Estate Planning
What Happens If I Pass Without a Will?
“What will happen to my assets when I pass away?” This is the question that brings many clients into their attorney’s office for initial estate planning discussions. Typically, their estate planning attorney will ask questions to learn about their assets, family and...
What Is Divestment Under Medicaid Law?
Divestment is when you or your spouse give away assets belonging to either or both of you and sell assets for less than fair market value. Avoiding or refusing to accept income or assets you are entitled to, such as a pension income or an inheritance would also be...
Maximizing Bequests with Charitable Contributions
Many Americans wish to leave a donation to their favorite charity, community foundation or nonprofit organization when they pass away. You may be one of them. Often people decide to donate by gifting a specific dollar amount or percentage from the residue of their...
What Is Probate?
Probate is an often misunderstood but frequently heard term in relation to the death of a loved one. Perhaps in completing your estate planning you have been advised to “avoid probate.” But what is probate and why is to be avoided? Probate is the name of the legal...
Using a Special Needs Trust to Ensure Your Settlement Does Not Affect Public Benefits
In Wisconsin, Medicaid (sometimes also called Medical Assistance) covers 1 in 9 adults and 1 in 3 children; in fact, 16% of the Wisconsin population gets its health care coverage through Medicaid. Unlike the similar sounding Medicare, Medicaid is a means...
National Healthcare Decisions Day – April 16, 2019
National Healthcare Decisions Day was founded in 2008 to inspire, educate and empower the public and providers about the importance of advance care planning and encourage individuals to express their wishes regarding their healthcare and end of life...
Why Won’t the Bank Honor My Power of Attorney?
When you have been appointed as an agent under a Durable General (Financial) Power of Attorney, you presume that financial institutions will honor the document appointing you and provide you with access to funds and financial information on behalf of the...
Naming a Trust as the Beneficiary of a Tax-Qualified Retirement Account
Many have heard the quote often attributed to Benjamin Franklin, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” The sentiment behind this quote remains as relevant today as it did then, particularly in the context of...
Accounting for Digital Assets in your Estate Plan
Like many things rendered obsolete by the progress of technology, older estate plans may not adequately address the realities of the digital age. In the last 15 years, the Internet has become commonplace and many transactions are now recorded...