Dera Johnsen-Tracy

Today it not uncommon for couples, whether opposite sex or same sex, to live together as domestic partners without any desire to legally marry or to officially register as domestic partners. There are many laws in Wisconsin that provide spouses and registered domestic partners with certain legal protections when it comes to financial and health care matters. These right can be found primarily in Wisconsin’s Marital Property Act and in Wisconsin’s domestic partnership laws (Fair Wisconsin provides an excellent summary in its Domestic Partnership Protections Reference Guide). In contrast, couples who are not legally married and who are not… >>>

Last week I attended the 2011 Martial Arts SuperShow in Las Vegas with my husband, who owns a martial arts academy – Infusion Mixed Martial Arts, LLC in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin. This was my first MAIA event, and I was surprised at how very similar the overall messages were to those of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys.

In celebration of MAIA’s ten-year anniversary, the theme of the event was about defining your legacy: “We leave an imprint on the people we meet and they tell a story about who we are and what we’ve done. So, our… >>>

There can be many benefits to creating a Limited Liability Company, whether you own an apartment complex, have a consulting business, or are selling cupcakes. With a properly organized and managed LLC, you can protect your personal assets from the debts, obligations, and potential lawsuits of your business. In addition, a Limited Liability Company can provide for continuity in the event an owner dies, becomes incapacitated, or leaves the business.

In Wisconsin, the Department of Financial Institutions offers an online method to quickly file Articles of Organization for a Limited Liability Company. Many assume that, after answering a few questions… >>>

What will happen to Fluffy or Benji upon your death? One would hope that a family member or other loved one would agree to care for your pet and expect nothing in return. After all, anyone who knows you fully appreciates that your pet is not just an item of personal property, but a member of your family… right?

Unfortunately, many pets are abandoned after the death of their owners. According to the ASPCA, about half of all pets that end up in animal shelters are euthanized. Caring for another person’s pet can be a great personal responsibility, not to… >>>

All too often, clients come to my office with nothing more than a simple Will in place and a mistaken belief that this constitutes a sufficient estate plan. While a Will can designate who will serve as the personal representative (also known as the executor) of your estate, how your assets will ultimately be distributed, and your preference for guardians of any minor children, it is essential to understand that a Will is nothing more than a death document. In other words, your Will has no effect until your death.

The harsh reality is that, regardless of age, we are… >>>