When I meet with new clients I have them fill out what we refer to as our estate planning “questionnaire”. Basically, a form that asks them to insert personal information on the first two pages and financial information on...more
Estate Planning Attorney Ashley Hawley kicks off the conversation about Mixed Family Dynamics by talking about Wisconsin's default rule in her latest vlog. The concept of the default rule is the state of Wisconsin has a law...more
My husband just recently opened a new account at one of those online, do-it-yourself, investment companies. He promises that with the tiny amount of money I was willing to allow him to experiment with that he will make us...more
Almost any type of asset you might have can have a beneficiary designation associated with it. Beneficiary designations supersede the designation in a will or trust and your failure to update them can lead to complications...more
Drafting an estate plan allows a person to put into writing their wishes for division of assets upon death. Sometimes this means making a choice to give more to one child over the other, or to completely write out natural...more
People handle grief differently and sometimes how a person handles the death of a loved one can be both confusing and also extremely frustrating - fighting over little things like, who gets the table and the chairs, for...more
“Probate” is a legal term for the Court process of transferring assets out of a deceased person’s name and to that person’s heirs and/or beneficiaries. The difference between the term “heir” and the term “beneficiary” is...more
Our team here at Ruder Ware has focused previous blogs and other educational materials on ways to avoid adult guardianship; however, there may be some instances where guardianship is unavoidable. Earlier this month, I...more
As many churches in our area celebrated Easter in their parking lots or over video recordings, we cannot help but think what impact the coronavirus is having on not just churches but other local nonprofit organizations in our...more
Picture this: you are lying on the beach in sunny Aruba, thinking about your best friend, Kristin, who valiantly volunteered to watch your three children while you and your spouse got away from the Wisconsin winter for the...more
The family farm has always been unique from an estate-planning perspective. Unlike many traditional businesses, a farm business typically holds a disproportionate amount of illiquid assets such as real estate, equipment,...more
As our aging population grows so does the cost of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and in-home care services. Contrary to popular belief, Medicare will only cover certain short-term stays and typically will not...more
In my opinion, education is the most impactful aspect of my role as an estate planning attorney. I often tell the story that when I first decided upon estate planning – over ten years ago – I excitedly told my husband that I...more