» Estate Planning

Four Steps to Stop Mail Addressed to a Deceased Person Once you have been appointed the executor or personal representative of a deceased loved one’s probate estate, or when you step in as the successor trustee of the loved one’s trust, one of th… Read More

Inside the Farm Succession Crisis: The Harsh Truth for Family Farms Family farms are at a turning point—and for many, the future is uncertain. At Wagner Oehler, Ltd., we work with farm families every day who are trying to navigate one of the most e… Read More

Incapacity Planning: The Other Part of Estate Planning Why You Need to Worry About Incapacity Planning Death is the elephant in the room when we talk about estate planning. We often use phrases like pass away and pass on to make our meetings feel mor… Read More

Handling a Loved One’s Debts After They Die Americans are, quite literally, getting buried in debt, with nearly half expecting to pass away with outstanding debts.[1] As a general rule, a person’s debts do not go away when they die. Some types of… Read More

Does Your Revocable Living Trust Reduce Your Federal Estate Tax Bill? Many believe that once they set up and fund a revocable living trust, property held in the trust will completely avoid federal estate taxes after they die. In reality, a living tru… Read More

As if farming itself weren’t hard enough, now you have to figure out how you are going to get your farm to the next generation. Knowing the options available to you is an important first step in preparing yourself for this process. Establishing you… Read More

Estate Planning for Collectors and Hobbyists Americans often prefer to stay busy. When we are not working, many of us turn to hobbies to keep us engaged and productive. We spend hours each day on our hobbies and leisure activities. Over the course of… Read More

Why Joint Ownership Should Not Be the Go-To Plan for Newlyweds If you recently married or have been married for a while and have acquired additional money or property (or plan to), you have options regarding how your assets can be owned. Although joi… Read More