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Kenneth V Zichi
Kenneth V . Zichi J.D.Badges
Claimed Lawyer ProfileQ&A
Summary
Helping Livingston County residents navigate the legal system for 30 years. I focus on Wills, Trusts, Estate Planning and Probate, with a significant portion of my practice also concerning Real Estate and general civil litigation. If you have questions or issues with your home, a cabin up north, or want to insure your family is cared for after you are gone, I'd be happy to meet with you, perhaps bust some myths, and certainly insure YOUR and your family's needs are met. Call for an appointment today!
Practice Areas
- Elder Law
- Estate Planning
- Family Law
- Insurance Claims
- Landlord Tenant
- Real Estate Law
- Divorce
Fees
- Free Consultation
Telephone or office conferences, 20 minutes or less. Longer conferences may incur a minimal fee. - Credit Cards Accepted
- Contingent Fees
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
- Michigan
Languages
- English: Spoken, Written
Professional Experience
- Owner
- Kenneth V . Zichi J.D.
- - Current
- Mayor
- City of Williamston (Michigan)
- -
Education
- University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
- J.D.
- -
- University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
- A.B. | History / Communications
- -
- Honors: LS&A Honors College 1977-1979
Professional Associations
- State Bar of Michigan
- Member
- - Current
- estate and probate section Michigan bar
- member
- - Current
- Law and Media committee - State Bar of Michigan
- member
- -
Speaking Engagements
- Newsroom Seminar, WNEM TV/AM - Saginaw MI
- State Bar of Michigan - Law & Media committee
- An hour-long seminar addressing some of the common practical and substantive difficulties journalists encounter in covering the legal system in Michigan.
Legal Answers
778 Questions Answered
- Q. My father passed but did not have a will. I am an only child and he was not married, just a longtime girlfriend.
- A: There is no 'one way' to do this, although Mr Harris' suggestions are good places to start. You can also look at his recent tax returns as they should disclose investments and property you may not already know of. His girlfriend may also be of assistance. You don't mention vehicles or land, both of which are 'titled' and you can get info from the Secretary of State of the County Register of deeds for those items as well. The BEST single piece of advice I can provide is to find a local estate planning/probate attorney in the area where your father lived. Talk one on one with that attorney and there may be other options that come up. Good luck. --This answer is provided for informational purposes only and does not create an attorney - client relationship. If you need legal advice you should consult with a local attorney. I am licensed to practice in Michigan only.
- Q. Sis-executor, 2 bro beneficiary s and me youngest bene. we had realtor put house for sale. 2 weeks later , bro took sign
- A: I’m not sure exactly what your question is but I concur it sounds like you should be consulting with a local probate attorney ASAP. ‘Fiduciaries’ like personal representatives need to act in the best interest of the ESTATE and not any one heir. Get that local advice! —this answer is offered for general information only and does not create an attorney-client relationship or constitute legal advice. Please consult with a local attorney.
- Q. Can I claim Unclaimed "properties" as a grandchild if the legal representative (executor/administrator) can't be reached
- A: Heirs can submit claims, but it gets harder with more documentation needed the further along the 'chain' you go. The EASY way is for the PR to make the claim for the estate, but that would also probably require reopening the estate. If you can't find the PR any more or they have become unresponsive, I'd file the claim with the State as an heir and see what they need. Even if you weren't in the will at the time of probate, if a lineal ancestor was who has now passed you may be able to make a claim. If you have questions once you get a response from the escheats people, seek out local legal representation as they will be able to provide fact specific advice that you really can't get in a public forum like this! -- This answer is offered for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney/client relationship. I am licensed to practice in Michigan only. Please seek competent local legal help if you feel you need legal advice
- Q. Could the lessor be in breach of contract?
- A: What would you like to do? You may be able to withhold rent and/or fix things and subtract it from your lease if the repairs are ‘necessary’ to make the place habitable but only if you follow the appropriate procedures to do so. A better option would be to walk away and rent somewhere else. But that too needs to be done appropriately. Your first step should be to contact a local landlord tenant attorney for actual advice. —This answer is offered for information only and does not create an attorney-client relationship and is not legal advice. Please seek local legal representation.
- Q. Property dispute with Father. I was a minor when i last saw my father 15 years ago. He has a son from his second wife.
- A: WAY more detail (that is not appropriate for a public forum!) is needed to tackle this question. Is your father now deceased? Did he leave a will? What sort of 'dispute' are you referencing? Was he married at the time of his death? WHY did you 'not get anything" from him? What you WANT is not necessarily germane. Please seek an office conference with a local estate planning/probate attorney to review your WHOLE situation in order to get some real advice on what (if anything!) you should be doing. -- This answer is offered for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney/client relationship. I am licensed to practice in Michigan only. Please seek competent local legal help if you feel you need legal advice
- Q. My wife won't sign refinance papers, what can I do?
- A: If her name is on the property YOU can’t ‘do’ anything. She needs to AGREE and sign willingly. Why won’t she sign? Is there something she objects to you can address? Why do YOU want to refinance? —This answer is offered for information only, is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please seek local legal help if you still have questions. I am licensed to practice in Michigan only.
- Q. I am renting, the lease began on 7/30/16 & expired on 2/1/17. There was no renewal & with consent i have been paying mo
- A: Without seeing the lease it is impossible to provide a real answer, however, there are provisions where state law 'trumps' a lease and others which are the other way around. That said, if you have moved out per agreement of the landlord before Sept 1 you should NOT pay any rent for September. Be sure you comply with the security deposit law in providing a forwarding address within 4 days of moveout / returning the keys. If you are unsure of what to do or how to do it, I strongly urge you to consult with a local landlord/tenant lawyer to insure you handle this properly! I am somewhat concerned that the landlord doesn't want to put anything in writing … seek that local legal advice! --this answer is offered for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice nor does it create an attorney/client relationship. Please seek local licensed legal help if you have questions!
- Q. My understanding is that IRS regulations require that an estate be administered by a court if the estate contains over
- A: "Administered by a Court" is a rather strange turn of phrase. So far as I know, if there is 1 CENT of an asset that is listed in the name of the deceased and no beneficiary named on the asset, Probate is required to transfer the asset in EVERY state. In Michigan, there are 'simplified' procedures for estates of non-real property less than $x but at 100 k you are well above the limit. PROBATE is not necessarily horribly expensive, time consuming or difficult, and is probably what Treasury is looking for. Please consult with a local probate attorney (where the deceased lived at the time of passing) and review all the facts of the case to determine what you need to do next. Don't let the 'cost' factor dissuade you from doing this right the first time. It is NOT necessarily horribly expensive! --this answer is offered for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice nor does it create an attorney/client relationship. Please seek local licensed legal help if you have questions!
- Q. Is it legal to sell a home that is on private property that is also up for sale through realtor?
- A: If the land and mobile home are separate, it would seem to not matter. If YOU own the non-affixed mobile home, of course you can sell it. As to HOW to do that so as not cause issues, there will be problems if both you and the land owner are not VERY specific in what you are able to sell. I'd strongly suggest you consult with a local attorney to review things BEFORE you say yes to any offer to insure there won't be issues. -- This answer is offered for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney/client relationship. I am licensed to practice in Michigan only. Please seek competent local legal help if you feel you need legal advice
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