The Dingeman & Dancer Blog consists of articles, news, and press releases written and edited by the attorneys and legal professionals at our firm, providing updates on both recent legal developments and established advice and guidance. Choose from the various topics listed in the sidebar menu to narrow in on a particular focus.
Is a Ladybird Deed right for me?
A Ladybird Deed is a deed whereby you, as Grantor, convey your property to yourself for your lifetime by the granting of an enhanced life estate, and then you can choose the beneficiary of your property after your death. When a Ladybird Deed is used, you can choose to transfer your property to your trust…
Implementation of ObamaCare in Northern Michigan
Many of us have now heard of or formed opinions on the roll out of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly known as ObamaCare. Doubt has been cast over the benefits of ObamaCare, particularly among those in the community who had to purchase an ObamaCare health care plan earlier this year. However, many…
Finances and the Elderly
Discussing finances with your aging parents can be difficult since most people are reluctant to give up control of their means for independence. Approaching the discussion as a partnership can open the door to early communication that can make parents more comfortable discussing finances. Often having two or more people discussing finances with them will…
Nursing Home Neglect, Abuse and Injury
When parents and family members require care in a nursing home or adult foster care, many people assess the building on a tour, placing their trust in the institution based on an abbreviated visit. Once admitted, many elderly people are unable or unwilling to complain, and being raised in the Great Depression or Second World…
Look at What’s Happening Downtown
The downtown Traverse City real estate boom appears to have no end in sight. When Dingeman & Dancer, PLC built on the former Bean Pot location in 1996, an aging auto repair garage, Selkirk’s farm market in a former gas station, and the building now housing Chase Bank, surrounded it. The recent sale of the…
It’s Time to Revisit Your Trust
Recent changes in federal estate tax exemptions have made it easier for most couples to pass on their joint assets for estate planning purposes, without the complexity of having individual trusts. Since couples usually accumulate assets jointly, meaning each party as the right to use and benefit from the jointly held assets, they can now…
Act Now For Small Business Tax Relief
2014 marks the first year of the phase-out of personal property tax for businesses in Michigan. While the phase-out is a several year process, one significant component taking effect in 2014 is an exemption of commercial or industrial personal property of a business that has a combined value of less than $80,000. The most important…
The Father Fred Foundation marks 25 years
When the Traverse City State Hospital closed in 1989, Father Edwin “Fred” Frederick, the Hospital’s Catholic chaplain, was concerned that many of the residents were without a place to go and would end up lost, homeless and with little hope. Father Fred invited myself and a handful of supporters to form the Father Fred Foundation…
Attorney General Investigating Contaminated Meningitis Case
The US Attorney General, Michigan Attorney General and the FBI are investigating the Massachusetts-based company that manufactured tained steroids that reached Northern Michigan. Dingeman and Dancer, PLC represent over seventy patients who were injected with this contaminated steroid in a civil case against the manufacturer, New England Compounding Center. In a recent Record-Eagle article, attorney…
$100 million settlement reached in meningitis case
A preliminary settlement of more than $100 million for victims of a nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak has been reached. Dingeman and Dancer, PLC, which represents northern Michigan clients invovled in a lawsuit is helping its clients file claims with the Federal Bankruptcy Court to take part in the settlment. Attorney Mark Dancer stated that the…