Estate Planning Attorney – Matthew Ferri

Matthew A. Ferri

Matthew Ferri, J.D., M.B.A., is a Michigan estate planning attorney. He is the founder and owner of LifeFocus Planning®. His expertise includes advanced estate planning, elder law, Medicaid planning, Veterans benefits, special needs planning, wealth transfer planning, and business planning. During law school, Matt focused his studies on business law while simultaneously earning his MBA. Shortly after graduation, Matt started his own firm with the goal of helping individuals and their families develop estate plans that work. It was Matt’s dream to create an estate planning law firm that would provide families and business owners with comprehensive estate planning services and products.

Legal Awards

He received the rating of AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell: The highest peer rating standard. This rating signifies that a large number of his peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence for his legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards. He received the Avvo Clients’ Choice Award in 2017, and has been ranked a Top Attorney every year since. In 2021 Super Lawyers ranked Matt the Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Estate Planning Attorney – Continuous Education

Because of the constant changes in law and estate planning techniques, Matt devotes considerable time each year to his education. Matt earned a certificate in Probate and Estate Planning from the Institute of Continuing Legal Education. He continues his legal education by attending intensive education programs in his practice areas multiple times each year. He maintains memberships with other estate planning attorneys in some of the most prominent legal training organizations. This allows him to collaborate with the most experienced, cutting-edge and forward-thinking lawyers on the latest estate planning laws and techniques. He received his VA accreditation and is authorized to advise regarding Veterans Benefits. He is also an instructor for Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) programs and Insurance continuing education credit.

Sharing His Estate Planning Knowledge

As an estate planning attorney, Matt feels a duty to share his knowledge and he lectures frequently both locally and nationally. He offers several programs, including on irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs), qualified plans, and general estate planning. Locally, he has spoken to various groups on estate planning related topics such as disability planning, estate planning for women, and using powers of attorney. He also holds monthly estate planning workshops at his office titled The Truth About Estate Planning™. Nationally, he presented on: Digital Assets, how to protect them and how to transfer them to family members, Providing Value to Financial Advisors, and Generational Issues in Marketing. Matt is the author of Keeping Control, a Game Plan to Protect Your Estate, Your Family, and Your Money.

Education:

• University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, JD
• University of Detroit Mercy College of Business Administration, MBA
• John Carroll University, BSBA Finance

Admitted to Practice:

• State of Michigan
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
• VA Accreditation

Memberships:

• State Bar of Michigan
• • Probate and Estate Planning Section
  • Elder Law and Disability Rights Section
• Life Care Planning Law Firms Association
• WealthCounsel
• ElderCounsel
• Michigan Forum of Estate Planners, President
• Italian American Bar Association of Michigan
• Purposeful Planning Institute

Publications:

• Keeping Control, 90 Minute Books
• Marriage and Estate Planning, HG.org – Legal Resources
• Blended Families: Five Estate Planning Challenges, HG.org – Legal Resources
• Estate Planning and Retirement, Cylex.us.com