Our estate planning attorneys 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 attorneys 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 attorneys and paralegals is able to provide a wide range of services, including:
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Identification and valuation of assets.
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Preparation of an inventory of assets and a formal accounting.
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Identification and notification of heirs and creditors.
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Assessment of the validity of claims against the estate or trust.
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Publication of all required notices.
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Management and investment of assets.
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Sale of assets.
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Payment of debts and expenses of administration.
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Payment of valid claims of creditors.
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Filing and payment of federal and state income, estate and gift tax returns.
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Representation of estate or trust in disputes with taxing authorities.
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Distribution of assets to beneficiaries.
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Closure of probate or trust administration.
As part of a full-service law firm, our attorneys provide clients with a one-stop approach to their legal needs. Ruder Ware, the largest Wisconsin law firm headquartered north of Madison, also provides legal counsel in Business Transactions, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, and Employment, Labor & Benefits.
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