Estate Planning

Boardman Clark advises a wide range of clients regarding estate planning, business planning, charitable giving, and probate and trust administration. Our lawyers represent individuals, families, fiduciaries, and charitable organizations.

The lawyers in our Trusts & Estates Group have served and continue to serve on statewide boards and committees that oversee the law in this area, including the Real Property, Probate and Trust Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin, and the drafting committee for the Uniform Trust Code in Wisconsin. Several of our lawyers are authors or coauthors of Eckhardt’s Workbook for Wisconsin Estate Planners, and Advising Older Clients and Their Families, standard publications in these areas published by the State Bar of Wisconsin.

Core Estate Planning Documents

Boardman Clark’s estate planning team members work closely with clients to create an estate plan that best meets each client’s individualized needs and wishes. These estate plans typically include some or all of the following documents:

Wills

Our Estate planning team drafts wills to ensure that the client’s testamentary wishes are honored.

Trusts

Our team creates trusts to help clients manage their assets and provide for disposition of their assets in the event of the client’s death.

Health Care Power of Attorney

A Health Care Power of Attorney provides an individual’s agent with broad discretion for making medical decisions when that individual is unable to do so. When drafting Health Care Powers of Attorney, Boardman Clark’s attorneys work closely with clients so that their powers of attorney reflect the client’s wishes for medical care.

Financial (Durable) Power of Attorney

In the event of diminished capacity, a financial Durable Power of Attorney provides an individual’s agent with authority to managing that individual’s assets and financial affairs. As with a Health Care Power of Attorney, this Durable Power of Attorney provides an individual’s agent with broad discretion for making financial decisions when that individual is unable to do so. When drafting Durable Powers of Attorney, Boardman Clark’s attorneys work closely with clients so that their powers of attorney reflect the client’s wishes for who that agent will be, and what authority that agent will possess.

Living Will/Declaration to Physicians

Living wills make it possible for clients to select the type of life-sustaining care that they would like when they experience an illness or injury that leaves them in a “terminal condition” or “persistent vegetative state.” Boardman Clark’s attorneys work closely with clients so that their living wills reflect the client’s wishes for end of life care.

Beneficiary Designation, Deeds, & Other Title Documents

In order to effectively implement a client’s estate plan, it is crucial that all dispositive, non-probate transfers such as beneficiary designations, deeds, and other documents of title be completed correctly. Our Trusts & Estates Attorneys review and update clients’ beneficiary designations, deeds, and other documents of title to ensure these documents reflect our clients’ wishes and are consistent with their estate plans.

Article Do You Know Who Your Beneficiary Is?

Marital Property Agreements

Marital property agreements can be an important tax planning component of a couples’ estate plan, and can provide couples with a mechanism for transferring assets outside of probate.

Planning for Unique Assets

Unique assets can sometimes pose estate planning challenges. Our Trusts & Estates attorneys have significant experience planning for the disposition of unique assets, including fine art and farm property.