Estate Planning, Trusts & Probate
La Crosse, Wisconsin, Estate Planning Attorneys
Comprehensive estate planning services
At Hale, Skemp, Hanson, Skemp & Sleik our firm provides basic estate planning as well as sophisticated asset protection strategies. Whether you are interested in creating a will or trust, or require experienced guidance in complex estate planning, we can effectively protect your assets and help you create a tailored estate plan for your family.
Taking the time to create an estate plan is important so that you can manage your assets and investments, protect the security of your family, and make determinations about your health and finances should you become incapacitated. Contact us for strategic, tailored estate planning services.
In creating an estate plan, everyone needs:
- A will
- A durable power of attorney
- A health care power of attorney, and
- A determination of guardianship of minor children
Our attorneys can start an estate plan from scratch for a person without a will. We can also modify an existing estate plan to accommodate a life change, such as a marriage, birth, divorce, remarriage, or retirement. It is wise to update your estate plan least every 5-6 years. We will also coordinate beneficiary designations with estate planning documents, as your will does not override whoever is listed as beneficiary of a life insurance policy or IRA.
Complex estate planning
In complex estate planning, our firm will minimize federal and state tax liabilities, bypass probate, and protect your creditors. When preparing an estate plan, we will take the time to understand your unique planning goals. We are experienced in estate planning tools including:
- Revocable living trusts to access assets
- Irrevocable life insurance trusts and other asset protection trusts
- Supplemental /special needs trust and special needs planning
- Charitable remainder and annuity trusts
Estate planning for non-traditional families
We offer experienced and strategic estate planning for non-traditional families, including gay and lesbian couples. Planning will involve the designation of property rights and medical decisions. In blended families we can help you determine the inheritance rights of stepchildren.
Animal and pet trusts
Our firm has established a $50,000 trust for care of a parrot, and a $3.5 million trust enabling the animals on a farm to live out their natural life. Contact us for more information on unconventional requests or pet trusts.
Elder Law
We are experienced in Medicaid planning, including divestment and gifting to qualify for government assistance for nursing home care. We can help you avoid medical assistance liens or disqualification through proper planning and create irrevocable trusts and other strategies to protect assets to avoid taxes to heirs.
Probate and Trust Administration
Our attorneys can help usher an executor or administrator of an estate through their duties as quickly and inexpensively as possible. We will gather and value assets, liquidate assets, distribute inheritance, file tax returns, and handle all accounting and reporting of the estate. We can advise trust administrator in annual accounting/reporting and have CPAs in house to handle inheritance and death taxes.
Probate and Trust Litigation
Our attorneys can handle will contests involving lack of testamentary capacity, undue influence, and improper execution. We will represent the estate, beneficiaries, or excluded heirs in probate litigation or breach of fiduciary duty cases involving the removal of fiduciary for incompetence or fraud, or recovery of misappropriated assets.
Contact Hale, Skemp, Hanson, Skemp & Sleik to speak directly with an experienced La Crosse, Wisconsin lawyer. Our law firm has extensive knowledge and experience, and is dedicated to protecting our client’s rights. Call us toll-free at 888-899-5461.
