At DeMark, Kolbe & Brodek, S.C., we help families across Wisconsin plan for the future with thoughtful, personalized estate planning solutions. Our goal is to provide you with peace of mind, ensuring that life’s most difficult times—whether due to incapacity or death—can be handled as smoothly as possible.
A well-crafted estate plan not only protects your assets but also helps minimize probate, avoid unnecessary taxes, and ensure your wishes are honored. We are committed to delivering clear communication, individualized attention, and diligent execution to create estate plans that are both effective and enduring.
We support families at every stage of life—from young families just starting out to individuals preparing for retirement. We also have extensive experience helping blended families, LGBTQ families, unmarried couples, and families with special needs navigate the unique challenges of estate planning.
Our Estate Planning Services
Wills
A Will allows you to name a personal representative to manage your estate and outline how your assets should be distributed upon your death. While a Will is an important part of your estate plan, it does not avoid probate.
Revocable Trusts
A Revocable Trust is designed to avoid probate and streamline the distribution of your estate without court involvement. Your appointed Trustee manages your assets, pays expenses, and distributes the remaining property according to your wishes.
Durable Financial Power of Attorney
A Financial Power of Attorney authorizes a trusted agent to handle your financial affairs if you become incapacitated. It is important to note that a spouse does not automatically have this authority without proper documentation.
Health Care Power of Attorney
Also known as an Advance Directive, a Health Care Power of Attorney allows you to name someone to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so. Like financial powers of attorney, this authority is not automatically granted to a spouse.
Beneficiary Designations
We help ensure your beneficiary designations align with your estate plan. Improper designations—such as naming minors as beneficiaries—can create unintended complications, including court-appointed guardianships.
Marital Property Agreements
As Wisconsin is a marital property state, a Marital Property Agreement can clarify ownership of assets, vary default state law, and help avoid probate while protecting your financial interests.
Transfer on Death Deeds
Wisconsin law allows you to transfer real estate, such as your home, directly to beneficiaries through a Transfer on Death Deed, allowing you to avoid probate while ensuring a smooth transfer of property.
Prenuptial Agreements
Prenuptial Agreements allow couples to establish financial terms in the event of divorce or death. These agreements are particularly useful in second marriages or when protecting business interests.
Generation-Skipping Trusts
We can help you set up lifetime trusts for adult children to protect inherited assets from divorce, creditors, and estate taxes, ensuring long-term asset preservation.
Special Needs Trusts
A Special Needs Trust protects a loved one's eligibility for government benefits like Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid while still providing financial support through gifts or inheritance.
Gifting and Gift Tax Returns
We assist with strategic gifting plans designed to reduce or eliminate estate tax liability and can prepare gift tax returns when needed.
Charitable Trusts
If charitable giving is part of your legacy, we can help you create a Charitable Trust to fulfill your philanthropic goals in a tax-efficient manner.
Tenancy Agreements
We help unmarried couples create agreements that define property ownership, address what happens if the relationship ends, and plan for unexpected events like the death of a partner.
Family Limited Liability Companies (LLCs)
For families wishing to preserve shared properties—such as vacation homes—through generations, a Family LLC can provide a structured, long-term ownership solution with clear management guidelines.
Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILIT)
An Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust allows life insurance proceeds to be kept out of your taxable estate, protecting those assets and reducing potential estate taxes.
At DeMark, Kolbe & Brodek, S.C., we are dedicated to helping you create a comprehensive estate plan tailored to your family’s unique needs. Whether you are just getting started or updating an existing plan, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.