can also be relevant when an estate includes a closely held company, commercial property or other assets that require continued management.

These matters often involve several legal concerns at once. A parent’s declining capacity may affect personal care, finances and business interests. After a death, a personal representative may need to administer property while responding to questions from beneficiaries. Howell, Parfet & Schau works with clients addressing both routine planning and contested estate matters.

Your Family Needs Instructions for the Future

Estate planning allows someone to decide how property should be handled and who should be responsible for carrying out those decisions. Howell, Parfet & Schau prepares estate plans that may include wills and trusts.

A will can identify beneficiaries and nominate a personal representative to administer the estate. It can also provide guidance about property that does not pass through joint ownership, a beneficiary designation or another transfer arrangement.

A trust can establish more detailed instructions for managing and distributing assets. Families may consider a trust when property should be held for children, when a beneficiary may need assistance managing an inheritance or when the estate includes assets that require continuing oversight.

The appropriate plan depends on the client’s property, family relationships and objectives. A household with a home and ordinary financial accounts may have different concerns from a business owner, real-estate investor or family responsible for supporting a dependent adult.

An Older Relative Can No Longer Manage Independently

Aging, illness or injury may leave an adult unable to handle personal or financial responsibilities. Family members may notice unpaid bills, neglected property, unsafe decisions or increasing difficulty understanding important transactions.

Howell, Parfet & Schau handles adult guardianships and conservatorships. A guardianship may give an appointed person authority over personal and care-related decisions. A conservatorship concerns the management of money, property and other financial affairs.

Court involvement may become necessary when effective advance arrangements are unavailable. Relatives may need to demonstrate why assistance is required and why the proposed guardian or conservator is an appropriate choice.

These proceedings can affect where the person lives, how care is arranged and who has access to financial resources. The person appointed may also have continuing obligations to the court while serving in that role.

You Have Been Asked to Administer a Parent’s Estate

Estate administration can require much more than reading the will and dividing personal belongings. The person responsible for the estate may need to identify assets, secure property, address financial obligations and determine what must be handled through probate.

Howell, Parfet & Schau assists with estate and probate administration. The work can involve guiding a personal representative through the legal process and helping determine how the deceased person’s instructions apply to the property involved.

An estate may include a home, bank and investment accounts, vehicles, business interests or real estate. Some assets may be controlled by the will, while others may transfer through a trust, joint ownership or beneficiary designation.

Administrative duties often fall on a close relative who is also coping with the death. Legal guidance can help that person understand their authority, organize the estate and address questions from heirs and beneficiaries before distributing property.

Family Members Disagree About the Estate

Probate disputes can arise when family members interpret a will differently, question how property is being managed or disagree about what the deceased person intended. The conflict may involve beneficiaries, the personal representative or another person claiming an interest in the estate.

Howell, Parfet & Schau handles probate litigation and related civil disputes. Its work includes both advocacy and litigation when estate administration becomes contested.

A beneficiary may question whether property has been properly identified or valued. Family members may disagree about whether a home or other important asset should be retained, sold or distributed. Concerns may also arise over the personal representative’s decisions or the handling of estate money.

These disputes can delay administration and increase expenses. Resolving them may require examining the estate documents, ownership records, transactions and actions taken after the death.

Several Relatives Inherit the Family Home or Other Real Estate

Real estate can be one of the most difficult assets to administer. A property may have financial value while also carrying strong personal significance for the family. Several beneficiaries may inherit interests in the same home but have different plans for it.

Howell, Parfet & Schau handles real-estate transactions and disputes, including residential and commercial matters. That experience can be relevant when estate administration requires a sale, ownership transfer or resolution of a property disagreement.

Inherited real estate may involve title questions, maintenance expenses, existing tenants or construction concerns. If one beneficiary wants to keep the property, the family may need to determine whether that person can acquire the interests of the others.

Real-estate issues can also affect planning before death. Property ownership and estate documents should work together so that the intended transfer is legally effective and the person responsible for the estate understands what must be done.

The Estate Includes a Family Business

A closely held business may represent a large portion of the owner’s estate while also providing income for relatives and employees. Planning must consider what happens to ownership and management if the owner retires, becomes incapacitated or dies.

Howell, Parfet & Schau advises corporations, limited liability companies, professional practices and other business clients. Its services include contracts, corporate matters, mergers and acquisitions, employment issues, construction law and disputes between shareholders or business owners.

Business planning can intersect with estate planning when ownership will pass to relatives or when only some beneficiaries participate in the company. The family may need to balance continued operation with the inheritance interests of children or other beneficiaries who do not work in the business.

After an owner’s death, the personal representative may need to address the business interest while the estate remains open. Existing agreements, company records and ownership structure may determine whether the interest can be transferred, sold or retained.

A Trust or Business Faces a Contract or Property Dispute

The firm represents trusts as well as individuals and business entities. A trust may own real estate, hold a business interest or become involved in a contractual disagreement that affects its beneficiaries.

Howell, Parfet & Schau handles contracts, construction law, employment matters, commercial disputes and real-estate issues. These services can become relevant during estate or trust administration when the fiduciary inherits an unresolved legal problem.

For example, a trustee may need to manage commercial property subject to a lease, address a pending sale or respond to a claim involving construction work. A personal representative may discover an unsettled contract or business dispute after taking responsibility for an estate.

Resolving the underlying issue may be necessary before the fiduciary can value, sell or distribute the affected property. Experience across estate, business and real-estate matters can help address the connected questions within the administration.

Serving Clients From Downtown Kalamazoo

Howell, Parfet & Schau is a Kalamazoo boutique law firm serving individuals, trusts, corporations, limited liability companies, professional practices, financial institutions, developers, manufacturers and other clients. Its office is located on East Michigan Avenue in downtown Kalamazoo.

Practice Areas

• Estate Planning

• Wills and Trusts

• Estate Administration

• Probate Litigation

• Adult Guardianships

• Adult Conservatorships

• Business Law

• Corporations and Limited Liability Companies

• Contracts

• Mergers and Acquisitions

• Real-Estate Law

• Construction Law

• Employment Matters

• Commercial and Civil Litigation