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How to Sell a Vacant House in Michigan: Risks, Costs, and Your Best Options

A vacant house might seem like a simple asset to hold onto, but in reality it is one of the most expensive and risky types of property to own in Michigan. Every month a house sits empty, the costs pile up — property taxes, insurance, maintenance, utilities, and the risk of vandalism, squatters, or weather … Continued

Domestic Violence and the Michigan Marital Home: Emergency Sale Options

Domestic Violence and the Michigan Marital Home: Emergency Sale Options + Protective Orders When domestic violence is part of a Michigan marriage, the marital home stops being just a financial asset and becomes a safety issue. If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. This article assumes … Continued

Selling an Inherited Michigan Rental Property: Special Tax + Tenant Rules

Selling an Inherited Michigan Rental Property: Special Tax + Tenant Rules Inheriting a Michigan rental property comes with two pieces of very good news: stepped-up basis under IRC Section 1014 wipes out decades of capital gain and prior depreciation recapture, and Michigan has specific Proposal A uncapping exceptions for certain family transfers. Stepped-Up Basis: The … Continued

Hidden Valuables in a Michigan Estate: Safes, Cash, Coins, and Jewelry

How to Handle Hidden Valuables in a Michigan Estate: Safes, Hidden Cash, Coin Collections, Jewelry Older Michigan homeowners, especially those who lived through the Depression, often hid valuables in places that would surprise their own children. The Personal Representative has a fiduciary duty to find these assets, document them, and include them in the estate. … Continued

Mid-Life Downsizing in Michigan: Pre-Retirement Strategy at Age 50 to 60

Mid-Life Downsizing in Michigan: Pre-Retirement Strategy at Age 50 to 60 Most articles assume you are 70 and finally ready to leave. But increasingly, savvy Michigan empty nesters are making the move 10-15 years earlier, while they still have full energy, stable income, and time to recover from any misstep. Why Age 50-60 Is the … Continued

Probate Avoidance Tools in Michigan: Trusts vs Lady Bird Deeds vs Joint Tenancy

Probate Avoidance Tools in Michigan: Trusts vs Lady Bird Deeds vs Joint Tenancy Michigan probate is not the disaster some seminar speakers make it out to be, but avoiding it can still save your family months of court time, thousands in fees, and a lot of emotional energy. The three main tools Michigan residents use … Continued

Divorce and the Michigan School District Question: Selling vs Staying for Kids

Divorce and the Michigan School District Question: Selling vs Staying for Kids Few decisions weigh on divorcing Michigan parents more than ‘do we keep the kids in their school?’ The marital home is often in a strong school district that the family chose deliberately. Divorce threatens that decision in two ways at once: financially and … Continued

Mid-Month Closings and Rent Proration in Michigan: How Title Companies Calculate It

Mid-Month Closings and Rent Proration in Michigan: How Title Companies Calculate It Closing a Michigan rental on the 1st is clean. Closing on the 17th gets interesting. Rent, security deposits, prepaid utilities, association dues, and property tax all need to be split between the seller and buyer. The Default Michigan Convention Michigan title companies typically … Continued

Selling Vehicles, Boats, and Trailers from a Michigan Estate: Title Process and Tax

Selling Vehicles, Boats, and Trailers from a Michigan Estate: Title Process + Tax Vehicles, boats, snowmobiles, and trailers are some of the simplest assets to liquidate from a Michigan estate, until you try to do it. This guide walks through title transfer for each common vehicle type. Three Paths to Transfer a Michigan Vehicle Title … Continued

How to Involve Adult Children in Your Michigan Downsizing Decision (Without Conflict)

How to Involve Adult Children in Your Michigan Downsizing Decision (Without Conflict) Few decisions stir up family dynamics like a parent’s choice to sell the longtime family home. Adult children may have decades of memories wrapped up in that house. At the same time, parents deserve to make their own housing choices. Decide First Who … Continued

Will Contests in Michigan: Grounds, Process, and What It Actually Costs

Will Contests in Michigan: Grounds, Process, and What It Actually Costs Contesting a will in Michigan is one of the most emotionally and financially expensive disputes a family can take on. It can also be the only way to right a genuine wrong. This guide walks through the four recognized grounds for contesting a Michigan … Continued

How Bird Nesting Works for Michigan Divorcing Parents: Pros, Cons, Logistics

How Bird Nesting Works for Michigan Divorcing Parents: Pros, Cons, Logistics Bird nesting is a parenting arrangement where the children stay put in the family home and the parents rotate in and out on their parenting time. In Michigan, where the 6-month minor-children waiting period gives families time to experiment, bird nesting has gone from … Continued

Section 8 Tenants and Selling Your Michigan Rental: HUD Rules + Buyer Considerations

Section 8 (HCV) Tenants and Selling Your Michigan Rental: HUD Rules + Buyer Considerations If your Michigan rental houses a tenant on a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV, commonly called Section 8), selling the property is routine but follows a different sequence. The HAP contract between the landlord and the local Public Housing Agency (PHA) must … Continued

Selling Firearms from a Michigan Estate: Legal Requirements, Transfers, and Buyers

Selling Firearms from a Michigan Estate: Legal Requirements, Transfers, and Buyers Discovering firearms during an estate cleanup is more common than most Michigan families expect. Michigan has specific legal requirements for transferring firearms from an estate, and the rules differ for handguns versus long guns. This is not legal advice; consult a Michigan firearms attorney … Continued