175 Cadycentre, Suite 325 :: Northville, MI 48167
Call Us: 248.924.3129
175 Cadycentre, Suite 325 :: Northville, MI 48167
Call Us: 248.924.3129

About Us

Integrating financial, tax and estate planning.

Traditional financial, tax, and estate planning is like going on a road trip, but with no map to show you how to get from your starting point to your destination.

YOU have the burden of coordinating all of your planning needs, finding the solutions, and maintaining them. You have the burden of understanding how each piece of the puzzle fits together. You have the burden of coordinating the parts to make sure your planning works as intended.

We think that there is a better way: Working with advisors who understand that decisions made in your financial plan, your tax plan, and your estate plan are inter-related. By collaborating we can design and maintain your financial, tax, and estate plan as a cohesive unit to achieve your goals.

Our goal is to design an estate plan that works for you.

Protecting What You've Built

Your financial life isn’t a separate compartment of your world. It is connected to the people you care about and the things you want to do. You have dreams.

  • Travel & Adventure
  • Lifestyle Today
  • Lifestyle Through Retirement
  • New Business Venture
  • Business Planning
  • Business Succession
  • Celebrating Life Events
  • Dependable Security
  • Philanthropy
  • Transferring Wealth
  • Living Your Legacy
  • Leaving Your Legacy

Our Process

1
Initial Consultation

Our consultation is no charge other than your time and information to determine if we can help you.

2
Design Meeting

We’ll develop your plan by reviewing your options with you at each phase of life to design your personal estate plan to achieve your goals.

3
Drafting

We’ll draft the documents necessary for your plan.

4
Execution Ceremony

Execution ceremony for your custom documents.

5
Funding Direction

We’ll look at titling, beneficiary designations, etc. appropriate to your plan design.

6
Maintenance

We’ll maintain your plan and update as necessary.

Meet the Team

“As an Estate Planning Attorney I get to work with the two most important things in a client’s life: Everyone they love and everything that they own”.

Attorney James A. Carolan

Sr. Estate Planning Attorney

Jim is an Attorney, Mediator, Certified Wealth Strategist, and Certified Trust and Financial Advisor. He is passionate about helping clients design, and implement, their estate plans to protect them and their loved ones, protect what they’ve built, and plan the efficient transfer of that which they have worked hard to build. Jim enjoys teaching clients about estate planning and learning about them and their family to design their personal estate plan.

Background

Jim began his career as an estate planning attorney and partner in a small firm based in Mt. Pleasant, MI. He formed a new firm with two other attorneys in his home-town of Port Huron, MI where he was the estate, probate, tax, and business planning partner. In 2002 he was recruited and joined JPMorgan in the Flint and Port Huron Private Client Services offices as a Trust Advisor and office manager. Jim moved to ThePrivateBank in Bloomfield Hills, then to Comerica Wealth Management as Trust Advisor, and after almost 10 years with Comerica moved to Monroe Bank and Trust (now First Merchants) as Trust Advisor/Wealth Manager until his move to Winston Salem in 2018 when he joined Wells Fargo Wealth Management as a Sr. Fiduciary Administrator. Although they enjoyed Winston Salem and the North Carolina weather, Jim and his wife Pat decided to return to Michigan in 2021 to be closer to family, and he joined EWM Legal Services as Sr. Estate Planning Attorney.

Jim has presented national webinars on various estate and tax planning matters, as well as local presentations.

Jim and Pat live in the Howell/Brighton area and are looking forward to becoming active in the community. They enjoy activities with their large extended family of 7 children, 10 grandchildren, and Jim’s 7 siblings and nieces and nephews; they are fans of both University of Michigan and Central Michigan University football and basketball, as well as the Detroit Red Wings. Jim also enjoys drag racing and road course driving his Mustang in his free time and attempts to play golf.

Education and Professional Designations

  • Thomas M. Cooley Law School – J. D. Cum Laude, May 1986
  • Central Michigan University – B.S. Government Administration and Human Resources
  • State Bar of Michigan, Attorney since 1986
  • Certified Wealth Strategist® – Cannon Financial
  • Certified Trust and Financial Advisor – American Bankers Association

Associations and Memberships

  • Knights of Columbus, Past Grand Knight
  • Member of Wealth Counsel

Korea Springer

Director of First Impressions | Office Administrator

Korea Springer joined EWM Tax Solutions in 2023 as the Director of First Impressions and Office Administrator for all Executive Wealth Management entities: EWM, EWM Tax Solutions, and EWM Legal Solutions.

Korea is a motivated professional with strong cooperative skills and the ability to work effectively with our different financial, tax, and legal teams. She approaches each client with understanding and care, working to create a seamless client experience. 

In her free time, Korea enjoys spending time with her son and self-care activities like reading self-help books, kickboxing, and pilates. She also serves in her church as a section leader and sings soprano in the choir.

Why You Need a Team for Your Planning

Segmenting your estate and financial planning with no coordination between advisors and consultants leads to unsynchronized planning. Successful estate planning requires that your financial and tax planning goals are integrated into your estate plan.

Protecting what you’ve built requires coordination, integration, and ongoing
monitoring and updating of your plans to ensure your goals are met.

Schedule your complimentary initial consultation.

EWM Legal Solutions
Live with Confidence

Member: State Bar of Michigan and Wealth Counsel
Admitted to practice in all Michigan courts; Federal Eastern District Court, Michigan; Federal Western District Court, Michigan; Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.