How Important is a Will, Really?
How Important is a Will, Really? The simple answer to that question is . . . wait for it . . . “It depends.” Most people own assets of some…
Overview
Norman E. (Gene) Richards is a partner in our Livonia office where he focuses his practice on estate planning and elder law. He assists clients with the development of customized estate plans to address their specific needs, including family owned businesses, senior adults concerned about long term care needs, and special needs trusts for children with special needs.
Specifically, Mr. Richards focuses his practice on:
- Estate Planning: Designing customized trusts, wills and powers of attorney. These documents preserve and distribute family and individual assets in the most appropriate way during a person’s lifetime and after death.
- Trust and Probate Administration/Litigation: Providing representation in probate court to establish guardianships and conservatorships and to enforce wills and trusts. He advises and represents surviving family members in administering trusts and estates, including probate procedures and preparation of estate tax returns and representation before the IRS when required.
- Long-Term-Care and Elder Law: Compassionately guiding families planning for long term care and who need to maximize financial resources to pay for the care, through Medicaid and VA Aid and Attendance.
- Disability Planning and Special Needs Trusts: Advising clients who have children with disabilities and creating specialized trusts and legal documents to help provide for a disabled child’s care, while preserving their eligibility for government benefits.
- Businesses and Non-Profits: Assisting clients in forming business entities, managing corporate formalities and arranging for a sale and business succession. Gene also advises non-profits and their boards on corporate and fiduciary duties.
Practice Groups
Estate Planning and Elder LawEducation
Wayne State University Law School, J.D., 1996
Free Will Baptist Bible College, B.A., magna cum laude, 1990
Honors
Michigan Super Lawyers, Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 
Memberships and Associations
State Bar of Michigan
– Probate & Estate Planning Section
– Elder Law & Disability Rights Section
– Real Property Section
– Business Law Section
Oakland County Bar Association
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
Community Involvement:
Greater Farmington Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors
Farmington Hills Costick Center, Pro bono services
Lutheran Special Education Ministries, Trustee
North Farmington High School Band Boosters, Board Member
Farmington Public School District, Capital Planning Advisory Committee Member
Farmington Area Commission on Aging, Former Commissioner
Garden City Hospital Foundation, Former Trustee
Alzheimer’s Association of Southeast Michigan, Former Speaker’s Bureau
Westland Zoning Board of Appeals, Former Commissioner
Lorman Education Services, Lecturer
Walsh College Business Leadership Institute Former, Affinity Group Leader
Presentations & Articles
Wills, Trusts and Probate – What you need to know, Cooley High School Class Reunion, July 9, 2022
Five Essential Legal Steps For Caregivers, Jewish Family Services, January 13, 2022
Medicaid or VA benefits – Which One Do I Need?, Michigan Chapter of NPRA, October 28, 2021
Estate Planning and Elder Law, Westland Senior Center television program, June 17, 2021
Granting Quirky Funeral Wishes for Your Loved Ones, Joint Webinar with Dignity Memorial, December 14, 2020
How to Make Your Final Wishes Legal Enforceable, Joint Webinar with Dignity Memorial, December 7, 2020
Preserving Family Treasures- Estate Planning Basics, Joint Webinar with Dignity Memorial, November 30, 2020
Medicare/Health Insurance Planning Webinar, Cane & Able Support Group, November 17, 2020
Veterans Benefits for In-Home Care and Assisted Living, Joint Webinar with Dignity Memorial, November 16, 2020
No-Fault Insurance Update Webinar, Cane & Able Support Group, August 11, 2020
The Most Important Estate Planning Document- Power of Attorney, Novi Lakes Health Center, February 12, 2019
Why Families Feud in Probate Court and How to Prevent the Mayhem, Novi Civic Center, October 13, 2019
Financial Aid for Assisted Living and Nursing Home, Novi Civic Center, October 7, 2019
MDAHU Medicare Summit- Presenter, MDAHU Annual Meeting, September 2019
Facing the Giant Together, Novi Civic Center, September 17, 2019
Senior Day at the Detroit Zoo- Presenter, September 4, 2019
Will your POA let you down?, All Seasons West Bloomfield, August, 16 2019
Senior Executive Club Monthly Meeting- Presenter, Novi Lakes Health Center, July 10, 2019
Will your POA Let you Down? All Seasons Rochester Hills, July 9, 2019
Why Families Feud in Probate Court and How to Prevent the Mayhem, Novi Civic Center, June 5, 2019
Financial Aid for Assisted Living and Nursing Home, Novi Civic Center, May 8, 2019
Facing the Giant Together, Novi Civic Center, April 24, 2019
Conquering the Challenges, CMDA Lunch & Learn, April 10, 2019
2019 Elder Law Essentials Seminar (video of presentation), City of Westland Friendship Center, April 3, 2019
Why Families Feud, CMDA Lunch & Learn, April 3, 2019
Estate Planning for Older Adults, CMDA Lunch & Learn, March 27, 2019
How to Build and Use an Estate Plan to Reduce Taxes, Cane & Able Support Group, March 12, 2019
Senior Expo, March 4, 2019
Why Families Feud In Probate Court and How To Prevent The Mayhem, February 20, 2019
Financial Aid For Assisted Living & Nursing Home, January 23, 2019
Medicare/Long-Term Care, West Lake Health Campus, February 2017
Special Needs Trusts, American Cancer Society, March 2017
Published Articles
Should an Adult Child Put their Name on their Parent’s Bank Account?
It is common for an aging parent to add an adult child’s name (sometimes more than one adult child) as a joint owner on the parent’s bank account. The arrangement…
Five Things to Look for During Visits with Aging Loved Ones
Family gatherings offer the opportunity to surreptitiously keep an eye out for noticeable changes in behavior and living conditions of aging loved ones. It is important to be alert to…
Gene Richards Obtains Substantial Mitigation of Penalty Assessed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Norman “Gene” Richards, a partner in our Livonia office, recently obtained substantial mitigation of a penalty assessed against a client by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and…
Richards’ Article on Advice for Caregivers Featured in Urban Aging News
The latest issue of Urban Aging News highlights an article on Advice for Caregivers: Five Steps to Leap Legal Hurdles written by Norman “Gene” Richards. In this article, Mr. Richards…
Caregivers: Five Steps to Eliminate Legal Hurdles
The U.S. population is increasingly aging. Family members of aging loved ones are increasingly stepping into the role of helper or caregiver. Fulfilling these responsibilities requires a great deal of…
Nine CMDA Attorneys Recognized by Michigan Super Lawyers for 2022
CMDA is proud to announce that several attorneys from our Firm have been selected for inclusion in the 2022 Michigan Super Lawyers & Rising Stars list. The following attorneys have…
Richards’ Article on Guardianships Featured in Urban Aging News
The latest issue of Urban Aging News highlights an article on Guardianship:Another Take on the Pros and Cons of Probate Court written by Norman “Gene” Richards. The article provides an…
Richards’ Article on Ladybird Deed Featured in Urban Aging News
The latest issue of Urban Aging News highlights an article on The Ladybird Deed written by Norman “Gene” Richards. The article provides an overview of the ladybird deed, along with the…
Eight CMDA Attorneys Recognized by Michigan Super Lawyers for 2021
CMDA is proud to announce that several attorneys from our Firm have been selected for inclusion in the 2021 Michigan Super Lawyers & Rising Stars list. The following attorneys have…
CMDA & Dignity Memorial Present Free Online Estate Planning/Elder Law Seminar Series
CMDA has teamed up with Dignity Memorial to present a practical and informative collection of free online seminars. CMDA Estate Planning and Elder Law Attorney Norman E. Richards will be…
Coping in Crisis: Estate Planning Challenges and Solutions
Estate planning documents (wills, trusts, powers of attorney, etc.) are essential in a crisis. In the present pandemic, our families, friends and customers are dealing with frustrating isolation, sudden debilitating…
COVID 19: Elder Law and Estate Planning Vlog
CMDA Attorney Norman E. Richards has started a daily vlog where he posts short videos to keep clients and friends informed of ways to handle elder law and estate planning…
Upcoming Seminar: Why Families Feud in Probate Court and How to Prevent the Mayhem
CMDA invites you to attend a free educational workshop on Why Families Feud in Probate Court and How to Prevent the Mayhem on Wednesday, October 30th from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at…
Join CMDA at Senior Day at the Detroit Zoo
Don’t miss it! Senior Day at the Detroit Zoo will take place on Wednesday, September 4 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tri-county seniors 62 and older and an adult companion receive…
You’re Invited: Lunch & Learn Workshop Series
Join us! CMDA’s Livonia office is hosting complimentary Lunch & Learn Workshops on elder law, estate planning, and probate. All Workshops will take place in our Livonia office. Lunch…
Estate Planning for Retirement Years
Retirement is a highly-anticipated reward for years of hard work and child rearing. The “golden years” are viewed as a special season to pursue hobbies and enjoy life. Interestingly, while…
Attorney Presents on Stepping into Retirement
On January 16, 2019 Gene Richards, a partner in our Livonia office, gave a presentation on Stepping into Retirement- A Practical Action Plan to over 30 members of the Association…
Five Things to Look for During Holiday Visits with Aging Loved Ones
‘Tis the season for holiday celebrations and family gatherings. These gatherings offer the opportunity to surreptitiously keep an eye out for noticeable changes in behavior and living conditions of aging…
Why is it not a good idea for adult children to put their names on their parents’ bank accounts?
It is fairly common for an aging parent to add a child’s name (sometimes more than one child) as a joint owner on the parent’s bank accounts. The arrangement is…
Elder Law and Estate Planning Team Attend Medicare Summit
The CMDA Elder Law and Estate Planning team had a great time at the recent Metro Detroit Association of Health Underwriters (MDAHU) Medicare Summit and Expo. Nearly 200 agents from…
College Bound? Two Documents Every College Student Should Sign
Most parents know — in theory, at least — that their children are no longer children when they turn 18. They are considered legal adults with legal responsibilities. This is…
Gene Richards Featured on “The Lawyers” Radio Program
Curt Benson, an attorney in our Grand Rapids office, hosts a popular syndicated radio program, The Lawyers, which airs on Newsradio WOOD 1300 and 106.9 FM. On the program, Mr….
Panel Discussion on Understanding Long Term Care Needs to be held April 20
On Thursday, April 20th Norman E. Richards (Gene), a partner in our Livonia office, will join other elder law experts to present a panel discussion on Understanding Long Term Care…
Estate Planning for Older Adults
Advocacy is an important need of older adults as they strive to preserve their independence and protect their interests. For example, strong advocacy is needed to: protect life savings, deal…
Experienced Elder Law and Estate Planning Attorney Joins Firm
We are pleased to announce that Norman E. Richards (Gene) has joined our Livonia office as a partner. Gene primarily focuses his practice on elder law and estate planning. Drawing…
Jurisdiction and Court Admissions
Admitted In:
Michigan State Courts
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
Court of International Trade
Practice Groups
Estate Planning and Elder LawEducation
Wayne State University Law School, J.D., 1996
Free Will Baptist Bible College, B.A., magna cum laude, 1990
Honors
Michigan Super Lawyers, Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019