Ancillary Probate: When Is It Used, Where It Occurs, and How to Avoid It
Many people own property in more than one state—perhaps a vacation home in Florida, a rental property in a former home state, or even a car titled in another state. ...
New Year, New Estate Plan
A new year is a time for optimism and new opportunities. It is a time to start fresh and make sure you are headed in the right direction. But making ...
Is a Handwritten Will Effective?
After the 2018 passing of the legendary singer Aretha Franklin, her family and lawyer initially thought she had died without a will. But in 2019, three handwritten wills—two from 2010 ...
Planning for Your Automobile
Have you considered what will happen to your car when you pass away? In 2019, it is projected that there will be 281.3 million registered vehicles in the United States. ...
Myths We Tell Ourselves About Estate Planning
Estate planning can be a very difficult process. Making the decision to move forward with the planning requires us to face the fact that we will not live forever. This ...
What are Letters of Testamentary?
An individual who has been named as a personal representative or executor in a will has a number of important duties. These include gathering the deceased person's property and transferring it to the beneficiaries through a court-supervised process known as probate. In order to initiate this proceeding, the executor must first obtain what are referred to as Letters of Testamentary. In Wisconsin, they are called Domiciliary Letters. This document gives the executor the legal authority to administer the deceased person's estate.
Should I Transfer My Home to My Children?
Most people are aware that probate should be avoided if at all possible. It is an expensive, time-consuming process that exposes your family’s private matters to public scrutiny via the ...