The Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) was enacted to provide guidelines for the healthcare industry to protect patient information and privacy. Protected health information includes any information that can be used to identify a person (think: name, date of birth, medical diagnosis, to name a few) in any form, including paper, electronic, and spoken information. For minors, this is a non-issue because parents, as legal guardians, have access to their children’s protected health information and are the ones making most of the medical decisions, as well as paying the expenses.

Helping your child prepare for the next phase of their life can be exciting, nerve-wracking, and a little bittersweet. Of course, there are also practical considerations. Ensure you play your role as a responsible parent by supporting them as they develop new financial habits, transition out of living at home, and plan for their future.

These days, so much of our lives are held in the nebulous digital “cloud.” Our emails, documents, photos, videos and calendars generally sit under one account.

Trust funding is more of an art than a science. “Funding” does not necessarily mean putting money or assets into a Trust NOW, but rather has to do with the process of how and when each asset will make its way into your Trust.

Planning for a crisis is critical when you have minor children. While every adult needs their own incapacity plan—a financial power of attorney and a patient advocate designation, at the very least—minor children also need these documents in case their parents or guardians cannot care for them temporarily. 

As of March 1, 2025, Michigan has officially embraced a modernized approach to surrogacy and assisted reproduction. The Assisted Reproduction and Surrogacy Parentage Act (also known as the Family Protection Act) is now in effect, marking a major shift in Michigan’s legal stance on surrogacy.