Estate planning for Birmingham, Michigan families
Wills, revocable living trusts, powers of attorney and probate guidance for Birmingham households; with a flat fee quoted in writing before any work begins.
Birmingham estates tend to hold more moving parts than most: a primary home close to downtown, sometimes a second property up north or in Florida, deferred compensation or stock from a long executive career, a closely held business or partnership interest, and children who are already adults with families of their own. The planning question here is rarely whether a trust is worth it. It is who should control what, in what order, and how to keep the whole arrangement private.
Where we work in and around Birmingham
Birmingham's walkable downtown along Woodward Avenue, the residential blocks east and west of it, the lakeside neighborhoods near Lake Birmingham and Squirrel Lake, and nearby Bloomfield Township, Franklin, Bingham Farms, Beverly Hills, Troy and Royal Oak.
Birmingham at a glance
- Birmingham's walkable downtown along Woodward Avenue is one of the best-known shopping and dining districts in metro Detroit.
- The city is compact, under six square miles, and largely residential, with small lakes running through it.
- Home values are among the highest in Michigan, so the house alone often decides whether an estate ends up in probate.
- Many households here include executive compensation, business interests or a second home up north, which adds moving parts a simple will does not cover.
What a Birmingham estate plan usually includes
- a will or revocable living trust, chosen on whether the estate should stay out of the Pontiac courthouse;
- a financial durable power of attorney so someone can handle bills, accounts and property if you cannot;
- a patient advocate designation naming who makes health care decisions, with a HIPAA authorization so they can actually get the records;
- a review of every beneficiary designation, because retirement accounts and life insurance pass by that form rather than by the will;
- a deed review for the Birmingham home, since real estate is the asset most likely to force a family into probate.
What comes up most often in Birmingham
Privacy, which a will does not provide
A will filed with the court becomes a public record, including what it says and who receives what. A fully funded revocable living trust is not filed, so the terms and the values stay private. For families here that reason alone is often the deciding factor.
Business interests and deferred compensation
A closely held company, a professional practice or a partnership interest is the asset most likely to stall an estate. Succession needs to be written: who runs it, who owns it, and where the money to buy out a deceased owner's share comes from. Those interests also rarely pass through a trust unless the ownership itself is retitled into it.
A second home in another state
A cottage up north stays under Michigan law, but a condo in Florida or Arizona can force a separate probate in that state. Holding out-of-state real estate in a trust avoids running two proceedings at the same time, in two states, with two sets of fees.
Passing wealth to adult children without handing it over
Leaving a substantial share outright to an adult child exposes it to divorce, creditors and poor timing. A continuing trust share can give the child full use and control while keeping the inheritance protected, and the difference in cost between the two approaches is small.
Request a free consultation in Birmingham
Where a Birmingham estate is probated
Birmingham sits in Oakland County, so an estate for someone who lived here is opened at the Oakland County Probate Court in Pontiac. Addresses, hours and filing details are on the Oakland County probate page, and the wider county overview is on the Oakland County estate planning page. Most of that process is avoidable with planning done in advance.
The step almost everyone misses
Services and pricing
- Estate planning services
- Estate plan packages and flat fee pricing
- Articles, probate courts and areas we serve
Book a consultation call
Tell us about your family and what you own. Your request goes directly to Attorney Badri Yono Jr. of Foster Swift Collins & Smith, P.C., who runs a conflict check before contacting you directly. You get a flat fee in writing before any work starts, so there is no meter running and no surprise invoice. Most Birmingham clients finish the whole process without driving to Pontiac once.
Request a free consultation in Birmingham
This is an intake funnel and does not provide legal advice or legal representation. THIS FUNNEL IS NOT A LAW FIRM. Using this funnel or submitting a request does not create an attorney-client relationship. All requests are referred to Attorney Badri Yono Jr. (P88777) of Foster Swift Collins & Smith, P.C., who will provide legal services after an engagement agreement is executed, subject to its terms.
Talk with Attorney Badri Yono Jr.
Tell us about your family and we'll connect you directly with Attorney Badri Yono Jr. of Foster Swift; with a flat fee quoted in writing before any work begins.