A fiduciary deed is a type of property deed used to convey real estate when the actual owner can’t sign the deed for reasons such as death or disability. A “fiduciary” is a person authorized to sign a deed in place of the person or entity that owns the real...
Month: December 2022
What Is Michigan’s Flow-Through Entity Tax?
On December 20, 2021, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed House Bill 5376 into law enacting a flow-through entity tax (“FTE Tax”) for those doing business in Michigan. Under this new law, an eligible flow-through entity can elect to file and pay taxes on the...
Who Is Responsible to Pay The Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT)?
The heavy vehicle use tax (HVUT) is a tax assessed annually on certain heavy vehicles exceeding 55,000 lbs. that operate on public highways. This is an expense that disproportionately affects commercial truck drivers and agricultural vehicle drivers hauling...
How Does The Respect For Marriage Act Of 2022 Affect Same-Sex Marriage In Michigan?
On December 13, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Respect For Marriage Act (H.R. Bill 8404)(“RFMA”) into law. This landmark federal legislation repeals the remnants of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and requires the U.S. government and all states and...
Heath Ledger’s Will: A Cautionary Tale For Updating Estate Plans After Major Life Events
Heath Ledger was an Australian actor who was famous for starring in well-known films such as 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), The Patriot (2000), A Knight’s Tale (2001) and Brokeback Mountain (2005). He was particularly lauded for his performance as the...
What Are The Penalties For Committing Bottle Return Fraud In Michigan?
In a notable two-part episode of Seinfeld (“The Bottle Deposit”), Newman and Kramer launch a scheme to redeem empty bottles and cans from New York in Michigan for an extra five cents each on return. Along with Oregon, Michigan’s deposit of 10 cents per bottle...
What Are The Penalties For Harming Or Killing Police Animals In Michigan?
In the 1998 comedy film Half Baked, secondary character Kenny (played by Harland Williams) was arrested for accidentally killing a diabetic police horse on the side of the road by feeding it junk food. The main character Thurgood (played by Dave Chappelle) and...
Can A Person Under A Guardianship Still Vote In Michigan?
The ability to vote in elections is one of the most important rights that a citizen of the United States can exercise. However, there are legal restrictions that may apply to certain classes of people to prevent them from voting. The Federal Voting Rights Act...
How Do You Properly Serve Divorce Papers In Michigan?
When someone files for divorce, he or she is initiating a lawsuit against their own spouse who becomes the defendant. As a formal court action, this means that the divorce documents must be properly served upon the other spouse as specified under Michigan...
