Wills

Will Attorney in Bloomfield Hills

Michigan Will Drafting Backed by Over Five Decades of Estate Planning Practice

A last will and testament is the document that makes your intentions clear: who receives your assets, who manages your estate as personal representative, and who raises your children if something happens to you. Without one, those decisions move out of your hands entirely. At Barron, Rosenberg, Mayoras & Mayoras P.C., we help Bloomfield Hills families put those decisions in writing with a will that reflects their actual wishes and holds up under Michigan law.

Our firm has served Michigan families since 1970, and our attorneys bring over 90 years of combined legal experience across estate planning, elder law, and probate. This spans wills, trusts, probate administration, and litigation. We can support your plan at every stage, not just at drafting. We’ve held an A+ BBB rating since 1998, and Andrew and Danielle Mayoras have brought national visibility to estate planning and probate issues through Trial & Heirs: Famous Fortune Fights! and appearances on CNN, Forbes, and CBS News Detroit.

Call us at (248) 213-9514 to schedule a free consultation with a will attorney in Bloomfield Hills. We can listen to your situation before we recommend anything.

Why Bloomfield Hills Families Work with Barron, Rosenberg, Mayoras & Mayoras P.C.

We don’t hand clients a form and send them on their way. Before we recommend any approach, we take the time to understand your family structure, your assets, and what matters most to you. Bloomfield Hills families often hold significant real estate, business interests, and investment portfolios, and a will that doesn’t coordinate with those assets creates gaps. We work to identify those gaps before they become problems.

Our attorneys explain every concept in plain language. Clients consistently describe working with us as manageable and empowering rather than intimidating. We also regularly appear in Oakland County Probate Court, and that firsthand experience shapes how we draft: clear, precise language that leaves less room for dispute. Because we handle elder law, trusts, special needs planning, and probate alongside will drafting, the same firm can carry your plan through every stage of life and family change.

What Happens When a Bloomfield Hills Resident Dies Without a Will

Michigan’s intestacy rules under the Estates and Protected Individuals Code distribute assets according to a fixed hierarchy: spouse and children first, then parents, siblings, and more distant relatives. Unmarried partners, stepchildren, and close friends receive nothing by default, regardless of your relationship with them. The court follows the statute, not your intentions.

Dying without a will also means a court decides who raises your minor children, not you. Sentimental items, family heirlooms, and business interests can pass to unintended recipients or require Oakland County Probate Court supervision to resolve disputes. Probate proceedings for Bloomfield Hills estates are filed at the Oakland County Probate Court in Pontiac. They play out in public records and take time and money to resolve.

Michigan Requirements for a Valid Will

Michigan’s Estates and Protected Individuals Code (EPIC), MCL 700.1101 et seq., sets the rules for will creation and execution in this state. Errors that look minor can trigger contested hearings, which is why getting these requirements right matters from the start.

Under MCL 700.2502, a valid Michigan will must meet the following requirements:

The testator must be at least 18 years old and of sound mind
The document must be in writing and signed by the testator, or by someone else in the testator’s conscious presence and at the testator’s direction
At least two witnesses must each sign within a reasonable time after witnessing the testator sign or acknowledge the will
Notarization isn’t legally required, but it can simplify the probate process significantly

Michigan also recognizes holographic wills: dated documents whose signature and material portions are entirely in the testator’s handwriting, under separate requirements. The rules are strict, and errors can lead to contested hearings. Online forms frequently omit Michigan-specific execution steps, which is exactly the kind of problem our attorneys see firsthand at Oakland County Probate Court.

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Will Drafting for Bloomfield Hills Estates

Bloomfield Hills consistently ranks among Michigan’s highest-income communities. Families here often hold layered assets across real estate, business ownership, retirement accounts, and investment portfolios. A standalone document drafted without coordinating those assets can leave significant gaps. We draft wills alongside trusts, powers of attorney, and beneficiary designations so the full plan works together under Michigan’s EPIC framework. Our Center for Elder Law handles the full range of elder law matters, giving Bloomfield Hills clients one firm for wills, incapacity planning, Medicaid planning, and long-term care. Our Center for Special Needs Planning has handled estate planning and disputes for families across this community for decades. One relationship, across every stage.

Schedule a Free Will Consultation with Our Bloomfield Hills Attorneys

Getting a will in place doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. We offer a free initial consultation so you can ask questions and understand your options before committing to anything. We can listen first, then walk you through a plan that fits your family and your goals.

Contact Barron, Rosenberg, Mayoras & Mayoras P.C. by phone at (248) 213-9514 or through our online contact form to schedule your free consultation and begin protecting your family with a will that reflects your wishes under Michigan law.

How a Will Fits Into Your Broader Estate Plan

A will controls how your probate assets are distributed, but it doesn’t touch everything. Assets that pass by beneficiary designation, retirement accounts and life insurance, or by joint ownership move outside your will entirely. If those designations are outdated or inconsistent with your will, the mismatch controls. Coordination across all instruments isn’t optional: it’s where planning either holds together or falls apart.

Trusts & Probate Avoidance

For some Bloomfield Hills families, a revocable living trust makes sense alongside a will. Assets held in a trust can pass to heirs without a formal probate proceeding at Oakland County Probate Court, preserving privacy and reducing administrative costs. The will then serves as a backstop, often called a pour-over will, directing any remaining probate assets into the trust.

Incapacity Planning: Documents That Work Alongside Your Will

A durable financial power of attorney and a patient advocate designation, Michigan’s term for a healthcare power of attorney under MCL 700.5506, address decisions that need to be made during your lifetime if you become unable to make them yourself. Your will doesn’t cover that window. A complete plan does.

When a Will Alone Isn’t Enough

Blended families, business ownership, real estate held in multiple states, minor or disabled beneficiaries, and large retirement accounts each introduce complexity a will alone can’t resolve. A will amendment, called a codicil, can update specific provisions without replacing the entire document, but major life changes often warrant a full review. Marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, significant shifts in assets, or the death of a named beneficiary or personal representative are all signals your plan needs another look. We recommend revisiting your will every few years and after any of those events to make sure it still reflects both your wishes and current Michigan law.

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Tailored Service, Proven Results

We Stay Small By Choice To Offer The Most Tailored Service For Our Customers

"The attorneys at BRMM exceeded all our needs and expectations during this trying time."
Our family can not thank them both enough for their great work. We highly recommend their services for anyone's elderly care needs.

- Kevin D.
"Prompt, Cordial, Patient and Understanding!"
We are so grateful to have found a very experienced and competent law firm to provide special needs planning for our son. Our attorney was prompt, cordial, patient, and understanding throughout the entire process.

- Deb C.
"Very educational, enlightening, respectful and professional!"
Very educational, enlightening, respectful, and professional.

- Michael L.
"Highly Recommend Their Services"
I am completely satisfied with Barron, Rosenberg, Mayoras & Mayoras P.C.

- Paul D.
"They provide peace of mind and that is priceless!"
I have had a relationship with BRM&M for 10 years. Always available, most helpful, and mindful of their responsibilities to me. They provide what I refer to as "peace of mind" and that is priceless!

- William C.
"Strongly recommended!"
Barron, Rosenberg, Mayoras, and Mayoras handled a problem that arose from a family trust very professionally, but also measured, very professional, and balanced advice, with real human touch.

- Kathleen R.
"We are grateful for their guidance and would definitely recommend BRMM."
This firm has taken care of the planning for my husband and I to protect our future heirs. We are grateful for their guidance and would definitely recommend BRMM.

- T.H.
"BRM&M Provide an Experience That Brings Peace to Mind!"
The folks over at BRM&M provide an experience that brings peace to mind. The legal teams work with you until your issue is resolved, response times via email are great!

- Elaine M.

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