Probate & Trust Administration
Our probate lawyers can help people organize their affairs and establish an efficient plan for the disposition of their assets. When death occurs, our experienced staff of probate and trust administration specialists stands ready to carry out the deceased person’s wishes, which may have been expressed through a will, a revocable trust, beneficiary designations, or a combination of approaches.
Through active participation in state and national associations, our lawyers and paralegals bring a wide variety of skills to the tasks of settling estates and administering trusts, including in-depth knowledge of the probate process, state and federal tax laws, real estate law, trust law, and estate and trust litigation.
We understand that the attorney-client relationship is seldom as personal as when a family places its faith and trust in our ability to assist them after a loved one has died. Depending on a family’s particular circumstances, our attentive staff of lawyers and paralegals is able to provide a wide range of services, including:
- Identification and valuation of assets.
- Preparation of an inventory of assets and a formal accounting.
- Identification and notification of heirs and creditors.
- Assessment of the validity of claims against the estate or trust.
- Publication of all required notices.
- Management and investment of assets.
- Sale of assets.
- Payment of debts and expenses of administration.
- Payment of valid claims of creditors.
- Filing and payment of federal and state income, estate and gift tax returns.
- Representation of estate or trust in disputes with taxing authorities.
- Distribution of assets to beneficiaries.
- Closure of probate or trust administration.
The probate process is complicated, therefore we’ve created an infographic to explain the Three Phases of Informal Probate.
Founded in 1920, Ruder Ware provides business, employment, estate planning, and litigation services. A full-service law firm, over 45 attorneys provide clients with a one-stop approach to their legal needs. Ruder Ware, Business Attorneys for Business Success.
Posted on January 9, 2024 by Ruth M. Ross
As people begin to think about passing on their assets to the next generation, some consider gifting to their children during their life, rather than passing their assets by inheritance at their death. Possible motivations for this type of transfer include transferring ownership of a business to a child or the protection of assets in […]
Posted on December 28, 2023 by Linda M. Danielson
There is a lot of confusion about estate planning. This is understandable. Most people don’t deal with these issues on a regular basis, and planning for what happens when we die or become incapacitated isn’t something most of us like to think or talk about. Common misconceptions about estate planning include: 1. Having a will […]
Posted on October 23, 2023 by Mykayla A. Dado
When your days are consumed with running a business, it can be hard to look ahead towards tomorrow’s to-do list, much less towards a to-do list for something far in the future, like estate planning. If you’ve pushed off putting in writing what will happen to your business once you’re gone, it’s time to tackle […]
Posted on April 11, 2023 by Shanna N. Fink
Many clients wonder who is responsible for planning their funeral, selecting burial or cremation, and making other arrangements after their death. Some clients ask what happens if family members disagree about these matters. In Wisconsin, there is a default law that dictates who has the authority to make these decisions after your death. The default […]
Posted on December 15, 2022 by Ashley L. Hawley
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 pages 3-5. Page one asks about marital status and page two asks the potential client to […]
Posted on November 15, 2022 by Shanna N. Fink
In the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, I wrote a blog post on how to create a valid will in Wisconsin. At the time, we were all stuck at home by government order, and many clients signed their wills without a notary public. Signing a will without a notary public was a short-term fix during […]
Posted on October 26, 2022 by Jessica A. Merkel
Paying for nursing-home and long-term care can seem daunting when the cost can be $5,000 to $12,000 per month – or more. When a married couple is no longer able or willing to privately pay out of pocket for care and chooses to apply for Medicaid, it’s a complex process. The Medicaid agency must analyze […]
Posted on September 22, 2022 by Ashley L. Hawley
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 tons of money. After he got the account set up, he asked me to sit beside […]
Posted on June 21, 2022 by Shanna N. Fink
One of the most common questions asked by our clients is, “What is the difference between a will and a trust, and which is right for me?” Last week, I provided a brief summary of the differences between these two common estate planning tools in a vlog. You can view the vlog here. In this […]
Posted on April 14, 2022 by Jessica A. Merkel
Do you prefer face-to-face meetings? Do you struggle getting through a phone tree or finding what you need online? Many of our clients receive Social Security Retirement benefits, Social Security Disability benefits, and various other benefits provided through the Social Security Administration (the “SSA”). Recently, Kilolo Kijakazi, the Acting Commissioner of Social Security, announced that […]
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