Colwell Law Office, LLC

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Colwell Law Office, LLC

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Personalized estate planning solutions to protect your family and legacy.

*Posts are for educational purposes only. Attorney Advertising.

An attorney-client relationship does not exist until an engagement letter is signed with us.

11/09/2026

Photos, email, cloud storage, crypto, social media. Your digital life is part of your estate, and it’s often locked behind passwords no one else has. A good plan includes access instructions.

How many of your accounts could your family open today?

11/08/2026

Estate planning isn’t only about death. If you were in an accident tomorrow, who could pay your bills, talk to your doctors, or manage your home? Powers of attorney for finances and healthcare answer that question before a crisis does.

Who would you trust with that role?

11/07/2026

Your beneficiary designations can override your will. That 401(k), life insurance policy, or IRA goes to whoever is named on the form, regardless of what your will says.

When did you last check yours?

11/06/2026

A couple told me, “Our kids get along great. They’ll figure it out.” Three kids, one house, and no instructions. Getting along isn’t the same as agreeing about money, sentimental items, and who has the final say. A written plan is a gift to your kids, not a sign of distrust. Does your family have a “they’ll figure it out” plan?

11/05/2026

In Wisconsin, the family cabin, the hunting land, and the farm are often the most emotional assets. They’re also the ones that cause the most friction between siblings. Who in your family would end up with the cabin? Has anyone asked?

11/04/2026

Wisconsin is a marital property state, and that matters at tax time. When one spouse dies, both halves of marital property can receive a step-up in basis for federal income tax. That can erase years of capital gains for the surviving spouse. Most families never hear this until it’s too late to plan around it. Have you ever heard of step-up in basis?

11/03/2026

Will vs. trust, in one sentence each. A will says what happens after probate begins. A trust can let your family skip that process for the assets it holds. Which one do you think fits your family?

11/02/2026

Having a will does not avoid probate. A will is your instructions to the probate court. If your goal is to keep your family out of court, that’s a different tool. Did you know that?

11/01/2026

“I don’t have enough to need an estate plan.” If you own a home, have a bank account, or have people you love, you have an estate. The only question is whether you decide what happens to it, or a court does. What’s one thing about your plan you’ve been putting off?

10/31/2026

What Happens If Your Beneficiary Dies First?

Here's an estate-planning question most people never think about:

What happens if the person you named as your beneficiary dies before you do?

For example:

You name your daughter as the beneficiary of your life insurance.

Years later, she passes away.

You never update the beneficiary designation.

Where does that money go?

The answer can depend on the specific account, the beneficiary designation, and the governing law.

And this isn't limited to life insurance.

The same issue can arise with retirement accounts, financial accounts, and other assets that use beneficiary designations.

That's why estate planning isn't just:

“Who do I want to inherit?”

It's also:

“What happens if my first choice isn't alive when I die?”

A good estate plan thinks about the second, third, and sometimes even fourth move.

Because life doesn't always follow the plan you originally wrote down.

Address

Marshfield, WI

Telephone

+17153900346

Website

https://www.colwelllawoffice.com/

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