Estate Planning Attorney in Dalton Township, MI
Certified Elder Law Attorney Serving
West Michigan
Over 30 Years of Estate Planning Experience in West Michigan
Estate planning records your wishes for your property, finances, health care, and loved ones. David Waterstradt helps individuals and families in Dalton Township create personalized estate plans using documents selected for their circumstances and goals.
An estate plan is not limited to people with substantial wealth. It can help you identify who should receive your property, choose who may act for you if you become incapacitated, provide for minor children, and make your wishes easier for your family to understand. David provides practical guidance so you can make informed decisions about each part of your plan.
Estate Planning for Your Property & Family
Your estate includes the property and accounts you own, regardless of their value. A complete plan addresses what should happen to those assets after your death while also preparing for decisions that may arise during your lifetime.
Estate plans should be reviewed as your life changes. Marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, retirement, changes in property, or the death of someone named in your documents can all affect whether your existing plan still reflects your wishes. An attorney can review your circumstances and explain which documents may need to be created or updated.
What a Michigan Will Can Do
A will provides instructions for property controlled by the document. It can identify beneficiaries, name an executor to administer your estate, and nominate a guardian for minor children.
A will does not avoid probate. Property titled solely in your name and controlled by your will generally must pass through the probate process before it can be distributed. Creating a will remains an important part of estate planning, but it may need to be coordinated with beneficiary designations, jointly owned property, or a living trust.
When a Living Trust May Make Sense
A revocable living trust can provide instructions for managing and distributing assets transferred into the trust. It may help those assets avoid probate, provide greater privacy, and allow a trustee you select to manage them if you become incapacitated.
A trust can also continue after your death. This allows you to direct how assets should be managed for minor children, a beneficiary with a disability, or someone who may need protection from creditor, divorce, or spending concerns. Whether a trust belongs in your plan depends on your property, beneficiaries, and priorities.
Powers of Attorney & Patient Advocate Designations
Estate planning also prepares for the possibility that you may be unable to make or communicate decisions. A durable financial power of attorney allows you to select an agent to handle authorized property and financial matters for you.
A patient advocate designation addresses medical and personal care decisions. It allows you to name someone you trust to act when you are unable to participate in those decisions. Coordinating these documents with your will or trust creates a plan that addresses both lifetime needs and the eventual distribution of your estate.
Schedule With a CELA Serving West Michigan for 30+ Years
David Waterstradt is a Certified Elder Law Attorney through the National Elder Law Foundation. He has more than 30 years of experience with estate planning and related elder law matters in West Michigan. From the firm’s Muskegon office, David provides down-to-earth guidance tailored to each client’s family, property, and concerns. Schedule a consultation to create or update your estate plan in Dalton Township, MI.