Michigan families and caretakers should stay informed about critical Elder Law updates. This article reviews three key bills in the 2025-2026 legislative session, including the push for a Silver Alert system to protect vulnerable adults and new proposed jury duty exemptions that recognize the essential work of full-time caregivers. Learn how these legislative efforts impact Estate Planning and securing peace of mind for your loved ones.

A revocable living trust is a powerful estate planning tool, but what exactly is it and how can it benefit you? This article explains what a revocable living trust is, how it works, and common mistakes to avoid. Learn how Thompson Legal can help you secure your legacy with a comprehensive estate plan.

Explore the full range of long-term care options in Michigan, including home-based care, assisted living, and skilled nursing facilities. Learn the differences between custodial and skilled care, how to evaluate senior care needs, and key legal planning strategies to protect your family’s assets. Thompson Legal helps Michigan families navigate elder care decisions with confidence and clarity.

When your child turns 18 and heads to college, you lose the legal authority to make critical financial and medical decisions on their behalf. This article explains the two essential documents every college student needs: a Financial Power of Attorney and a Medical Power of Attorney, also known as a Patient Advocate Designation in Michigan.

In an increasingly interconnected world, individuals often hold assets in multiple countries or have familial ties spanning continents. This reality brings unique complexities to estate planning, particularly concerning the validity and enforcement of wills across different legal systems. For Michigan residents or those with assets in the state, a crucial question arises: will Michigan recognize a will executed internationally? In this article the experienced Estate Planning attorneys of Thompson Legal will provide a further understanding of international wills and their application in Michigan. 

This article clarifies the distinctions between a power of attorney, a voluntary arrangement made by a capable individual, and guardianship, a court-appointed relationship for those deemed incapacitated. Choosing between the two depends on the individual's mental capacity, desired control, and specific needs, with power of attorney generally preferred for its proactive and less restrictive nature.

This article provides an overview of Medicare and Medicaid in Michigan, focusing on their implications for elder care and estate planning. The Michigan Estate Planning attorneys of Thompson Legal emphasize the importance of integrating these programs into estate planning to protect assets and ensure access to necessary care.

Discretionary trusts offer a powerful solution, providing flexibility and control over your wealth. The trustee has the power to decide which beneficiaries receive distributions, how much they receive, and when they receive it. Thompson Legal’s latest blog post delves into the world of discretionary trusts, exploring their benefits and how they work.

Enhanced Life Estate Deeds, also known as Ladybird Deeds, allow Michigan property owners to retain control of their property while alive and seamlessly transfer it to beneficiaries upon death, avoiding probate. This article explores the benefits, considerations, and steps involved in executing a Ladybird Deed, highlighting its advantages in estate planning.

Planning for unexpected health events is a crucial part of estate planning. Michigan law provides various ways to ensure your medical wishes are honored if you become incapacitated. This article explores Michigan's laws on informed consent, patient advocates, and Do-Not-Resuscitate orders, emphasizing the importance of healthcare directives in safeguarding your autonomy and providing clear guidance to loved ones and healthcare providers.

Certain assets require special considerations during estate planning, one of which being firearms. A gun trust provides a more complete estate planning option for those who have a variety of firearms and want to pass those firearms down as a legacy. In this post, Thompson Legal will discuss gun trusts, exploring their benefits, legal considerations, and how a gun trust they can safeguard your firearms for generations to come.

Michigan law generally protects adult children from being legally obligated to pay for their parents' nursing home care, unlike many states with filial responsibility laws. However, it's crucial to understand the exceptions and proactively estate plan to protect both yourself and your parents.

Estate planning is important, but even more so for affected by dementia or similar conditions. Upon diagnosis, it's essential to prioritize finalizing an estate plan promptly in order for your loved ones to actively participate in the process. In this post, the estate planning attorney at Thompson Legal discuss the sensitive nature of estate planning for individuals affected by this diagnosis and the special considerations they face.

While DIY estate planning options seem convenient, they may come with significant risks that could jeopardize or contradict your wishes. In this post, the estate planning attorneys of Thompson Legal will explore some of the dangers that can arise with DIY estate plans.

Blended families, composed of spouses with children from previous marriages, require careful consideration to ensure everyone's needs are met and potential conflicts are minimized. In this article, the estate planning lawyers Thompson Legal detail the special issues and considerations that blended families face, as well as the estate planning options they have to protect their legacies. 

Under Michigan law pets are considered property and cannot own or care for themselves. Pet Trusts provide a legal arrangement wherein your pet companions are to receive continued care, maintenance, and support, even after you are no longer there to provide it.

Michigan's Uniform Power of Attorney Act (UPOAA) is set to revolutionize how we approach standard Power of Attorney (POA) documents. The UPOAA expands agent responsibility and liability, creates guidelines for financial institutions, provides clearer terms for succession and termination. While the changes won't officially roll out until July 1, 2024, Thompson Legal has detailed what's in store and how it affects you and your family.