Meet Chris Savage
Christine Savage is a shareholder and has substantial experience in various aspects of estate planning, probate and trust administration, income, estate, gift and generation skipping transfer taxation, and corporate business matters. Chris regularly advises clients on both simple and complex estate and business planning matters.
Chris received a Bachelor’s degree in 1993 in Accounting from Michigan State University, a Juris Doctorate degree in 1999 from Michigan State University College of Law, and a LLM degree in taxation in 2005 from Wayne State University. Chris is recognized by the Michigan business community with her knowledge and accomplishments. Chris is listed in the Best Lawyers in America in the trusts and estates areas and received the Preeminent “AV” rating maintained by Martindale-Hubbell. She is editor and co-author of “Michigan Revocable Granter Trust”, an ICLE publication. She is co-author of Choice of Entity: Advising Small Business Start-Ups in Michigan, and is author of Transferring the Family Business: How Can I be “Fair” to All My Children, “Journal for the State Bar of Michigan Probate and Estate Planning Section”, author of Planning for Retirement Plan Distributions, ”Michigan Out of Doors” Magazine, and is author of Tax Aspects of Charitable Giving, Journal for the State Bar of Michigan Probate and Estate Planning Section. She also authored “IRS Issued Proposed Amendments to Claims Against the Estate Regulations”, “Journal for the State Bar of Michigan Probate and Estate Planning Section”.
Chris is a lecturer in the areas of trusts estates and business planning. In 2010 she was an adjunct professor at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School teaching a course on business organizations.
AREAS OF PRACTICE
Estate Planning
Probate, Trust and Estate Administration
Taxation
Business Planning
Corporate Law
Premarital and Marital Agreements
EDUCATION
Wayne State University Law School, LL.M. in Taxation, 2005
Detroit College of Law at M.S.U., J.D., 1999
- Completed the Concentration in Taxation Program
- American Jurisprudence Award in Employee Benefits and
- Executive Compensation
Michigan State University, B.A. in accounting, 1993
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS AND HONORS
American Bar Association Member:
- Taxation Section
- Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section
State Bar of Michigan Member:
- Probate and Estate Planning Council, Member, 2017 – Present
- Premarital and Marital Agreements Committee, Chair, 2017 - Present
- Tax Committee, Member 2017 - Present
Ingham County Bar Association Member
Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Probate and Estate Planning Advisory Board, 2006-2017
Greater Lansing Estate Planning Council, Member
- Board of Directors, 2000-2005
- President, 2004-2005
Completed the Probate and Estate Planning Certificate Program through the Estate Planning Section of the State Bar and the Institute of Continuing Legal Education, 2005
Detroit College of Law, Michigan State University American Inns of Court, 2001-2003
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America Trusts & Estates area
Martindale-Hubbell rating of AV - Preeminent
PUBLICATIONS AND SPEAKING EXPERIENCE
Michigan Revocable Grantor Trusts, 3rd ed., Institute of Continuing Legal Education, editor and co-author
Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, Business Planning, Adjunct Professor, 2010
Choice of Entity: Advising Small Business Start-Ups in Michigan, co-author
Transferring the Family Business: How Can I be “Fair” to All My Children; “Journal for the State Bar of Michigan Probate and Estate Planning Section”
Tax Nugget, IRS Issued Proposed Amendments to Claims Against the Estate Regulations”, “Journal for the state Bar of Michigan Probate and Estate Planning Section”
Planning for Retirement Plan Distributions, ”Michigan Out of Doors” Magazine
Tax Aspects of Charitable Giving, Journal for the State Bar of Michigan Probate and Estate Planning Section
Lecturer in the areas of trusts-estates and employee benefits
COMMUNITY SERVICe
Burcham Hills Foundation
- Board of Directors, 2003-2004
- President, 2004
National Planned Giving Council
- Board of Directors, 2004-2008
- Secretary, 2006-2008