Hi, I’m Doug McPhail. For more than 30 years, I’ve been helping Michigan families like yours protect themselves and their assets through estate planning.
Relax, estate planning is not just a morbid exercise that’s limited to telling your family what you want done after your death. Most people acknowledge that “someday” they should get a Last Will and Testament in place. However, that’s an old model of planning. Too often there’s a fear factor that sets in because we associate estate planning with dying. And, who really likes to talk about that?
Just what is estate planning anyway?
Estate planning is not just about quickly signing some legal documents like a Last Will and Testament and hoping it all works out.
In my experience, a good estate plan cannot be created without taking the time to discover information about you, your health, your family history, your goals and wishes, as well as, a careful review of what you own, how it is titled, and what it is worth.
When done effectively, estate planning is a carefully thought out process. It assures your ability to keep control over your assets while you are alive and well, provides proper instructions about your own care (or the care of others) if you become disabled, and assures that upon your death, what you own goes to who you want, how you want, in the most efficient way possible.
Frequently, I’m asked the question: “Can’t I just do it myself? I found some forms on the internet that look like they’d work just fine.” That well-intended question is, in part, a reflection of the do-it-yourself culture in which we live.
The motivation to do planning without experienced professional help is usually rooted in the desire to save a little money in the short run. But the truth is that taking the law into your hands when it comes to protecting your family is, in most cases, a dangerous maneuver that could imperil everything you’ve saved when it matters most.
Whether your goal is avoiding probate, saving taxes, protecting your assets from the costs of nursing home care, or simply having the peace of mind that your affairs are in order, I have a proven process to protect you and your family. And, I’d like to help.
Starting the planning process is easy. Give my Team a call at (231) 799-4994 to set up a complimentary Get Acquainted Call or click the button below.
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