Family Office
Back
Families often face decisions that involve more than legal planning alone. Wealth preservation, business and estate planning, philanthropy, and family dynamics are often interconnected.
Ruder Ware’s Family Office helps bring these considerations together through coordinated planning and trusted guidance. Drawing on the resources of our diverse team, we help individuals and families navigate important decisions with confidence and continuity.
Why Families Turn to a Family Office
As families grow and circumstances change, planning becomes increasingly complex. A Family Office provides a centralized approach to coordinating legal, financial, and personal matters.
We commonly assist families with:
- Wealth preservation and legacy planning
- Business succession and liquidity events
- Trust and fiduciary administration
- Family governance and communication
- Philanthropic planning
- Significant life and business transitions
- Asset and property management oversight
Our Approach
We are committed to supporting you and your family through thoughtful planning and trusted collaboration. With the depth of a full-service law firm, we are able to address complex legal, fiduciary, and planning needs in an integrated way rather than through isolated recommendations. Our guidance reflects independent judgment shaped by long-term stewardship and professional ethical standards.
Collaborative Planning
Effective planning often requires coordination among multiple advisors. We work alongside accountants, financial planners, investment advisors, insurance professionals, and other trusted advisors to help ensure strategies remain aligned as opportunities arise and circumstances change.
Services That Support Life, Legacy, and Transition
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.
Back
Posted on July 10, 2025 by Amy E. Ebeling, Jacob A. Schraeder and Bryce B. Ebben
As you may be aware, on July 4, 2025, a landmark piece of tax legislation – commonly referred to as “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” – was signed into law, ushering in some of the most significant changes to the tax code in recent years. This sweeping bill touches nearly every corner of the tax […]
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 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 February 23, 2022 by Shanna N. Fink
Spring officially begins on March 20th – less than one month away. In Wisconsin, that means wedding planning is in full swing. One important item on many wedding planning to-do lists is a pre-nuptial agreement. We hear a lot about “pre-nups” in pop culture. One of the most iconic pop culture references is in the […]
More Insights...
