MY PHILOSOPHY:
“I WILL FIGHT TO PROTECT YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS UNDER THE LAW.”
I have a lot of training and certification as a lawyer!
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University’s like this little world, a bubble of time separate from everything before and everything after.
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Serious car crash →
Brain injury →
Truck accidents →
Semi-truck collision →
Motorcycle accidents →
Wrongful Death →
“Every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing.”
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MY PRACTICE AREAS
Family Law
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Business Law
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Trust & Estates
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Civil Litigation
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Civil Litigation
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Family Law
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Civil Litigation
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Family Law
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WHAT SAY MY CLIENTS:
Rodney Stratton
The Law is hard, but it is the Law.
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The Law is hard, but it is the Law.
Claritas est etiam processus dynamicus, qui sequitur mutationem consuetudium lectorum. Mirum est notare quam littera gothica, quam nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit litterarum formas humanitatis pe.
Useless laws weaken the necessary laws.
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My BLOG & GALLERY
At Axis Estate Planning, we believe your estate plan is far more than a collection of legal documents. It’s a reflection of who you are — your values, your relationships, and the cultural traditions that shape your life and your legacy.
As 2025 unfolds, more families are seeking ways to weave their heritage into their planning — combining timeless customs with today’s legal tools to protect not just wealth, but meaning. With thoughtful guidance, it’s possible to build a plan that honors your culture and carries your story forward for generations to come.
Why Cultural Beliefs Matter in Estate Planning
Every culture holds its own understanding of inheritance, family responsibility, and how wealth should flow from one generation to the next. For some families, keeping land or property within the family is sacred. For others, ensuring equal distribution among children — or providing for elders — reflects deep cultural values.
When an estate plan doesn’t align with these values, families may face confusion or even conflict. Disagreements over “what Mom or Dad would have wanted” can lead to hurt feelings or legal disputes. The more you and your attorney understand your traditions and beliefs from the start, the more meaningfully those values can be incorporated into your plan.
A well-crafted estate plan doesn’t just meet legal standards — it feels right to those it touches. It becomes a living bridge between generations.
Key Legal Changes & Considerations in 2025
As laws continue to evolve, your plan should evolve too. Here are a few updates that may impact Michigan families this year and beyond:
- The federal estate and gift tax exemption is currently $13,990,000 per individual.
- Beginning January 1, 2026, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), that exemption is scheduled to increase to $15,000,000 per person, with annual inflation adjustments thereafter.
- State-specific laws are also shifting — for instance, several states (including Florida) have recently revised trust and inheritance laws to modernize protections.
Because of these changes, it’s important to revisit your plan now. A flexible, values-driven approach helps ensure your legacy is protected, no matter how the legal landscape shifts.
Infusing Cultural Meaning Into Your Estate Plan
Here are practical ways to reflect your culture and values throughout your plan:
1. Health Care & Advance Directives
Your beliefs often guide your medical preferences. A Health Care Power of Attorney or Health Care Proxy allows someone you trust — and who understands your values — to make medical decisions on your behalf.
Pair that with a Living Will or Advance Directive, which lets you outline your wishes about life support, comfort care, or religious practices. In Michigan, choosing an agent who can honor both your medical and cultural priorities is essential.
2. Disposition of Remains
Cultural and religious traditions play a major role in how families say goodbye. A Disposition of Remains document allows you to express preferences about burial, cremation, donation, or specific ceremonies.
Including these details — from location to music to symbolic rituals — helps loved ones honor your life exactly as you intended.
3. Wills, Trusts & Bequests
Bequests are more than financial. They can carry heritage and emotion — from family heirlooms and ancestral land to specific instructions for cultural observances.
A well-designed trust can preserve property within the family, protect vulnerable relatives, and uphold cultural expectations, such as supporting elders or maintaining shared family land. Appointing a trustee who understands and respects your traditions can ensure those wishes are fulfilled with integrity.
4. Communication & Coordination
Start family conversations early. Many cultural expectations go unspoken — until it’s too late. Open dialogue helps prevent conflict and ensures your loved ones understand the “why” behind your plan.
Be explicit with your attorney as well. At Axis Estate Planning, we encourage clients to share not just financial goals, but the traditions, ceremonies, and lineage rules that define their family story.
As life evolves — with new marriages, births, or relocations — keep your plan updated to reflect both legal and personal changes.
Examples of Culture-Driven Planning
Here are a few ways cultural identity can shape an estate plan:
- A family that views farmland as sacred might establish a family trust preventing its sale outside the lineage, while still allowing current heirs to receive income from it.
- A family emphasizing respect for elders may include a “care stipend” clause to provide ongoing financial support for aging parents or grandparents.
- A will may designate funds for religious or ceremonial observances, ensuring traditions are carried out even years after one’s passing.
- In cultures with matrilineal inheritance, an estate plan can direct assets through the maternal line — preserving a tradition that might otherwise be lost under default law.
When Culture and Planning Come Together
When your estate plan reflects your culture, it does more than distribute assets — it preserves your story. It ensures your children and grandchildren understand not only what they’ve inherited, but why it matters.
At Axis Estate Planning, we take pride in helping Michigan families design estate plans that blend modern legal protections with deep personal meaning. Whether you’re focused on tax efficiency, family unity, or honoring ancestral traditions, we’re here to make sure your legacy endures — both in law and in spirit.
Visit Us: 900 Wilshire Drive, Suite 105, Troy, MI 48084
Call Us: (248) 251-1001
Learn More: www.axisattorneys.com
At Axis Estate Planning, we believe protecting your legacy starts long before a will or trust is drafted — it begins with safeguarding your assets today. While we often talk about protecting your wealth through legal and estate planning tools, one area too often overlooked is everyday financial security.
In 2025, ATM and card skimming remain real threats, even in an era of advanced banking technology. Staying informed and proactive is essential to protect both your financial accounts and your long-term security.
What Is ATM Skimming — and How It’s Evolved
ATM skimming is a type of financial fraud where criminals install hidden devices on ATMs or payment terminals to capture your card data. When you insert or swipe your card, the skimmer records your information, while a miniature camera or “shimmer” device captures your PIN or chip transaction.
Unfortunately, these schemes have grown more sophisticated:
- Internal skimmers are now placed deep inside card slots, making them nearly invisible.
- “Shim” devices exploit EMV chip technology, allowing criminals to intercept chip data.
- Some attackers are now turning to “jackpotting,” a malware-based tactic that forces ATMs to dispense cash on command.
Even with stronger card technology, these tactics persist — especially at non-bank ATMs, such as those found in convenience stores, gas stations, or retail outlets.
Why It Matters in 2025
According to the American Bankers Association, ATM-related crimes continue to rise in 2025, including both skimming and hardware-based exploits. In 2024 alone, U.S. consumers lost nearly $8.7 billion to fraud across all payment types.
Fraudsters are also evolving. The financial analytics firm FICO reports that criminals are now combining physical skimming with AI-driven social engineering or account takeover techniques, blurring the lines between digital and physical fraud.
And while EMV chips remain safer than magnetic stripes, they aren’t foolproof — shimming and hybrid attacks still pose risks. That means vigilance remains one of your best defenses.
The Legal and Regulatory Landscape
While Axis Estate Planning focuses primarily on long-term asset protection and estate design, understanding your rights as a consumer is part of protecting your financial picture.
Here’s what you should know about your legal protections and responsibilities:
- The U.S. Secret Service investigates skimming and “access device” fraud.
- Your liability for unauthorized transactions depends on how quickly you report the issue and your bank’s specific policies.
- Many financial institutions now offer zero-liability protections, but these often require prompt reporting and cooperation.
- Under FDIC rules effective May 2025, newly installed deposit-taking ATMs must display updated digital FDIC signage — an effort to make consumer information clearer and more standardized.
Because financial liability and recovery policies can vary by institution, review your bank’s disclosures and Michigan’s consumer protection laws regularly.
How to Protect Yourself in 2025
You can’t eliminate all risk, but small actions can make a big difference.
- Use bank-owned ATMs.
Most skimming occurs at third-party or retail ATMs. Bank machines are monitored more closely and serviced more often. - Inspect before you insert.
- Wiggle the card reader — it shouldn’t feel loose or bulky.
- Look for mismatched colors or attachments around the keypad or slot.
- Check for tiny cameras or reflective fixtures pointing toward the keypad.
- Wiggle the card reader — it shouldn’t feel loose or bulky.
- Shield your PIN.
Use your hand or body to block your PIN entry — this simple action still thwarts most camera-based skimming devices. - Use contactless or cardless transactions.
Many modern ATMs allow you to withdraw using a mobile app or QR code, avoiding the need to insert your card at all. - Set up transaction alerts.
Real-time text or app alerts for withdrawals and purchases let you act quickly if suspicious activity occurs. - Report immediately.
If you suspect fraud, contact your bank right away and file a report with the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network or the Michigan Attorney General’s office. - Upgrade outdated cards.
If your debit or credit card lacks chip or contactless technology, ask your bank for a replacement to stay current with security standards. - Stay informed.
Fraud tactics change constantly. Stay updated on new threats such as cash trapping (when thieves block cash from dispensing) and hybrid physical-digital attacks.
Security Is Part of Estate Planning
At Axis Estate Planning, we view financial vigilance as the first layer of asset protection. Just as you plan your estate to protect your legacy, you must protect the assets that fund it.
By pairing everyday awareness with long-term legal planning — wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and asset protection strategies — you create a safety net that supports both your present and your future.
Your legacy isn’t just about what you leave behind — it’s about how well you protect it today.
Visit Us: 900 Wilshire Drive, Suite 105, Troy, MI 48084
Call Us: (248) 251-1001
Learn More: www.axisattorneys.com
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