Powerful Asset Protection for Michigan Families
We Can Help You Choose the Right Tools to Protect Your Assets.
Keys to Protecting Your Assets.
Understand Your Risk.
Success invites scrutiny. Many professionals and business owners operate under a false sense of security, assuming that "doing the right thing" prevents legal trouble. In reality, your high-value assets make you a target for predatory litigation. We help you move from denial to defense, acknowledging that as your net worth grows, so does the "gravity" attracting claims against you.
Move Beyond a Living Trust.
A standard Revocable Living Trust is an excellent tool for probate avoidance, but it offers zero protection against lawsuits or creditors. To truly safeguard your wealth, you need to build one or more "firewalls" around your assets. We have several options to keep your assets out of reach from creditors while allowing you to maintain the control and enjoyment of the legacy you've built. Let's discuss which ones will work for you.
Use Strategic Isolation.
If your assets are all held in one "bucket," a single liability event—a business dispute, a tenant injury, or a malpractice claim—can jeopardize your entire estate. We implement a "watertight bulkhead" strategy, separating your personal home from your business risks and your professional holdings from your family’s future. By compartmentalizing your wealth, you ensure that a crisis in one area of your life remains isolated.
Timing is Everything.
You cannot buy fire insurance while the house is already burning. Under Michigan law, moving assets after a claim arises or a lawsuit is filed can be construed as a "fraudulent transfer," allowing a court to easily reverse your protection. True security must be established during "calm waters." We help you deploy your defenses now so that your safe harbor is fully established before a storm ever hits.
Asset Protection Tools at a Glance.
Asset protection can seem overwhelming at first. But once you select the right tool, everything becomes clearer.
Domestic Asset Protection Trust
The Michigan DAPT allows you to shield your personal wealth from future lawsuits while remaining a permissible beneficiary of the trust. It is a sophisticated, proactive tool designed to provide a legal safety net for business owners and high-risk professionals.
Family Legacy Trust
This trust leverages Michigan’s "zero-out" rule to create an impenetrable barrier between your family’s assets and potential personal creditors. By ensuring the settlor has no legal right to distributions, the law prevents any creditor from seizing the trust's principal or income.
Family LLC
A Family LLC consolidates your family investments into a single entity, providing a "charging order" wall that protects assets from a member's personal creditors. This structure allows you to maintain 100% management control while beginning a long-term strategy for protected wealth transfer.
Asset Protection LLC
By placing individual rental properties or business interests into separate LLC "silos," you create physical bulkheads that contain liability to a single asset. This strategy ensures that a lawsuit involving one specific property cannot legally reach or sink the rest of your investment portfolio.
Special Needs Trust
A Third-Party SNT allows you to provide for a disabled loved one’s quality of life without disqualifying them from essential government benefits like SSI or Medicaid. It ensures your legacy is used for supplemental care and joy rather than being exhausted on basic medical expenses or state payback.
Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust
An ILIT removes your life insurance policy from your personal estate, shielding the death benefit from both estate taxes and potential creditor claims. This specialized tool ensures your family receives the full liquidity of the policy exactly when they need it most, without legal interference.
Stop Guessing. Start Protecting.
Asset protection in Michigan is not a "one-size-fits-all" document. The right strategy depends on your specific risk profile and family goals. Let's talk about it.
Your Path to Peace of Mind.
No obligation. No worries.
Get the personal guidance you need.
Step 1:
Schedule a Consultation.
Book time for a free consultation to discuss your goals, questions, and our flat-fee options.
Step 2:
Prepare for Your Meeting.
Once your appointment is confirmed, we will email you our
Estate Planning Worksheet. Spend 20 minutes organizing your thoughts so our meeting is 100% focused on your needs.
Step 3:
Create Your Custom Plan.
Work with us to design a plan that fits you perfectly. No hourly bills. No hidden costs. Just clear guidance.