Cottage Law Cottage Law is the practice area of The Penning Group focused on family cottage sharing and cottage succession planning. Our Suttons Bay office in the historic Depot is known nationally as "The Home of Cottage Law."
"The Home of Cottage Law" We acquired the general law practice, not the cottage law practice, of the late Stuart J. Hollander, located in the historic Suttons Bay Train Depot, at the end of 2007.
A centralized office in the Grand Traverse area in Leelanau County enhances our local involvement with our family of clients in northern Michigan - from Clare clear north of the Mackinac Bridge! Living and working in this community lets us know first-hand many day-to-day issues facing their families, property, industries and businesses.
Cottage Law Practice Areas Areas of our Cottage Law Practice: Cottage Succession Planning, Estate Planning, Succession Planning, Real Estate and Property Tax Appeals and Related Matters
At The Penning Group we know your goal is to protect three things: the people you love, a place you love and the life experiences and cottage memories you love.
Your Family Cottage Property
By having a solid cottage succession plan in place your heirs avoid common real estate law surprises. Our attorneys work with you to develop a flexible cottage succession plan which will move your family cottage away from the hazards of 600-year-old real estate laws to within the protection of entity laws.
We examine your family cottage property as a whole and advise you on short- and long-term strategies and legal structures to avoid the uncapping of your property.
Expert Cottage Law Attorneys
Let our staff of expert cottage law attorneys develop a cottage succession plan with you which will:
Protect your family cottage from passing outside the family.
Solve future conflicts between family members about how the family cottage is operated, maintained and improved.
Avoid, through the right to partition governed by real estate laws, the forced sale of your family cottage.
Your Cottage Succession Plan, as prepared by The Penning Group, becomes a flexible legal entity of its own to keep the family cottage in your family for generations to come.
The Penning Group will provide a detailed, enforceable and customized plan to:
manage the process of cottage use
pay ongoing expenses
facilitate the possible disposition of ownership interests in the family cottage after both parents are deceased reflecting the parents' desire regarding the family cottage
This planning promotes and hopefully preserves unity among the next generation and even future generations depending on the terms of the plan. It specifies:
how many children if less than all can liquidate/sell their ownership interests
at what price (including options for discounts to discourage sales)
how expenses will be paid
the plan can also include management of funds left to endow the payment of cottage expenses by the parents
Preserving the "experience" of the family cottage In addition to family harmony, a well designed cottage succession plan will preserve the "experience" of the family cottage. All the memories that experience will produce are worth more than money. Also, those experiences may provide what you hoped for - a common and loving bond and closer relationship among grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
"2010 Grand Traverse Insider People's Choice Award Winner" - Thank you to all who voted. We appreciate it!
2010 & 2011 FIVE STAR Wealth Advisor
The Penning Group is pleased to announce that for the second consecutive year, Dan A. Penning was named FIVE STAR Wealth Advisor for 2011 by HOUR Detroit Magazine.
A protective cottage plan Call Dan Penning of The Penning Group today to begin the process of creating your cottage plan. Even a simple plan, which you can easily change and update, is better than the consequence of not having a protective cottage succession plan for your heirs.
Please call us! We welcome your phone calls and questions about how to plan for the future of your cottage, property tax "uncapping", property tax appeals and related tax matters.
Dan A. Penning
231.271.4500 Suttons Bay
248.893.1400 Farmington Hills
Special Events, Lake Homeowner Associations and Town Hall Speaker Dan Penning is a popular and sought after speaker throughout Michigan on cottage succession planning and related property tax matters, including tax appeals. Always lively and informative on topics you care about. Dan is available to speak to your group. Contact Dan at 231.271.4500.
The information contained on this Penning Group website, www.cottage-law.com, is intended for informational purposes only. It is not intended as professional advice and should not be construed as such. Laws and their application vary based upon a client's unique facts and circumstances. The Penning disclaims any responsibility for action taken in reliance on this website without further consultation and analysis. For questions, please contact us at 248.893.1400, 213.271.4500 or at info (at) penninggroup.com.
Cottage Law is the practice area of The Penning Group focused on family 
