Family Economic Security   

Wisconsin -- General Resources

Legal Explorer
State Bar of WI guide to navigating Wisconsin's legal system. Has sections on finding a lawyer, Q & A for frequently asked questions, and more.

Wisconsin Dept. of Revenue
See FAQs then Individuals, to get to Estates and Fiduciaries, Publications has real estate transfer and tax publications.

Wisconsin.gov
State of WI portal to various state agencies.

Wisconsin Law Page
Consumer oriented information about WI Law by attorneys on subjects: Divorce, Real Estate, Injury Compensation, Bankruptcy, Social Security, Wills and Probate, and Landlord/Tenant Law.

Wisconsin Revisor of Statutes Bureau
Searchable Wisconsin Statutes.

Wisconsin State Bar - Legal Topics
Links to best resources, specific WI statutes and US Code on topics ranging from abortion to zoning laws. Includes links to legal forms associated with these topics.

Wisconsin Vital Records Office
Information on obtaining copies of vital records (birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates for events that occur in Wisconsin), searching records in person, and other available services from this WI Dept. of Health and Family Services office.

Wisbar: Consumer's Guide to Wisconsin Law
Wisconsin State Bar publication.

Property Ownership and Transfer

Wisconsin Basic Power of Attorney for Finances and Property
Four page fact sheet describes meanings and legal responsibilities of "agent" as manager/decision maker under the power of attorney document. Advantages and disadvantages of this state statutory form are discussed in the fact sheet prepared by the Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups (CWAG) in 2001. Factors for selecting an agent and an attorney are discussed, along with action to take if power is abused.

Wisconsin Marital Property Law
Link to law and aspects of law of interest to creditors and non-applicant spouses. From Wisconsin Dept. of Financial Institutions.

Wisconsin State Law Library - Legal Topics: Real Property Law
Eminent domain, and use/zoning laws, real estate and unclaimed property law links.

Family Estate Planning in Wisconsin
1996 UWEX Cooperative Extension 60 page publication B1442.

Wisconsin State Law Library - Legal Topics: Estate Planning
Links to laws about wills and what happens if you don't have a will, trusts, probate, power of attorney, and estate planning.

Crash Course in Wills and Trusts
Based on an adult education community college class. "Concise and practical guide to what everyone should know about the law of Wills and Trusts - as well as a range of other matters - before an estate plan is designed."

EstatePlanningLinks.com
"For consumers and estate planning professionals, this site contains hundreds of well-organized, time saving links to Estate Planning, Elder Law, Tax and related websites."

Estate Planning, Probate, and Wills: A Selective Bibliography
UW-Madison Law Library bibliography includes references to a wide range of materials on estate planning, probate and wills.

LII: Law About Real Estate Transactions
Has an overview and links to federal and state statutes. From Legal Information Institute.

Robert Clofine's Elder Law and Estate Planning Page
"Information to the consumer on topics including estate planning, living trusts, wills, estate tax, powers of attorney, probate, nursing homes, Medicaid, elder law and related issues."

Wills and Estate Planning - Nolo's Legal Encyclopedia
Introduction to Estate Planning, Wills, Probate and Executors, Living Trusts, Estate and Gift Taxes, Funeral Planning and other final arrangements, and Healthcare Directives and Powers of Attorney in easy to understand language.

Rent to Own Contracts
Maryland Cooperative Extension fact sheet. http://www.agnr.umd.edu/MCE/Publications/Publication.cfm?ID=74 OR http://www.agnr.umd.edu/MCE/Publications/PDFs%5CFS706.pdf

Family Changes: Divorce, Child Support, Remarriage, Illness

Wisconsin State Bar - Legal Topics: Child Custody & Child Support
Links to WI Statutes and Legal Forms on these topics.

Look Before You Leap--A Guide to the Legal and Financial Implications of Marriage and Remarriage in Wisconsin UWEX Cooperative Extension Publication B2707 from 2000.

Wisconsin Medicaid Fact Sheet: Spousal Impoverishment
What is it, who's protected, and sources of more information.

Wisconsin DWD Child Support Program
WI Dept. of Workforce Development (DWD) has section on child support related statutes as well as information for parents and employers.

LII: Law About Divorce
Overview and links to Federal and state laws on divorce from the Legal Information Institute.

Guardianship: Children and Older Adults

Guardian Ad Litem: A Selective Bibliography
UW-Madison Law Library bibliography of books, audi-visual materials, and selected journal articles.

Laws Relating to Protective Placement, Guardianship and Conservatorship
Wisconsin Legislative Staff Memorandum on laws pertaining to chapters 55 and 880 of the WI Statutes.

Standby Guardianship: Resources
Links to state statutes for guardianship of children. Also has a fact sheet, bibliography of journal articles, and more. From the University of California at Berkeley.

Wisconsin Guardianship Support Center
Has a toll-free number for questions about guardianship law. From Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups Elder Law Center.

Advance Directives: When You Can't Manage

Advance Directives WI Health and Family Services
Forms for Declaration to Physician (WI Living WI, Power of Attorney for Health Care, and Power of Attorney for Finance and Management.

Advance Directives for Health Care: Wisconsin Living Will and Power of Attorney for Health Care
UW-Extension Cooperative Extension 10 page publication B3604. cecommerce.uwex.edu/pdfs/B3604.PDF

Powers of Attorneys and Trusts: Duties and Rights as Agents and Trustees
28 page publication from State Bar of Wisconsin Consumer Protection Committee.

Tax Laws

Tax Credits for Low and Moderate Income Families in Wisconsin
Detailed information about key tax credits; ideas and resources for outreach; links to help locate free tax assistance; links to relevant tax forms and instructions; statistics on use of tax credits; and a variety of other information.

U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Tax forms, information and regulations.

Wisconsin Dept. of Revenue
State tax information and forms.

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
IRS information for you, employers, and tax professionals. Includes Advance EITC information.

Homestead Tax Credit Program
Purpose, eligibility, and forms for this property tax relief program for low income households.

Strengths of the Safety Net: How the EITC, Social Security, and Other Government Programs Affect Poverty
US Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report.

Limited Resource Families - Wisconsin

Wisconsin Works (W-2) Program Resource Page
Information about W-2, Reports and studies, Programs such as Food Stamps and Medical Assistance, and Resources such as Fact Sheets.

Wisconsin Food Stamp Program
Has information on food stamps and Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT).

Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy Program
PDF files on program, Child Care Provider Information and Co-Payment schedule, as well as statistical summary reports.

Wisconsin BadgerCare
Wisconsin's program to provide health insurance for uninsured families.

Wisconsin Medicaid
"Medicaid is a joint federal/state program... to pay for medical services for people with disabilities, people 65 years and older, children and their caretakers, and pregnant women who meet the program's financial requirements."

Wisconsin Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Draft and past TANF State Plans

Limited Resource Families - General

Center of Budget and Policy Priorities
Nonpartisan "research and analysis on a range of government policies and programs, with an emphasis on those affecting low- and moderate-income people."

Office of Family Assistance
Oversees the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program for the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.

Urban Institute
Nonpartisan economic and social policy research organization. See Research by Topic for information on New Federalism and Social Welfare.

Welfare Law Center
Welfare issues, and work and court cases.

Welfare Reform
News, policies and state specific information. National Conference of State Legislatures site.

Welfare Information Network
Clearinghouse for information, policy analysis & technical assistance on welfare reform. Has great list of welfare related web sites.

Welfare Reform Research (WRR) Database
A compilation of the research or reports that have come to the attention of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Policy Shop.