Rebecca Mason Law LLC

08/19/2026

"before they leave the nest, there is an often-overlooked to-do that should be added to their list: executing power of attorney documents."

Once your child turns 18, you can no longer make medical or financial decisions for them. Two simple documents belong on every senior-year checklist.

07/31/2026

"nearly two-thirds of adults believe the lack of a will or trust will create financial or emotional burdens for their families, yet many continue to postpone the conversation."

If you are ready to begin that conversation and live in Southeastern Wisconsin, contact our office to schedule your initial consultation. ([email protected]; 262-632-2899)

The biggest surprise in LegalZoom's latest estate planning survey isn't that 55% of Americans still have no estate plan.

05/29/2026

AI has made voice cloning scams much more difficult to catch. The technology can mirror your loved ones' voices nearly flawlessly.

This article recommends watching for the following to avoid falling victim to a voice cloning scam: "Is the person on the other end giving a deadline or introducing a sense of urgency? Are they encouraging you not to tell anyone else what’s happening? Are they asking you to move large sums of money in unusual ways? "

A California mom says she was scammed out of thousands of dollars this month after receiving a call that sounded like her daughter in distress. She now suspects it was an artificial intelligence-generated hoax.

04/16/2026

April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day.

Why today? It falls right after Tax Day – a nod to Benjamin Franklin’s famous reminder that the only certainties in life are death and taxes.

The reason may be a little lighthearted. The topic is not.
In fact, your Health Care Power of Attorney may be the most important document in your entire estate plan.

In Wisconsin, if you’re over 18 and do not have one, no one – not even a spouse or parent – automatically has the legal authority to make medical decisions on your behalf, including consenting to or refusing treatment.

This document allows you to:
• Appoint someone you trust to act as your agent
• Provide clear, legally enforceable instructions about the care you do and do not want
• Reduce confusion and conflict during emotionally difficult moments

And those moments can be complicated. Medical advances can prolong life in ways that raise difficult questions about quality of life, personal dignity, and long-term care.

In Wisconsin, unless you state otherwise, the default is to preserve life at all costs.

But that may not always align with your wishes.

When might “preserving life at all costs” not reflect your wishes? In our experience, individuals with advanced dementia may lose the ability to swallow, requiring a feeding tube. If they no do not understand what the tube is for, they may try to remove it, sometimes causing significant harm. In certain cases, this led to the use of restraints to continue the artificial nutrition.

These are incredibly difficult situations for families. A Health Care Power of Attorney gives your chosen agent the authority to make thoughtful, compassionate decisions based on your preferences.

Talk with your loved ones - especially the person you name as your agent - so they understand your values and can carry out your wishes with confidence.

If you don’t have a Health Care Power of Attorney in place, now is the time.

(This is our dog, Luke. If he could execute a Power of Attorney document, he would probably instruct his agent to withhold or withdraw the bathrobe.)