Where is Your Last Will and Testament?

See if you can locate the ORIGINAL signed copy of your Last Will and Testament and let your nominated executor (or personal representative) know where it is. Also, check with your parents to see where they are storing their Wills.

It most likely will be:

  • In your attorney’s office;
  • In your safe deposit box;
  • In your home; or,
  • At your resident county probate court for safekeeping.

Elyse W. Germack, Attorney and CPA

Law Offices of Elyse W. Germack, PLLC Birmingham MI

Similar Posts

  • Changes to Tax Deductions for Individual Taxpayers

    Beginning with the 2025 and 2026 calendar years, many significant changes to individual income tax laws will take effect, creating both opportunities and considerations for taxpayers. Beginning with 2025, more individual taxpayers will be able to itemize deductions, rather than relying solely on the standard deduction.  Thanks, in large part, to the increased SALT deduction….

  • Multi-Generational Wealth Transfer Planning

    Irrevocable trusts are the path to using your gift, generation-skipping, and estate tax exemptions, saving taxes, and protecting assets in the current legislative environment. Use Exemption Now: The current (2025) estate, gift and generation skipping transfer tax (GST) exemptions are a generous $13,990,000, and are scheduled to automatically revert to about $7,000,000 on 1/1/2026.  This…

  • Family Loans

    If you are concerned about potential gift or estate tax exposure and reporting, and believe the stock market (or any other investment) has the potential to appreciate from here, then now is a great time to consider family loans. Consider this simplistic example: You would like to make a gift to a trust for the…

  • Trustee Duty to Send Beneficiary Accountings

    Maybe so.  Regardless, it is prudent. What is a Fiduciary Accounting? A Trustee generally has an annual duty to report to the trust beneficiaries in the form of a fiduciary accounting. ·         A fiduciary accounting is a comprehensive report of the financial activity within a trust (or estate) during the reporting period. ·         The accounting…

  • Family Office Services Explored

    Because of the complexity and demands of running a family business, certain business formalities often fall by the wayside. Some patterns reoccur and common mistakes are made with family business owners who have either outgrown their existing set of advisors, have insufficient professional support, or are trying to DIY their legal, tax, or accounting work….

  • Wealth Administration as We Age

    After decades of advising families on tax and estate planning, I have come to the conclusion that the year of attaining age 80 is often the most appropriate time to make a dramatic shift in how families are currently handling and communicating about their personal, financial, tax and legal affairs. Most people keep some level…