Planning for the future, especially your own mortality, is never easy. Even when you understand the importance of creating a will or trust to protect your loved ones, finding the motivation to complete an estate plan can be difficult. Yet an unfinished estate plan is almost as risky as having no plan...
Category: Attorney
3 Estate Planning Steps Every New Wisconsin Homeowner Should Take
Congratulations on your new home. Whether you are officially a first-time homeowner or are leveling up (or scaling back) to a space that better fits your life, buying property is a massive milestone.
While you are busy picking paint swatches and unboxing the kitchen, do not forget that a...
Protect Your New Home and Your Loved Ones: Why an Estate Plan Matters in Wisconsin
Buying a home is exciting, whether it is your first time or your latest move. You have most likely worked with a realtor, a lender, a home inspector, and a title company, but there is one more call you should make: your estate planning attorney. Ensuring that your new home is properly...
Common Pot (Common) Trusts Explained for Families in Wisconsin
A pot trust (also known as a Common Trust) is a way to hold money and property for a group of beneficiaries, usually children or other family members, in one shared trust. Instead of dividing everything into separate shares right away, the assets stay together in a single fund, allowing the trustee...
Executor Rights: How You Are Protected While Administering an Estate In Wisconsin
Being named executor of someone’s estate is often viewed as an honor. It means the person who created the will trusted you to handle their affairs and carry out their wishes after death.
But once the process begins, many executors discover that the role involves far more than distributing...
Flying Solo: Why Estate Planning Still Matters and What to Do Next in Wisconsin
As a single person, you may find yourself wondering who will step in to make important decisions for you if you become unable to do so or who will receive your money and property after your death. Although parents, siblings, or other loved ones may be the first people who come to...
Your Family’s Estate Road Map: A Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Assets and Wishes in Wisconsin
Maps help us get where we are going. Nowadays, phone apps provide detailed directions, making it nearly impossible to get lost. A physical map may seem outdated, but in an emergency, it can be a lifesaver.
An estate plan without a “road map” leaves your loved ones guessing what...
Saving for School: Planning for Your Family’s Education in Madison, Wisconsin
According to the College Board, the average tuition and fees for the 2025–2026 academic year are $11,950 for a four-year in-state public institution; $31,880 for a four-year out-of-state public institution; $45,000 for a four-year nonprofit private institution; and $4,150 for a two-year public institution.[1] If postsecondary education is in your...
The Family Meeting: Not Just for Billionaires in Madison, Wisconsin
For some people, the term family meeting may not bring to mind a pleasant gathering where everyone shares fond memories and warm feelings. When someone says, “We need to talk,” it often implies that something is wrong or that tough decisions need to be made or discussed.
However, in...
Raising Stewards, Not Mere Beneficiaries: Preparing the Next Generation for Inheritance in Madison, Wisconsin
Steward—a term for someone entrusted with the care of something that does not personally belong to them—is commonly used in such realms as business, public service, and environmentalism.
Conservationists may be referred to as stewards of the land. Business leaders may describe themselves as stewards charged with acting in...