Part of protecting your loved ones when you pass away is making sure that you have a proper estate plan in place. Another aspect is making sure that the right amount of money is available to carry out your goals for their futures. Life insurance has helped many people...
Wisconsin Estate Planning Legal Blog
Why Singles Should Worry about Estate Planning
As a single individual, you may feel overwhelmed when you think about who will step in and make decisions for you if you cannot make decisions for yourself and who will receive your money and property when you die. You may consider your parents or siblings, but...
Estate Planning: Answering Common Questions of Senior Citizens
According to a study conducted by Caring.com, the percentage of people aged fifty-five and older who have created a will has fallen from 60 percent to 44 percent since 2019. Although creating or updating your estate planning may seem like a daunting task, a proper...
When should you update your estate plan?
Many people consider an estate plan a finished document. The truth is that individuals should review and revise elements of the plan on a regular basis. Even if you do not update the plan every three to five years as recommended, it is crucial that you make changes...
Fast-tracking an SSD decision
It is well understood by many Wisconsin residents that the Social Security Administration takes an inordinate amount of time to finalize most disability claims. These only relate to permanent disability, so the award for Social Security Disability Insurance coverage...
Psychological elder abuse
Elder mental and emotional abuse happens when a caregiver inflicts emotional stress or pain on the elderly individual for whom they are caring. The caregiver may embarrass, insult or threaten the elder through actions or words. Some caregivers even isolate the elder...
Why avoid joint ownership when planning for incapacity?
When preparing for what happens with your Wisconsin estate in the future, you have to consider many factors. One of them may be your potential incapacity and, therefore, inability to make decisions on your finances. You can name a close family member, usually a child,...
Medicaid and long-term care planning
Qualifying for Medicaid is often easier said than done. Your income does dictate your Medicaid eligibility, but your involvement in other government programs can also affect whether you qualify. If you live in Wisconsin, it's important to understand how you can...
Spend-down strategies and Medicaid
Medicaid is the largest health care insurer in the U.S. Over 72 million Americans qualify for Medicaid, including thousands in Wisconsin. Because it's a need-based program, there are income limits for eligibility. Therefore, some people need to spend down their assets...
Should you file another SSD claim after your first rejection?
When the Social Security Administration denies your Wisconsin SSD application, it doesn't mean that you'll never qualify for disability benefits. In fact, the SSA might accept your claim if you file an appeal and prove that you need these benefits. However, making...