Crafting Personalized Estate Plans For Wisconsin Families
Last updated on March 18, 2022
If you have not established your family’s estate planning or have not updated your estate plan to reflect recent changes in your life or assets, you would be both wise and forward-looking to seek the reliable counsel of an experienced Wisconsin estate planning attorney.
Serving wills and trusts, estate planning and probate clients in Hudson and the St. Croix Valley for decades, we are the attorneys of Mudge Porter Lundeen & Seguin, S.C.
Our estate administration law firm has worked hard to meet the needs of western Wisconsin clients – individuals, couples and families, young and old alike – for decades. When you talk to us, you will speak with an understanding lawyer who genuinely cares about you and your family’s future financial security. We add a personal touch to our wealth of estate law experience and value the attorney-client relationship. You will find our personal commitment and dedication to your needs and goals to be second to none.
Contact Mudge Porter Lundeen & Seguin, S.C., at 888-365-5389 for a confidential, no-risk initial consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Estate Planning
Let us know what is on your mind as you consider creating or updating your estate plan. The following questions and answers are typical of topics we often address with our clients and potential clients.
Why are estate planning documents important?
You may believe that you can let people close to you know about your wishes regarding health care and the distribution of your assets after your death through conversations. Such conversations can help strengthen your overall estate planning, but people in your life may remember different things that you allegedly said. Hearsay may not hold up in court in case of a dispute. Proper estate planning documents can efficiently resolve such disputes before they arise.
Can I do estate planning myself?
You could try, but without the reassurance that your documents have been legally signed, you might be wasting your time. You may end up with a will that is subject to a will contest. You may omit important information. You may create future troubles if you have multiple wills. You may not realize that your will conflicts with your prenuptial agreement, also possibly leading to problems for your family someday. All in all, it is worth your time to get legal advice for something as important as estate planning.
When should I start estate planning?
Ideally, every young person aged 18 or older should have a will and express their wishes about health care and other issues through other estate planning documents. However, many people do not take estate planning seriously until they have significant assets. You may realize you need an estate plan after one or more of these life transitions:
- You get married.
- You become a parent.
- You become a homeowner and/or a business owner.
- You move from one state to another.
- You experience a loss or significant change in your financial status or family structure.
- You realize a desire to make a difference for a favorite charitable cause.
What estate planning documents do I need?
Everyone should have at least a simple will. You can consider a will a starter estate plan that could potentially save your family much trouble at any time. In addition to a will, you may decide to put the following documents in place, too:
- Powers of attorney that your family or other caregivers can use to manage your affairs if you are incapacitated.
- An advance health care directive or living will that can prevent disputes between family members or between your family and medical personnel.
- One or more trusts, such as a special needs trust, a generation-skipping trust or a charitable remainder trust.
Plan Ahead Now To Protect Your Legacy Later
You should obtain or update an estate plan to ensure you are protecting assets you have accumulated over the years. The thought you devote to these goals today can be your final gift to those you love most – and spare your survivors considerable time and expense when the time comes to administer your estate. You should also consider an estate plan in order to minimize tax consequences.
Our estate planning attorneys will work with you to ensure that your assets are protected for distribution later to the proper beneficiaries. We can also assist with drafting and review of wills, trusts, guardianships, living wills (advance health care directives), powers of attorney and other useful estate planning documentation.
For Wills, Estate Plans And Probate, Turn To The Only Law Firm You Will Need
In probate matters, if a person dies with or without a will, his or her estate may need to be probated if he or she owned property not controlled by joint title or beneficiary designation. The probate attorneys at Mudge Porter Lundeen & Seguin, S.C., can assist with all aspects of this court-supervised proceeding. We also handle will contests and probate litigation when families are divided over the true intent of a will.
Contact us for answers to your questions about Wisconsin wills, trusts and estates law and to discuss your particular estate planning goals in confidence. Your no-risk initial consultation with our skilled Hudson estate planning lawyers can be arranged right now at 888-365-5389 or by email.