Year: 2016

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.

In the Shadow of Proposal 3: Knowing Your Property Rights

Author: George E. Powell Election season is upon us, and consequently, the heavily debated Proposal 3 will finally be up for vote. Unless you have missed the litany of yard-signage and continuous local media coverage, you would surely know that there is a contentious battle being waged over an amendment to Traverse City’s Charter. The amendment…

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Buying and Selling Real Estate on Land Contract

Buyers and sellers of real estate have the option of using a unique financing mechanism that can, in certain situations, provide a superior means of structuring a property sale. This mechanism, known as a land contract, is a popular form of seller financing used in real estate transactions (often residential) that serves an alternative to…

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Dingeman & Dancer, PLC Receives Tier 1 Ranking from Best Lawyers

Dingeman & Dancer, PLC has received a Tier 1 ranking from Best Lawyers®, the recognized guide to legal excellence in the United States for more than 32 years. The ranking is achieved by feedback from clients and peers as well as information obtained from the firm. Best Lawyers, in partnership with U.S. News & World…

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Loaning Money to Family and Friends

Many people have or will lend money to other people in their lifetimes. Parents and grandparents frequently make loans to family members to enable them to buy a home, start a business, or enjoy some of the comforts of life. Sometimes friends lend money to friends. There are many contexts in which one person loans…

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Guide to Charitable Giving

Continuing the upward trend, charitable giving in the United States increased to $373.25 billion in 2015 (2.1% of GDP). Over the past two years alone, total giving to charitable organizations has increased over 10%. This increase and the overall size of charitable contributions is a testament to the integral role charities play in our society, a role which…

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Charitable IRA Rollovers

Author: Benjamin W. Bryant J.D., University of Michigan Law School What are two things that most retirement-aged individuals value? Charitable donations and tax breaks! Well, maybe not everyone shares the same enthusiasm for philanthropy and avoidance of the Internal Revenue Code, but for those of you who are interested in these exciting topics, it’s time…

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Third-Party No-Fault: What is the Threshold?

Author: Ashley Wilson Summer is the time of year that most of us Michiganders eagerly anticipate. As the snow begins to melt and the temperatures begin to rise, we all worry less about winter road conditions and start to drive a little faster. Although warmer weather eliminates the dangers that snow and ice present, it also…

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DOL Finalizes New Overtime Exemption Rules

After months of speculation, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) finally announced the new regulations that govern the white collar exemptions to overtime pay. These regulations will undoubtedly have a significant impact on many employers and employees when they go into effect on December 1, 2016. Under the white collar exemptions, employees who meet the…

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Can You Cut Down Your Neighbor’s Trees?

We often get questions from clients who either want to cut down trees that are on the border of their property line with their neighbor or who at least want to remove several branches that are encroaching on their property from a tree on their neighbor’s property. So, you might ask, what’s the answer? This…

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Woodland Regulation: Tree Removal

Author: Daniel J. Dingeman The ability to remove trees in connection with land development is limited by various types of woodlands regulation. In the development context, this regulation focuses on not only on the restrictions on tree removal, but also on controlling soil erosion and sedimentation. The latter focus, which will not be discussed in any…

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