STEVE MALACH, shareholder and the founder of the Center for Estate Planning, has likely provided more people with peace of mind, clarity, and security than anyone in Michigan. As one of the most experienced, respected, and prolific estate planning, administration, and litigation attorneys in Michigan, Steve has worked with individuals and families of all means and circumstances to ensure their wishes for the future and their hopes for their loved ones come to pass. The trust and confidence Steve has earned from his clients manifests in the multiple generations of families who turn to their “family lawyer” for guidance on the most central and impactful issues of their lives.
For all the nuances and complexities involved in his work, and for all the unique issues, concerns, and goals each client brings to the table, Steve understands that his fundamental job is always the same: to define, reflect, and effectuate his clients’ intentions both while they are here and after they are gone. His commitment to that essential objective is reflected in the more than 4,000 comprehensive, meticulously crafted plans he and his team have created and the equally impressive number of estates he has efficiently and conclusively shepherded through the administration process. When disputes arise, Steve leverages a potent combination of advocacy and diplomacy to find favorable resolutions that align with the decedent’s intent.
The estate plans Steve prepares are the products of decades of seen-it-all experience and a proven, adaptable, refined process equally well-suited for those with modest estates as well as high-net-worth individuals and business owners with complex cross-jurisdiction or cross-border asset portfolios. Emerging from that process are tailored documents designed to stand the test of time while being comprehensive and flexible enough to address both expected and unanticipated life changes. Steve is particularly adept at strategically arranging personal and business affairs in a tax-efficient manner that helps safeguard family wealth and maximizes the assets received by heirs and beneficiaries.
For thousands of individuals who have had the profound honor of being tasked with the heavy, multifaceted fiduciary responsibilities of being named a trustee, executor, or personal representative, Steve has served as a steady hand and seasoned guide throughout the process. He takes the burden and worries off the shoulders of those who may not have the time, knowledge, or resources to address the multitude of tasks and obligations involved in taking care of ill loved ones and administering and wrapping up an estate.
In addition to his estate planning, administration, and litigation work, Steve has also been involved in the recovery of numerous multi-million dollar wrongful death, catastrophic injury claims as well as mass tort litigation. Because of his encyclopedic knowledge of estate, trust, and probate matters and as a reflection of his stellar reputation judges regularly appoint Steve to serve as a fiduciary and trustee. He is also frequently recognized by his peers for his professional achievements.
