"Anyone may arrange his affairs so that his taxes shall be as low as possible,” federal appeals court Judge Hand famously wrote in 1934. “[H]e is not bound to choose that pattern which best pays the treasury. There is not even a patriotic duty to increase one's taxes.”
Proper estate planning does exactly what Judge Hand promises. It allows you to take personal control over your estate, determining how your assets are handled during your life and distributed after your death.
A sound estate plan eliminates unwanted government involvement and minimizes the potential for disputes among heirs and beneficiaries. In short, it provides peace of mind.
Experience as trusted advisors
Foster Swift’s estate planning attorneys have decades of experience drafting estate plans, including:
- Foundational Estate plans, consisting of a will, revocable trust, and powers of attorney for medical and financial decisions
- Estate Tax Planning Trusts
- Marital Deduction and Qualified Terminable Interest Property Trusts
- Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts
- Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts
- Special Needs Trusts
- Charitable Trusts
- Pet Trusts
- Family LLC’s , Intentionally Defective Irrevocable Trusts and other Gift Leveraging Tools
- Business Succession Planning
- Estate and Trust Administration
Each plan is tailored to the individual needs of our diverse clientele. This includes the young family just beginning their life together to the affluent, well-established business executive concerned with the succession of the family business.
Whether the estate is simple or complex, the goal of the estate plan is the same: to achieve personal and family objectives and to minimize tax liability.
Recent Blog Posts
Publications & Alerts
- Michigan Authorizes New Asset Protection Trusts, Foster Swift Finance, Real Estate & Bankruptcy News, February 7, 2017
- Legalease: Choosing Correct Power of Attorney for a "Control Freak", West Michigan Plus, March 28, 2016
- So That’s What Those Legal Terms Actually Mean, go60.us, July 2015
- What Else Can We Do For You?, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, June 30, 2015
- How to Make Your Eventual Executor Less Stressed Out, go60.us, April 3, 2015
- Separate Trusts? It's Both Complicated and Crucial - Be Sure You Understand What You Need, go60.us, February 10, 2015
News
- Janssen Receives Community Foundation Philanthropy Award, Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce, June 6, 2018
- Foster Swift Launches Elder Law Blog, May 23, 2018
- Foster Swift Elects Executive Committee Members for 2018, February 13, 2018
- Foster Swift Southfield Office Has Second Growth Spurt, September 18, 2017
- Jonathan David awarded Honorable Mention in Michigan Bar Journal Short-Story Contest, August 3, 2015
- Entrepreneur Institute of Mid-Michigan names Attorney Joel C. Farrar "Volunteer of the Year", June 11, 2015
- Foster Swift Welcomes New Associate Erica Huddas, April 14, 2010
Events
- Life-cycle of Your Business: Learning How to Avoid the Most Common Business Pitfalls, Greater Farmington Area Chamber of Commerce, May 10, 2018
- Foster Swift Attorney Presents Estate Planning for Farmers, Michigan Farm Bureau, February 26, 2018
- You’re Just the Scrivener: How to Avoid Being a Witness in a Will or Trust Contest, May 2017
- Estate Planning Seminar, Michigan Farm Bureau, April 29, 2015
- Estate Planning Seminar, Michigan Farm Bureau, January 27, 2015 & February 4, 2015
- Estate Planning Presentation, Rose Park Baptist Church, October 18, 2014
- Estate and Succession Planning for Family-Owned Agri-Businesses, Michigan Cattlemen's Association, January 21, 2012