Probate Questions?
Our La Crosse Estate Planning Lawyers are Here to Help
Moen Sheehan Meyer, Ltd assists our Coulee Region’s families and businesses in Wisconsin and Minnesota with their estate planning and probate. The La Crosse trust attorneys of Moen Sheehan Meyer, Ltd utilize the benefits of the second oldest law firm in the State of Wisconsin to provide experience, individualized attention, strategies, and community knowledge. We have over 70 years of collective commitment to protecting your intentions and your beneficiaries. We process an uncontested probate proceeding efficiently, effectively, and respectfully. When the executor or personal representative oversteps his or her authority, we aggressively litigate probate issues.
Wisconsin and Minnesota Probate
Probate is the court-supervised process of transferring the property of an estate that does not pass to your beneficiaries through the designations of your Will or by state law in the absence of a Will. Examples of property that may require probate include:
- Jointly held properties
- Life insurance policies
- Properties held in certain trust
- Stocks, Annuities
- Retirement accounts
When drafting your Will, our La Crosse will lawyers advise you on how to avoid the time and costs, or speed up the process associated with the probate of your estate. Some examples of expediting the probate process include:
- Clearly written and legally valid Will
- Joint ownership of property
- Gifts
- Revocable Trusts
- Bank accounts “payable on death”
Wisconsin and Minnesota Probate Process
With the guidance of our La Crosse will lawyers and a legally correct Will, most probate cases are uncontested. In probating your estate, your Personal Representative (executor or executrix), is responsible for administration of the following:
- Collect all probate property
- Pay all debts, claims, and taxes owed
- Collect all rights to income, dividends, etc
- Settle any disputes
- Distribute or transfer remaining property to heirs
Wisconsin and Minnesota Probate Litigation
There are times when a contested will, trust, or guardianship can result in strained or ruined relationships between family members. The La Crosse trust attorneys of Moen Sheehan Meyer, Ltd are sensitive to family dynamics. The seamless working relationships between our practices areas help to protect your estate planning intentions in the least contentious manner possible in the following areas of dispute:
- Will contest
- Breach of Fiduciary Duty
- Beneficiary rights
- Probate fraud
- Abuse of Power of Attorney
- Trust contest
- Elective share of spouse or non-martial children
- Joint bank account disputes
- Pay on death disputes
- Estate planning malpractice
No matter what the size of your estate is, probate is an integral part of ensuring the protection of your loved ones and your legacy. Contact a La Crosse trust attorney at Moen Sheehan Meyer, Ltd today.