Why Ignoring Your Estate Plan Creates Stress, Delays & Public Exposure for Your Family
Ignoring Your Estate Plan Creates Stress
And How a Free Consultation with Attorney Matthew Abraham Can Protect What Matters Most
Estate planning is one of those things most people promise themselves they’ll “get to someday.”
But here’s the truth, putting off your estate plan isn’t harmless — it actually creates stress, expense, and major privacy risks for the people you love the most.
In Michigan, when someone passes away without proper documents or without proper planning, their estate often must go through probate. For families who are already grieving, probate is an emotional, financial, and logistical storm they never expected.
Let’s break down what really happens when estate planning is ignored — and how a simple conversation today can prevent a year’s worth of headaches later.
Probate Is Public
Your Personal Information Becomes Available to Anyone
In the interview, Attorney Matthew Abraham emphasized something many people don’t know:
“All of probate is 100% public. There is no privacy… and your heirs are going to get junk mail for probably the rest of their lives.”
Every probate filing becomes part of the public record.
That means:
Your assets
Your debts
Your beneficiaries
Your family dynamics
Your home information
Your private decisions
…are accessible to anyone, including companies that monitor probate filings solely to send marketing mail to grieving families.
This isn’t the legacy most people intend to leave behind.
Probate Can Take Months — Even Over a Year
Depending on assets, heirs, and complexity, Some probate estates can take well over a year to settle.
And during that time, your family may face:
Court delays
Required filings
Required inventory (public again)
Deadlines
Creditor claims
Additional taxes and fees
Potential disputes among heirs
Probate is not only long — it’s emotionally draining.
It’s Also Expensive
Even a straightforward probate case includes:
Court filing fees
Inventory fees
Notice fees
Appraisal fees
Legal fees
Potential tax implications
These expenses are taken out of what your family will inherit.
A comprehensive estate plan protects your assets and reduces what is lost to the process.
The Good News: Probate Can Be Avoided
Matthew Abraham explained that with the right plan, you can keep your estate out of probate entirely.
The tools may include:
Revocable Living Trust (keeps everything private and out of probate)
Lady Bird Deed (excellent for Michigan real estate)
Correct, customized beneficiary designations
Joint ownership handled correctly
A complete estate plan — not just a will
A will does not avoid probate.
A trust does.
And the key is not just setting up a trust—but properly funding it, which is where many DIY plans fail.
A Little Planning Now Saves Stress, Money, and Conflict Later
Matthew summed it up perfectly:
“A little planning now can go a long way to saving stress, money, expense, and exposure later on.”
Estate planning isn’t just legal paperwork.
It’s a gift of clarity, privacy, and direction for the people you care about most.
Not Sure What You Already Have? Matthew Will Review It for Free
Whether you have no plan at all…
or created one years ago and aren’t sure if it’s still valid…
You can schedule a complimentary consultation with
Matthew Abraham, Esq., Estate Planning Attorney in Fenton, Michigan
Review what you already have
Check for outdated documents
Identify gaps that could send your family to probate
Explain your options in plain, simple English
Help you put together a complete, private, Michigan-specific estate plan
Call: (810) 750-0440
Visit: StartMyEstatePlan.com
Schedule your free consultation.
Your future and your family’s peace of mind deserve more than “someday.”
Start today, with guidance you can trust.