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Grover & Verlinden, Attorneys at Law
, Marquette, MI (906) 226-9777
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Address 221 W. Washington Street Marquette, MI 49855 Hours Monday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Wednesday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Thursday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday closed Sunday closed Business Services Estate Planning, Family Law, Civil Litigation, Criminal Defense
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Business Type: Laura M. Grover and Joy D. Verlinden are now expanding the estate planning services they offer to clients.
Estate Planning is a basic means to convey your wishes in the event that you are unable to communicate them due to incapacity or death. During the course of our work with clients in the areas of family law, probate, civil litigation, and even criminal defense, we have repeatedly encountered situations where some basic estate planning could have saved people a great deal of heartache, time, and expense.
Most people do not need a particularly complex estate plan, but there are some simple steps that can be taken to avoid most problems that arise. Even if you do not have complex estate planning needs, it is important to educate yourself so that you know what will happen if you do nothing.
Some simple estate planning can relieve you and the people you care about of a great deal of stress during times of crisis. Take a moment to consider what would happen if you became unable to communicate. What would happen to your minor children if they were suddenly orphaned? What happens to your property when you die? These types of issues determine what planning is necessary for your particular concerns.
We provide straightforward guidance to assist you in making these decisions for yourself.
Grover & Verlinden are committed to providing friendly and efficient service in evaluating each client’s individual planning needs, ensuring that clients understand what options are available, and how to use them. They work with clients to develop a plan that will best meet their needs and help them take the steps necessary to implement their plan. They strive to maintain the type of working rapport with their clients that encourages them to return for services in the event that their life planning needs change. They provide straightforward guidance to assist you in making decisions about these matters for yourself. The offices of Grover & Verlinden are conveniently located in downtown Marquette with parking available.
DISCLAIMER: This web site is for informational purposes only. Every case is unique and estate planning and legal advice should be based on the unique facts and circumstances of each client. The content contained on this web site only provides general information. It does not provide, and should not be relied upon as, legal advice. It does not establish an attorney-client relationship. The content of any e-mail or voice mail sent to the law offices of Grover & Verlinden will not create an attorney-client relationship. All uses of the content contained in this web site, other than for personal use, are prohibited.
Learn what you need to know before preparing your estate plan.
Laura M. Grover Laura M. Grover graduated from Northern Michigan University and Hamline University School of Law. She has been practicing law in Marquette, Michigan since 1991. She is a partner in Grover & Verlinden. Joy D. Verlinden Joy D. Verlinden graduated from Northern Michigan University and Thomas M. Cooley School of Law. She has been practicing law in Marquette, Michigan since 2001. She is a partner in Grover & Verlinden.
Question What is estate planning? Answer Estate planning is addressing the unknown. When developing an estate plan, the attorney essentially creates documents that assist an individual in handling matters related to their property and medical care while they are living and what will happen to their property after their death. Answer A will is a set of instructions to a Probate Court regarding how an individual wishes their property to be distributed after their death. Question What happens if I die without a will? Answer If you do not have a will, Michigan law directs how an individual's property shall be distributed after death. In many cases, the law reflects what an individual's wishes regarding their property are anyway. However if you do not prepare a will, you have no say if your wishes are other than what the law requires. The procedure for distributing your estate can become more burdensome on your family, involving delay and cost, than if you provide even a basic will. Answer A trust is a legal entity created by a person (grantor) for the benefit of the designated beneficiaries according to the terms stated in the trust document. The trustee of the trust is the person nominated by the grantor who is responsible for managing the trust. There are many different reasons that a trust is recommended in the course of estate planning. Unlike a will, which is a set of directions to be done upon your death, a trust is a legal entity like a corporation that you control. The trust becomes the owner of your property, but you maintain control of the trust. Question What is a medical power of attorney? Answer In Michigan, a medical power of attorney is a document that appoints a patient advocate to make medical decisions for an individual when that individual is unable to express their own wishes for medical treatment. This document contains a statement explaining what decisions a patient advocate is authorized to make, and an expression of an individual's wishes regarding what medical treatments and/or procedures should or should not be performed in the event that the individual is unable to express their own wishes. Question What if I do not have a medical power of attorney? Answer If you do not have a medical power of attorney and become unable to communicate with your physicians, then someone must petition the court for guardianship in order to have legal authority to make medical decisions for you. Court intervention into personal family matters can be required in order to obtain authorization to pursue medical options. Question What is a HIPPA Release? Answer A HIPPA Release is generally prepared in conjunction with a medical power of attorney. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) provides federal protections for personal health information held by hospitals, doctors, and other covered entities and identifies a person's rights with respect to that information. The law provides mechanisms by which personal health information needed for patient care and other important purposes may be disclosed. A HIPPA Release is a document that allows designated individuals to access medical records. This includes relatives who are permitted to be advised of an individual's medical status. Question What is a durable power of attorney? Answer A durable power of attorney is a document that appoints an individual's agent for any purpose authorized within the document. The document is called "durable" because it remains in effect even if the individual becomes incapacitated. This document is typically intended to deal with an individual's financial matters and interests in property. This would include simple transactions such as banking, paying bills, and hiring care givers. Question What if I do not have a durable power of attorney? Answer If an individual does not have a durable power of attorney and requires assistance to manage certain financial matters on their own behalf, any transactions done on an individual's behalf could be undone by a court. For instance, just because your son is included on your checking account with you and can therefore write checks from that account, it does not mean he can enter into contracts on your behalf, borrow money from a bank, or sign checks from a different account. If this type of authority becomes necessary, it can create financial problems for you and your loved ones. Question Why should I see a lawyer instead of buying a do-it-yourself kit for estate planning? Answer Estate planning kits do not involve an in-depth interview by a trained attorney who can assist you in tailoring an estate plan to your individual situation. Inartful use of language can result in a court interpreting self-prepared documents in a manner inconsistent with the actual wishes of the writer. Even a simple misunderstanding about the use of do-it-yourself kit forms can have unintended consequences. The issues that estate planning addresses are too important to undertake lightly; it is always best to have all of your questions answered thoroughly before finalizing your plan.
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