Estate Planning and Elder Law Lawyers in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Legacy Law Center - Terrence A. Bertram, PLLC

2950 S. State Street, Suite 300
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104
USA

(734) 995-2383

(734) 995-0522

www.legacypllc.com

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Law Firm Overview Free Consultation

Legacy Law Center is a boutique law firm concentrating in the areas of estate planning, probate and estate administration, elder law, Medicaid planning and Veteran's Administration planning. We are committed to providing each of our clients with the experienced representation and superior client service they deserve.

At Legacy Law Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, we are committed to helping individuals and families plan for the future, realize their goals and obtain peace of mind. Many of our clients come to us seeking sophisticated estate tax planning services, Medicaid planning advice and other legal measures designed to protect their assets, but what they receive from us is so much more.

Undoubtedly, we have the expertise to limit our clients' exposure to state and federal estate taxes, probate costs and nursing home expenses. Our attorneys have helped hundreds of clients obtain greater financial freedom through careful planning. However, financial security is just a part of the benefit of careful estate and elder planning. In addition to protecting our clients' financial security, we aim to provide our clients with a sense of calm, a secure plan for their future medical care and a well-devised plan for the protection of their families.

Whether you need help with estate planning, probate and estate administration, elder law, Medicaid planning or Veteran's Administration planning, our attorneys can provide the expert advice and personalized support you need. We strive to provide the highest quality legal advice available, offering more than 25 years of experience in a warm, friendly and supportive atmosphere. Our firm is a participating provider with many legal plans. Our lawyers are members of several local, state and national organizations addressing estate planning, asset protection, tax, elder law, Medicaid planning and related issues.

Practice Areas

Practice Areas Description

- Estate Planning

Legacy Law Center provides, or most of our clients, we prepare the following documents as part of our complete estate planning practice: A Revocable Living Trust; A “Pour Over” Will, which transfers assets outside the Trust at death into the Trust; A Certificate of Trust, which summarizes the terms of your document if third parties want to see “proof” of your Trust Funding Instructions, guidelines for transferring assets into the name of the Trust; Life Insurance Summary, provides a location for you to identify all life insurance policies for your children or loved ones; Location Lists and Family Information, identifies where all important documents are located and lists the people to contact in the event of death; An Estate Planning Letter, outlines our burial and funeral instructions and a place to write personal messages to your family; Advanced Health Care Directive, authorizes the people you select to manage your health care decisions if you become incapacitated; and Property Power of Attorney, authorizes the people you select to manage your financial assets and property.

- Special Needs Trust

Adults with special needs who are receiving Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and other government benefits may benefit substantially from the creation of a special needs trust. Since these government programs have strict eligibility requirements, passing significant assets to your child during or after your passing could jeopardize his or her eligibility if not done properly. Trusts can help someone with special needs retain eligibility for government benefits. In addition, a trust document can ensure that your child does not spend all of the funds in a short period of time, thus leaving him or her without the lifelong support you desire.

- Estate Tax Planning

Federal and state estate tax laws are constantly evolving. If you have not had your estate planning documents reviewed recently by an experienced estate planning lawyer, you could be missing out on some powerful opportunities to pass on a greater share of your estate to your children, siblings or other loved ones. Our specialized focus allows us to bring the latest techniques and advanced planning tools available to give you answers to difficult questions, as well as peace of mind. We can assist with: federal estate tax avoidance, state estate tax avoidance, asset protection, irrevocable trusts, credit shelter trusts, AB trusts and other sophisticated trust instruments, spousal exemptions, charitable trusts and other advanced estate planning measures.

- Elder Law

Elder law refers to Medicaid planning, guardianships and conservatorships, advocating for people who may be entitled to certain government benefits, and representation on behalf of seniors who have been financially exploited or physically abused. With more than 25 years of experience in elder law matters, our lawyers are prepared to provide the sound advice and sophisticated representation you need. We strive to provide the highest quality customer service available, offering a wide range of elder law services in a warm, friendly, supportive atmosphere. We are pleased when our clients tell us that our office is both highly professional and comforting. Whether you need assistance with a simple will or trust, complex estate tax planning, nursing home and long-term care planning or another matter vital to your security, our attorneys can provide the expert advice and superior client service you require.

- Medicaid Planning

Most people think they have to “spend down” all of their income -- and give up most, if not all, of their assets before the federal-state Medicaid program will cover their nursing home costs. That is not true, however. Our attorneys can show you legal techniques and strategies that will allow you to be covered by Medicaid and still keep your home and many of your assets, while giving some of your assets away to family members or other loved ones. The law allows this, but you have to know how. That's why it is critical to have the assistance of experts who know how to do it.

- Wartime Veteran's Benefits

Obtaining benefits is not automatic. You must be found eligible to qualify for veteran's benefits. Through legal mechanisms, you can improve your chances of qualifying. Some veterans automatically disqualify themselves by saying they have too many assets. Unfortunately, they may have been able to qualify if they had retained an experienced veteran's benefits lawyer at our firm. Through proper planning and the creation of trusts, we may be able to increase your chances of obtaining veteran's benefits. We can also help during the application process. Getting the right advice is essential to safeguard your rights. Our firm offers a Veteran's Affairs (VA) accredited attorney. We help reposition assets and income to maximize your chance for success.

- Probate Administration

After death, if there are assets in the name of the decedent alone, the estate has to go through probate. Probate courts have procedures that must be followed in order to take possession of an asset. Our law firm regularly handles probate proceedings on behalf of clients. We offer comprehensive probate services from A to Z, including the filing of petitions, notices to creditors and other services required throughout the probate process. We offer probate services for clients whose loved one died with a will or without a will.

- Estate and Probate Mediation

A mediator is a neutral third party who attempts to facilitate an agreement between two or more parties in a legal dispute in order to help the parties avoid litigation. A mediator does not act as an attorney for either party and does not provide legal advice to either party. As a mediator, Rosemary J. Frenza meets with both sides individually and then conducts at least one group meeting. The benefits of mediation can be significant: Mediation can dramatically reduce legal costs by helping the parties avoid protracted litigation. ; The mediator can facilitate communication as an impartial third party.; Mediation is not a matter of public record.; and It gives parties that are subject to a dispute greater control over the outcome of their case.