• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Krueger Hernandez & Thompson SCEstate

Attorneys at Law

  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • About Our Firm
    • About The American Academy
    • Attorney and Staff Profiles
    • Communities We Serve
      • Adams County
      • Columbia County
      • Dane County
      • Madison
      • Sauk County
  • Estate Planning
    • Asset Protection & Business Planning
    • ESTATE AND GIFT TAX FIGURES
    • Estate Planning Services
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Incapacity Planning
    • IRA & Retirement Planning
    • Legacy Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Pet Planning
    • SECURE Act
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration & Probate
  • Practice Areas
    • Business Needs
    • Divorce / Family Matters
    • Real Estate
  • Resources
    • Estate Planning Resources
      • Estate Planning Checkup
      • Estate Planning Definitions
      • Estate Planning Reports
      • Incapacity Planning Definitions
      • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
      • Top 10 Estate and Legacy Planning Techniques
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Estate Planning FAQ’s
      • Frequently Asked Questions for Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Legacy Wealth Planning FAQ’s
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning Frequently Asked Questions
      • Trust Administration & Probate Frequently Asked Questions
    • LGBTQ Resources
    • Pre Consultation Form
    • Special Needs Resources
    • Trust Administration & Probate Resources
      • Bereavement Resources
      • How to Know if You Need Extra Help With Your Grieving
      • The Mourner’s Bill of Rights
      • Trust Administration & Probate Definitions
      • When a Loved One Passes Away With a Trust
      • When a Loved One Passes Away With a Will
  • Testimonials
    • Review us
    • Our Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Call Us Today (800) 431-9776
  • ATTEND FREE WEBINAR
    • Medicaid Planning
    • Estate Planning
  • Show Search
Hide Search
Home / Estate Planning / Wisconsin Probate Law: When You Become the Personal Representative Of An Estate, How Do You Know What You Are Responsible For?

Wisconsin Probate Law: When You Become the Personal Representative Of An Estate, How Do You Know What You Are Responsible For?

Stephanie Thompson, Estate Planning Attorney of Krueger Hernandez & Thompson SC · Aug 27, 2012 ·

Over the years, I have received many questions from clients and others regarding estates.  A common question is, “What are the duties of the personal representative of an estate?”

Assuming you have been named as the personal representative in an informal administration, the Wisconsin Register in Probate Association has compiled a very useful manual called A Personal Representative’s Guide to Informal Estate Administration in Wisconsin.  This guide can be found at http://www.wicourts.gov/services/public/selfhelp/docs/probateguide.pdf.

In summary, the personal representative’s main duties are to:

1)      Identify and collect the decedent’s assets.

2)      Manage those assets during the probate process.

3)      Determine the surviving spouse’s rights under the state marital property law.

4)      Pay debts, claims, taxes, and probate administrative expenses.

5)      Make any distributions to the surviving spouse or dependent children required under state law.

6)      Distribute the remaining assets to those named in the will (or if there is no will, to the heirs at law).

Generally, the personal representative has a right to receive compensation equal 2 percent of the inventory value of the estate assets (less any mortgages or liens).

The personal representative may wish to hire a probate attorney of his or her choice for professional legal advice related to the probate process.  The Register in Probate’s office can answer basic questions about procedures and preparing forms.  However, unlike an attorney, the Register in Probate cannot evaluate your case and provide legal advice.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Stephanie Thompson, Estate Planning Attorney of Krueger Hernandez & Thompson SC
Stephanie Thompson, Estate Planning Attorney of Krueger Hernandez & Thompson SC
As the owner of Krueger Hernandez & Thompson SC, it is Stephanie’s mission to address each client’s goals for their estate plan. By identifying their wishes and concerns she can educate, guide, and counsel on the different tools and options that will effectively and efficiently accomplish those goals.
Stephanie Thompson, Estate Planning Attorney of Krueger Hernandez & Thompson SC
Latest posts by Stephanie Thompson, Estate Planning Attorney of Krueger Hernandez & Thompson SC (see all)
  • The Toll of Serving as Fiduciary - May 11, 2022
  • Just When You Thought You Understood the 10-Year Rule, Think Again - May 5, 2022
  • Business Succession Planning May Be Easier than You Think - May 2, 2022

Estate Planning, Probate 2 percent, A Personal Reprsentative's Guide to Informal Estate Administration in Wisconsin, administrative expenses, Attorney Dera L. Johnsen-Tracy, Baraboo, claims, clients, compensation, Dane, Dane County, debts, decedent's assets, dependent children, distributions, duties, estate, estate assets, estates, heirs at law, informal administration, inventory, inventory value, krue, Krueger & Hernandez, Krueger Hernandez & Thompson SC, legal, legal advice, liens, Madison, main duties, manage assets, marital property law, mortgages, personal representative, Probate, Probate Attorney, Probate Process, professional legal advice, Register in Probate, Rights, sauk, Sauk County, state, state law, surviving spouse, Taxes, Will, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Register in Probate Association

Blog subscription

MIDDLETON

8215 Greenway Blvd, Ste. 590
Middleton, WI 53562
United States (US)
Phone: (608) 824-9540
Fax: (608) 824-9140

BARABOO

120 Third Street, Unit A
Baraboo, WI 53913
United States (US)
Phone: (608) 356-3961
Fax: 608-824-9140

By Appointment Only
All Mail Should be Directed to the Middleton Address

Opening hours

Monday7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday7:00 AM - 5:30 PM

Map

map for Krueger Hernandez & Thompson SC Estate ofice

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

© 2022 · American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc. | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Sitemap | Contact Us