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Protecting Detroit’s Legacy. One Family at a Time.
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The push to educate Detroiters on estate planning is key because as many as 5,525 intergenerational properties in Detroit — worth more than $268 million — had unclear ownership, according to a 2024 analysis from the think tank Detroit Future City, which emphasized the importance of estate planning. Title problems can hurt Detroiters’ financial well-being, barring them from getting into assistance programs and building generational wealth through their homes.
Detroit City Council Member Scott Benson is leading the effort. He chairs the city’s Wealth Generation Task Force, which identified a lack of estate planning among Detroiters and it undermined Black families’ ability to build wealth, according to a news release. The program is funded through the City of Detroit ARPA funds.
Benefits of Life & Legacy Documents:
These documents aren’t just paperwork - they’re tools that protect you, your family, and your home. Below are the key documents and the benefits they provide:
Life Planning Documents
Used while you're alive to protect your rights, health, and finances if you become incapacitated.
Durable Power of Attorney (Finances):
Let someone you trust manage your money, bills, or property if you're unable to.
Prevents missed payments or financial exploitation.
Health Care Power of Attorney:
Appoint someone to speak for you if you can’t make medical decisions.
Relieves loved ones from guessing or disagreeing over your care.
Legacy Planning Documents
Used after death to transfer your home or assets according to your wishes - making it less likely to end up in probate while protecting your family.
Last Will & Testament:
Appoints a personal representative to oversee the distribution of your estate.
Explains who should receive your home, money, and belongings.
Helps your family avoid confusion, court delays, and conflict.
Lady Bird Deed:
Transfers your home directly to a loved one or loved ones without probate court.
Keeps you in full control of your home during your lifetime.
Trusts (in certain cases):
Offers additional control over how and when assets are distributed.
Can help avoid probate and protect family members with special circumstances.
Under Plan Forward Detroit- we are able to offer Trusts in two situations: to those with special needs and to those with minor children.
In the News
Detroit’s Push for Generational Wealth
Detroit Launches Citywide Estate Planning Workshops
— Published by Michigan Chronicle
The City of Detroit has launched a citywide estate planning workshop series, designed to help residents access free legal guidance to preserve family homes and pass on generational wealth. These workshops are offered in partnership with community organizations and legal experts.
How Detroiters Can Get Free Estate Planning Help
— Published by Bridge Detroit
Detroit residents can now access free estate planning services including wills, power of attorney, and legal consultations. The program was designed to reduce property loss, support families, and empower future generations with secure homeownership tools.
Metro Detroit Nursing Home Workers on Strike
— Published by FOX 2 Detroit
Employees at five Ciena Healthcare facilities across Metro Detroit have gone on strike, demanding improved wages and benefits. Organized by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), this protest highlights ongoing concerns in the healthcare industry regarding fair compensation, understaffing, and support for essential workers.
Free Estate Planning Workshops Offered to Detroit Residents
— Published by El Central Media
Detroit residents now have access to free estate planning workshops through Plan Forward Detroit, an initiative aimed at helping individuals safeguard their homes and secure their families’ futures. These community-based sessions provide guidance on creating wills, powers of attorney, and other essential legal documents. Qualified homeowners can also receive one-on-one legal support at no cost, ensuring everyone has the tools to protect what matters most.
Detroit Councilman Highlights Estate Planning for Caregivers
— Published by Caregiver Conversations
In Episode 46 of Caregiver Conversations, Detroit City Councilman Scott Benson shares his personal journey as a caregiver, supporting his father through Alzheimer's and assisting his mother in aging in place. His experiences have informed his advocacy for policies that support seniors and caregivers in Detroit. The episode discusses the importance of estate planning, addressing heirs' property rights, and highlights community resources like free legal clinics aimed at helping families secure their legacies.
Estate planning is vital for Detroit homeowners—especially in neighborhoods like Jefferson East—as it helps build generational wealth. The Elder Law & Advocacy Center educates residents on life and legacy planning, offering free legal services to draft key documents like wills, powers of attorney, and Lady Bird deeds. Jefferson East supports the community by hosting these workshops, empowering residents to protect their futures and those of their families and neighbors.
— Detroit Housing Network & Jefferson East Inc.
“Estate planning is essential for Detroit residents—especially in communities like Jefferson East—as it helps build generational wealth and protect family legacies,” says Marsha F. Master.
Through free workshops hosted in the community, the Elder Law & Advocacy Center helps residents understand and create vital life and legacy planning documents such as wills, powers of attorney, and Lady Bird deeds. These services help homeowners avoid probate and ensure their homes stay in the family.
Marsha shares, “A family home is a jewel. It's a gift. Knowing it can be passed on without legal complications brings peace of mind. I’ve even shared what I learned with friends and extended family so they can protect their homes too.”
These workshops are not only educational—they’re empowering. They give Detroit families the tools to protect their future.
— Marsha F. Master
Tosha Cox shares how important estate planning is for preserving the fabric of Detroit neighborhoods. She reflects on growing up surrounded by families on her block—and how many are now returning to the area because they inherited their family homes.
However, many didn’t go through the proper legal process to get their names on the deeds or tax records. That’s why programs like these are so important. “I refused to see another family home go to blight,” Tosha says, explaining how she personally took steps through probate to keep her family’s home secure.
The free legal support offered through these estate planning workshops ensures that Detroit residents can protect their property, honor their family legacy, and keep neighborhoods thriving. “Take advantage while it’s free,” she urges.
— Tosha Cox & Detroit Housing Network