Blog - Estate Planning - Rickard & Associates

Rickard & Associates, P.C. – Estate Planning Blog

Welcome to our Estate Planning Blog. Here you will find helpful information related to estate planning, including posts about trusts, wills, probate, powers of attorney and more. We are here to help. If you want more information or need help with your estate plan, call us today – (586) 498-0600.

March 21, 2024

Getting Remarried? Here’s What You Need to Know

If you are getting remarried, it is essential to understand your spouse’s inheritance rights and your rights. We can help you stay on top of...

January 11, 2024

How Can I Simplify Estate Planning?

Often, we hear from clients that they want a simple estate plan. What they really mean is that they don’t have the time, understanding, or...

December 7, 2023

I Have a Trust. Now What?

Sometimes, people will tell us that they did their trust a few years ago so they are done with estate planning. This may or may...

November 30, 2023

Should I Add My Child to My Bank Account?

The answer to this is almost always, no. Adding someone to your bank account, even someone you trust inherently, can have huge risks. We can...

November 9, 2023

How Can I Maximize My Children’s Inheritance?

Many of our clients want to protect their children’s inheritance. We help them plan to protect their children’s inheritance. We can help you stay on...

October 19, 2023

Breaking: National Conference Speech

Exciting news! This weekend, Lori-Ann Rickard, President of Rickard & Associates will be speaking in Washington DC at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference....

October 12, 2023

Do I Need an Estate Plan?

While many people think that they don’t need an estate plan, because they don’t think they have enough money, that often isn’t the case. There...

September 14, 2023

What is Estate Planning?

Many people have a general idea about estate planning, but don’t always know what estate planning entails and how it can help your situation, your...

August 31, 2023

Do I Need an Estate Plan if I Have POD Beneficiaries?

Yes! Some people think that they can effectively avoid estate planning by listing Pay on Death (POD) or Transfer on Death (TOD) beneficiaries on their...

August 24, 2023

Is Michigan a Community Property State?

No! Many clients believe that when they die, all of their assets will transfer to their spouse. This is not true. We can help you...

August 10, 2023

Preventing Family Disputes Through Estate Planning

In our practice, one of the worst things we see is a family torn apart by probate proceedings of a loved one or by making...

July 27, 2023

Common Estate Planning Misunderstandings

Many of our clients have preconceived notions about estate planning. We often hear many of the same questions and assumptions, over and over. We can...

July 20, 2023

Can You Protect Your Child’s Inheritance From Their Spouse?

Many of our clients want to plan for their children’s future, when drafting their estate plans. However, some of our clients are concerned about their...

July 13, 2023

Aretha Franklin’s Wills Dispute

If you have been following the news, you may have seen that there is a dispute regarding Aretha Franklin’s estate plan. Her sons are in...

July 6, 2023

What is an Irrevocable Trust?

A trust is an estate planning tool that allows a person to control their assets during their lifetime and make provisions for incapacity and death....

June 29, 2023

New Baby? Time to Update Your Estate Plan

We often have clients ask us when the best time to do their estate plan is and the answer is usually, right now! This is...

June 22, 2023

Estate Planning: 5 Things to Consider

If you are preparing to draft your estate plan with your estate planning attorney, there are a variety of issues that you will need to...

June 15, 2023

Top 5 Reasons Not to Have an Estate Plan

We often hear many reasons why people do not have an estate plan or why they are putting off creating their estate plan. We can...

June 8, 2023

Need a Practical High School Graduation Gift?

We’ve got you covered. If you know a recent high school graduate, you should find out if they have a simple estate plan to allow...

June 1, 2023

How Can You Protect Your Children?

Many of our estate planning clients have children and want to protect their children. We can help you stay on top of the latest news...

May 25, 2023

Why Shouldn’t I Use an Online Will?

Online wills often do more harm than good. Many people look to the internet when preparing estate planning documents, like wills and trusts, but this...