Cottage Succession Plans and the Importance of Titles

These plans are premised upon correct titles and rights. Titles and rights of uplands and bottomlands of Michigan water bodies are extremely complicated and subject to much misunderstanding of Michigan courts, legislature and professionals. When putting together a cottage succession plan, these ownership and rights matters are of vital importance to the continuation and proper functioning of the cottage for years into the future.

It is mandatory that an experienced subdivision boundary attorney who knows title, boundaries and rights be consulted when putting together a cottage succession plan. It is an absolute necessity to be able to differentiate between a riparian body of water and a parcel of land that is water-covered but owned in the same manner as the cottage. After all, the kids would be devastated if they were saddled with liabilities as a result of parents’ or grandparents’ misunderstanding the legalities of what is owned. Getting the ownership correct is by far the most important element of any plan. If descriptions, titles and use rights are not detailed properly, the entire plan can be a total failure.