A helpful guide for parents and young adults navigating the legal transition into adulthood in the state of Wisconsin.
Eighteen is often viewed as a milestone year filled with graduation parties, first jobs, military enlistments, trade school plans, college move-in days, and newfound independence. What many families don’t realize is that turning 18 also brings significant legal changes. Overnight, a child becomes an adult in the eyes of the law.
As an estate planning attorney, these are some of
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Estate Planning Is Not Just for the Wealthy: Why Every Adult Needs a Plan
When many people hear the term “estate planning,” they picture sprawling estates, family trusts worth millions of dollars, and complicated tax strategies. As a result, they assume estate planning is something they can put off or may never need at all.
The reality is much simpler: estate planning is for everyone.
Whether you are a recent college graduate, a young parent, a retiree, a business owner, or somewhere in between, estate planning is about protecting yourself, your loved ones,
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Gifting Appreciated Securities vs. Waiting for a Step-up in Basis
The significant appreciation in equity markets has left many investors holding assets with substantial built-in gains. In many cases, tax basis is very low relative to current value. This creates a central tension in estate and tax planning, specifically, whether to recognize capital gains during life or preserve assets for a potential step-up in basis at death.
For many estate plans, the default instinct is to hold appreciated assets until death to secure a basis step-up. That instinct is
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Choosing a Power of Attorney for Health Care in Wisconsin
Choosing a power of attorney for health care is one of the most personal decisions in an estate plan. This is the person who may speak for you if illness, injury, or incapacity prevents you from making your own medical decisions.
In Wisconsin, a power of attorney for health care allows you to name a health care agent. That agent can make health care decisions for you if you are unable to make those decisions yourself. Wisconsin’s Department of
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Wills vs. Trusts in Wisconsin: What is the Difference?
Estate planning is not only about what happens after death. It is about giving your family direction when they may be grieving, stressed, or unsure what to do next.
A will and a trust are two common estate planning tools. They can both help you decide who receives your property, who should be involved in carrying out your wishes, and how your loved ones should be protected. They do different things, however, and many Wisconsin families use both.
At
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Marital Property Agreements: Planning for the Future, Not Planning for Divorce
One of the most rewarding parts of estate planning is guiding individuals and families as they prepare for the future. We discuss protecting children, preserving family assets, planning for retirement, and creating a legacy for the next generation. Occasionally, those conversations lead to the topic of a Marital Property Agreement (MPA), sometimes called a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement. When that happens, many couples become understandably uncomfortable.
A common reaction is:
“If we’re planning to spend the rest of
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The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide: Protecting Your Family and Your Sanity
If your typical Wednesday involves writing a college tuition check in the morning and interviewing in-home nurses for your parents by lunch, then you are officially part of the “Sandwich Generation.” It is a role rooted in deep family loyalty, but let’s be honest: Being in the middle can feel more like a pressure cooker than a privilege. Between the emotional weight and the financial complexity, it is easy to feel like you are constantly reacting to the next
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How to Avoid Wisconsin Probate without Losing Control of Your Family Legacy
Legal Probate Explained: Steps, Timeline, and Common Mistakes to Avoid
When a loved one passes away, families are often left with emotional stress, financial responsibilities, and legal questions. One of the most common legal processes families may face is Legal Probate. Probate is the court-supervised process of validating a will, identifying assets, paying debts, and distributing property to the rightful heirs or beneficiaries.
While probate can feel overwhelming, understanding the basic steps, expected timeline, and common mistakes can help families move through the process with more confidence.
While probate can feel overwhelming, understanding the basic steps, expected timeline, and common mistakes can help families move through the process with more confidence.
What Is
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Why Website Accessibility Should Be on Every Lawyer’s Radar
Many lawyers are not aware of website accessibility. Oftentimes a lawyer’s exposure to the issue of website accessibility is communications from a client receiving a letter stating that their website is not accessible or dealing with a potential lawsuit.
Unfortunately, due to the frequency of dealing with these letters and the often quick settlements, these letters have attracted a reputation as being filed by lawyers interested in nuisance settlements. However, that is frequently not the case, and a particular
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The ‘Masterpiece’ and a Daughter’s Burden, Relieved
My father loved the sea. By extension he also loved all sea-related tchotchkes, i.e., model sailing vessels, fake shark’s teeth, lighthouses big and small, cute little fishermen in bright yellow rain slickers. You name it, he had one. How did he explain this passion? Growing up in western Wisconsin, he was far from the sea. In a former life he believed he was … a whale. Many years ago, he wandered into an antique store in Florida on the
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Fairness is Personal: Estate Planning Lessons for Families with Unequal Assets
One of the most common issues that arises in estate and succession planning has little to do with taxes, documents, or legal mechanics. It’s family dynamics.
Parents often come into the process with the goal of being fair. But fairness is rarely as simple as dividing everything equally. When clients ask whether I think their plan is fair, I’m candid: my personal view doesn’t matter. What I can offer is perspective into how other families in similar situations typically
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Property Deed Scam Alert: What Illinois Homeowners Need to Know
If you’re a homeowner in Illinois, especially in areas like Lake County, there’s an important warning you shouldn’t ignore: the property deed scam Illinois residents are receiving by mail is back—and it’s targeting unsuspecting homeowners with official-looking notices.
These solicitations can be confusing, and even savvy professionals have been caught off guard. As part of smart estate planning, protecting your assets doesn’t stop with legal documents—it also means staying alert to scams that try to exploit public records.
These solicitations can be confusing, and even savvy professionals have been caught off guard. As part of smart estate planning, protecting your assets doesn’t stop with legal documents—it also means staying alert to scams that try to exploit public records.
What
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Wisconsin’s 120-Hour Rule, Survivorship Marital Property, and Blended Families
When families blend through second marriages, later-in-life relationships, or remarriage after divorce, estate planning becomes more complex, and more important. This is especially true when one or both spouses have children from prior relationships.
A recent Wisconsin Court of Appeals decision, Sterling L. North v. Estate of William James North II, 2024AP1908 (Wis. Ct. App. Dec. 30, 2025) shows how a lack of planning can result in an unintended division of property between the spouses’ children, particularly when
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Estate Planning for Aging Parents: Avoid Probate Nightmares
For many high-net-worth families and business owners, the shift happens gradually.
Your parents—who once handled everything—begin to need help. Maybe it starts with small things, like managing bills or attending doctor’s appointments. But over time, those responsibilities grow.
This is where estate planning for aging parents becomes critical.
Without proper planning, families often find themselves navigating court processes, probate delays, and unnecessary financial exposure—all during an already emotional time. The reality is, estate planning for aging parents is not
Your parents—who once handled everything—begin to need help. Maybe it starts with small things, like managing bills or attending doctor’s appointments. But over time, those responsibilities grow.
This is where estate planning for aging parents becomes critical.
Without proper planning, families often find themselves navigating court processes, probate delays, and unnecessary financial exposure—all during an already emotional time. The reality is, estate planning for aging parents is not
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Who Can File and Maintain a Divorce When a Client is Incapacitated?
While a client who has capacity can clearly file a divorce action, what happens when the client has capacity issues?
This is becoming more common as we see older adults divorcing, especially those in second marriages whose adult children do not get along. A case can be dismissed where the person filing does not have capacity to see.[1] “It is an accepted principle of law that an action cannot be maintained by one who has no capacity to
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