Front Row: Attorneys David James, Steven Thompson, Keith Pilger, and Amy Eddy
A Firm That Will Be Here When Your Family Needs It
Our firm has practiced in Central Wisconsin since 1886, and we have planned for our own succession with the same care we bring to our clients' plans. The attorneys who serve your family today were trained by those who served your family before them. Your history is our history. When your plan is called upon, our attorneys will understand your intent, know your family's context, and be ready to act. That continuity is part of what we provide, and it is something no recently formed practice can offer.
What a Typical Estate Plan Includes
Most estate plans include some combination of the following documents, tailored to your circumstances. Not every client needs every document: before we draft anything, we learn your situation and recommend a plan that fits.
- Will
- Revocable Trust
- Marital Property Agreement
- Financial (Durable) Power of Attorney
- Health Care Power of Attorney
- HIPAA Authorization
- Instructions for Beneficiary Designations
You Will Understand Your Plan Before You Leave
Before any plan is finalized, we walk through every document with you. We explain who is in charge, what happens at your death, what happens if you become incapacitated, and what your family will need to do. We answer every question. You leave our office understanding your plan, not just having signed it.
Trust Funding & Asset Titling
We provide clear, written instructions for funding your own trust, covering financial accounts, real estate, retirement accounts, and other assets. Most clients use these instructions to complete this process themselves without difficulty, saving meaningful time and money. We remain available to answer questions and provide assistance as requested throughout. For Wisconsin real property, we handle deed transfers directly as part of our services.
Estate Planning Fees
Our fees are transparent and stated before we begin. We use flat fee minimums so you know your starting fee upfront. If we believe your plan requires more work than the base fee covers (due to advanced planning needs, additional documents, or extended consultation), we will inform you of those additional charges. Our goal is no surprises.
| Service | Starting At |
| Will-based Plan (Individual) | $700.00 |
| Will-based Plan (Married Couple) | $900.00 |
| Trust-based Plan (Individual) | $3,000.00 |
| Trust-based Plan (Married Couple) | $3,500.00 |
| Powers of Attorney Documents | $175.00 per document |
| Deed | $250.00 per Deed, plus Recording Fee |
| Trust Certification | $125.00 |
What Can Make a Plan More Advanced
The following circumstances often require additional drafting, analysis, or consultation and may result in fees above the starting amount. We identify these factors at your initial consultation and provide a revised estimate before proceeding.
- Second marriage or blended family with children from a prior relationship
- Pre and Post-Nuptial Agreements
- Marital property agreements that address individual property and divorce
- Business ownership of any kind, including LLCs, corporations, partnerships, or farm operations
- Real property located in more than one state
- Special needs beneficiary requiring a supplemental needs trust
- Beneficiary with substance abuse issues, significant creditor exposure, or a pending divorce
- Minor children as primary or contingent beneficiaries
- Agricultural land, cabin, or recreational property with multiple potential heirs
- Charitable giving goals
- Significant or complex retirement account assets requiring specialized beneficiary planning
- Multiple Wisconsin properties requiring additional deed transfers
- Advanced tax planning needs for larger estates
- Life insurance trust planning
- Long-term care planning and asset protection
Elder Law and Nursing Home Planning
Long-term care planning, Medicaid qualification, and nursing home cost strategies are a distinct practice area with their own rules, timelines, and planning tools. If your situation involves any of these issues, our Elder Law team handles them separately.
See Our Elder Law And Nursing Home Practice Area
Estate Planning, Farm Succession, and Business Succession
For business owners, farmers, and entrepreneurs, an estate plan and a business succession plan need to work together. How your business interest passes at your death, who takes over operations, how buy-sell obligations are funded, and how business value is treated in your estate all require coordination between the two. For farming families, agricultural succession raises additional considerations: land, equipment, livestock, operating entities, and lease arrangements all need to be addressed as part of the plan, whether the goal is to keep the farm in the family, transition to the next generation, or plan for a sale. We handle both the estate plan and the business succession plan, addressing the business and agricultural dimensions as part of your planning from the start.
See Our Business Planning Practice Area
Family Cabins, Hunting Land, and Recreational Property
Recreational property raises issues that standard planning does not always address: who inherits, who can use it, how shared ownership among multiple heirs is managed, and whether a cabin trust or LLC structure makes sense. Our attorneys regularly work at this intersection, and we make sure your estate plan addresses your recreational property directly.
See Our Family Cabin, Hunting Land, And Recreational Property Practice Area
Pre- and Post-Nuptial Agreements
Wisconsin is a marital property state, which means the rules governing what each spouse owns during and after a marriage differ from most other states. A pre-nuptial agreement (entered before marriage) or post-nuptial agreement (entered during marriage) allows couples to replace the rules written by the legislature with their own terms defining how property, assets, and debts will be classified and divided, including protections for individual property, business interests, inherited assets, and expectations in the event of divorce or death. These agreements are particularly important for blended families, second marriages, and situations involving significant pre-marital assets. Wisconsin law imposes strict requirements for these agreements to be honored by the court, and our attorneys draft and review these agreements to meet those requirements and coordinate with your broader estate plan.
Estate Planning Services
Primary Estate Planning
- Wills of all types
- Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts
- Special Needs Trusts
- Pour-Over Wills
- Marital Property Agreements
- Financial (Durable) Powers of Attorney
- Health Care Powers of Attorney
- Living Wills and Advance Healthcare Directives
- HIPAA Authorizations
- Gifts to Minors
- Beneficiary Designation Review and Coordination
Other Estate Planning Services
- Business Succession Planning
- Business Buy-Sell Agreements
- Planning for Retirement
- Guardianships
- Digital Asset Planning
- Inheritance Protection Planning
- Trust Administration Guidance
Advanced Estate Planning
- Avoiding Probate Procedures
- Life Insurance Trusts
- Generation-Skipping Trusts
- Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts (SLATs)
- Family Limited Partnerships
- Family Limited Liability Companies
- Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts
- Qualified Personal Residence Trusts
- Charitable Remainder Trusts
- Other Estate Tax Reduction Strategies
Estate Settlements
- Settlements Without Probate
- Probate Procedures
- Summary Settlements
Serving Central Wisconsin
Our attorneys serve clients throughout Portage, Wood, Marathon, Waushara, Adams, and Waupaca counties, including Stevens Point, Plover, Wisconsin Rapids, Wausau, Wautoma, Waupaca, Adams, Friendship, and the surrounding communities.