WHEN: Saturday, April 30, 2016, 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: SVA Parking Lot, 18650 West Corporate Drive, Brookfield, Wisconsin
COST: FREE
SVA Professional Services, the Better Business Bureau and ProShred are sponsoring ShredFest on Saturday, April 30, 2016, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., at the SVA Parking Lot, 18650 West Corporate Drive, Brookfield, Wisconsin.
What Can I Shred? Bring your old checks, check carbons and registers, bank and credit card statements, custodian statements and financial plans, receipts and junk mail.
How Much Can I Bring? There is a limit of three paper bags of documents (up to 50 pounds of paper). Place items in paper grocery bags rather than cardboard boxes or plastic shopping bags.
Please note: paper products only. Staples, rubber bands and paperclips do not need to be removed. No 3-ring binders, binder clips, hanging files or media products (photos, CDs, floppy disks, tapes, credit card, hard drives, etc.
On April 7, 2016, the Wisconsin Supreme Court published a decision (S.A.M. v. Meister, 2016 WI 22) confirming that grandparents, great-grandparents and stepparents of children with divorced parents may petition for visitation rights whether or not they maintain a “parent-like relationship” with their grandchildren, great-grandchildren or stepchildren. This decision is an important milestone in defining the visitation rights of relatives in divorce cases involving minor children, and embraces the Wisconsin legislature’s gradual expansion of visitation rights over time.
Meister involved the divorce of Nancy and Jay Meister, who received joint legal custody of their four minor children. Nancy was given primary physical placement and soon thereafter began to limit the informal visitations of the children’s paternal grandmother, Carol. In light of these changes, Carol petitioned the court for formal visitation rights. Both the Circuit Court and Court of Appeals found that Carol was not entitled to visitation rights because she did not maintain a “parent-like relationship” with her grandchildren.
However, the Supreme Court reversed, holding that the previous courts had incorrectly interpreted the relevant statute, which reads:
“[U]pon petition by a grandparent, greatgrandparent, stepparent or person who has maintained a relationship similar to a parent-child relationship with the child, the court may grant reasonable visitation rights to that person if the parents have notice of the hearing and if the court determines that visitation is in the best interest of the child.”
Wis. Stat. § 767.43(1). Based on an interpretation of syntax as well as an examination of the statute’s legislative history, the Supreme Court found that the qualifying clause “who has maintained a relationship similar to a parent-child relationship with the child” applies only to persons other than grandparents, great-grandparents and stepparents.
The Supreme Court further held that these statutory visitation rights do not unconstitutionally infringe on a parent’s right to direct the care, custody and control of his or her children. The above-referenced statute still requires courts to determine whether such visitation rights are in the best interest of the children, and as such, a fit parent’s determination of the children’s best interest must be given special weight.
Meister illustrates that the Wisconsin legislature has gradually expanded the number of persons who may petition for visitation rights. Currently, grandparents, great-grandparents and stepparents may petition for such rights, as well as other persons who have “maintained a relationship similar to a parent-child relationship with the child.” A grandparent, great-grandparent, or stepparent does not need to prove the existence of a parent-child relationship in order to secure visitation rights under Wis. Stat. § 767.43(1).
If you have any questions feel free to contact www.vhdlaw.com to schedule a free consultation to meet with an attorney.
Although it is difficult to predict the total amount of your divorce attorney fees, the following are some of the factors that impact the total cost:
Whether custody and placement are in dispute
Whether your divorce presents any novel legal questions
Whether a pension plan(s) is subject to division
Whether there is a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement between the parties
Whether either of the parties have received gifted or inherited property, and whether or not that property has been commingled
Whether you and/or your spouse have a premarital interest in property or debt
The nature and number of the issues contested
The cooperation of your spouse and opposing counsel
The frequency of your communication with your attorney
The ability of you and your spouse to communicate with each other
The promptness with which information is provided and/or exchanged between both you and your spouse and the attorneys
Whether there are litigation costs, such as fees for expert witnesses or court reporters
The extent of discovery
The hourly rate of the attorney
Reviewing regular invoices from your divorce/family law attorney and communicating with your attorney about any questions or concerns will help keep you on track with the overall cost of your divorce.
Vanden Heuvel & Dineen S.C., with offices in Germantown, West Bend, Milwaukee, Appleton, Sturgeon Bay and Sister Bay urges it’s clients,  supporters, colleagues, and friends to use the free admission opportunities provided by Summerfest. Attendance at Summerfest can be costly for families. The following are opportunities to attend Summerfest without paying the cost of admission.
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THE SUMMERFEST FREE ADMISSION GUIDE
All Free tickets received are only valid for use on the date which they are received. Offers are only valid within the times noted.
June 24                             Johnson Controls “Stomp Out Hunger Day†With Fox 6 – 12:00-3:00 Â
All patrons who donate three non-perishable food items will receive one FREE weekday admission ticket. All donations to benefit Hunger Task Force.
June 25                              Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “Land the Big Gig Dayâ€â€”12:00-3:00
All patrons who present the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel coupon (available in the Journal Sentinel from Sunday, June 21) between noon and three p.m. at any ticket window will receive one FREE weekday admission ticket when they purchase one weekday admission ticket.
June 25                             Quaker Chewy Granola Bar Day—12:00-3:00
The first 1,500 patrons will receive one FREE weekday admission ticket when presenting an original receipt dated June 11-June 25 that shows the purchase of any flavor of Quaker Chewy Granola Bars (Box of 5 or larger).
June 26                             Sendik’s Presents “Go Red Day to Summerfest†With the Wisconsin Badgers, the Big 920 and Oldies 95.7—12:00-3:00
All patrons arriving between noon and three p.m. wearing a red shirt or presenting a famous Sendik’s Red Bag will receive one FREE admission ticket.
June 27                              Goodwill Day—12:00-3:00
The first 1,500 patrons who make a donation to a Goodwill Store and Donation Center between June 1-June 27 and bring in their specially marked original Goodwill Summerfest donation receipt will receive one FREE admission ticket
June 28                             Kohl’s Family Day—12:00-3:00
The first 2,500 patrons who donate three non-perishable food items for kids will receive one FREE admission ticket.
June 30                             Sentry Foods and Dean’s Milk and Ice Cream Children’s Fest Day with Today’s TMJ4—12:00-3:00
All patrons arriving between 12:00– 3:00 p.m. will be admitted FREE. Additionally, select food vendors will offer discounts on food and beverage items.
July 1                                  Mountain Dew Day—12:00-3:00
The first 2,500 patrons who present a specially marked Mountain Dew can with the Summerfest offer on the can will receive one FREE weekday admission ticket.
July 1                                   Direct Supply Seniorfest Day—12:00-4:00
All patrons age 60 and up will be admitted FREE. Additionally, they will receive an offer for two dollars off any non-alcoholic food and beverage purchase of ten dollars or more.
July 2                                  Boston Store Day—12:00-3:00
The first 1,500 patrons that present an original receipt from any Boston Store dated between June 2 – July 2 will receive one FREE weekday admission ticket.
                                              H.O.G Day at Summerfest—12:00-3:00
Receive one FREE weekday admission ticket when presenting a valid Harley Owners Group card. Additionally, cardholders will have exclusive access to the Harley-Davidson Hospitality Deck between 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
July 3                                   Patrick Cudahy Day—12:00-3:00
The first 1,500 patrons that present an original receipt for one pound of Patrick Cudahy bacon receive one FREE weekday admission ticket.
July 4                                   Summerfest Military Appreciation Day—12:00-3:00
All active-duty military personal and veterans, along with up to four family members, who present their Military ID at the designated turnstile at any gate will be admitted for FREE.
                                              Northwestern Mutual “Make a Child Smile†Day—12:00-3:00
The first 1,500 patrons who donate new or gently used children’s books with a ten dollar minimum value will receive one FREE admission ticket. Books will be donated to the Boys and Girls club of Greater Milwaukee.
July 5                                   Summerfest “Fan Appreciation Day†Presented by Meijer—12:00-3:00
All patrons will be admitted for FREE.
Each of us at Vanden Heuvel & Dineen S.C. hope that you find the above information helpful! Enjoy Summerfest. We hope to see you there. To contact an attorney at Vanden Heuvel & Dineen S.C. for any of your legal needs, see www.vhdlaw.com or call 1-800-805-1976.
The National Council on Aging provides a website, www.benefitscheckup.org, that identifies more than 2,000 government and private benefit programs for those over the age of 55. Participants must fill out a questionnaire and they then receive a report listing programs and benefits for which they may be eligible. The programs are explained and contact information is provided. This information can be a guideline for adults age 55 and over which can point them in the right direction for future benefits.
Litigation of any kind may be expensive, and divorces are no exception. There are some things you can do to control costs, including the following:
Put it in writing. Instead of calling your attorney with a question, consider providing it to your attorney by mail, fax, or e-mail. This will create an accurate record and it may take less time for your attorney to answer than playing telephone tag.
Keep your attorney informed. Your attorney should keep you up to date on the status of your case. You should do the same with your attorney. Advise your lawyer about any significant developments in your life including a change of address, change of employment, change of income, or purchase or sale of property. During your divorce, if your contact information changes, be sure to notify your attorney. Your attorney may need to reach you with information, and reaching you in a timely manner may help avoid more costly fees later.
Obtain copies of documents. An important part of divorce discovery includes the collection of documents, such as tax returns, account statements, credit card statements, and medical records. These records may be available at your fingertips. It is far easier and less costly for you to obtain the information than for your attorney to do so.
Review your attorney’s website. The answers to commonly asked questions about the divorce process may often be found on your attorney’s website. Check www.vhdlaw.com for valuable divorce information.
Get to know the support staff at your lawyer’s office. Although not able to provide legal advice, the receptionist, legal assistant, paralegal, legal secretary, or law clerk may be able to answer your questions regarding the status of your case. All communication with your attorney’s staff is required to be kept strictly confidential.
Consider working with an associate attorney. You may find that working with an associate attorney is a good option. Hourly rates for an associate attorney are typically lower than those charged by a more experienced attorney. Frequently, the associate attorney has trained under the more experienced lawyer and has developed good trial skills, legal knowledge, and divorce litigation experience.
Leave a detailed message. If your attorney knows in advance why you are calling, your attorney can be prepared to answer your question when he or she talks to you. This not only gets your answer faster, but it also reduces costs.
Discuss more than one matter during a call or e-mail. If your question is not urgent, consider waiting to call until you have more than one question. Whenever possible, provide information requested by your lawyer in a timely manner. This avoids the cost of follow up by your lawyer and the additional expense of extending litigation.
Carefully review your attorney statements. Scrutinize your billing. If you believe an error has been made, contact your lawyer’s office to discuss your concerns.
Remain open to settlement. Trial costs money and can polarize relationships. Although a trial is sometimes inevitable, there are circumstances when a negotiated settlement is in the best interest of all involved.
The following is a checklist of items that should be completed after the divorce is final. This checklist is by no means a complete list, but provides you with a guideline of information. Review these items and implement those that are relevant to your divorce:
Record any quitclaim deeds. Make sure that the deeds are signed by both parties and notarized or properly authenticated. Check the legal description to make sure it is accurate.
If there is a division of a pension, 401(k), or other retirement plan, have drafted a qualified domestic relations order signed by the judge in your case, certified and properly approved by the plan administrator. A QDRO is generally drafted by an attorney or a specialist in that area.
If you are receiving a transfer of funds from an account that does not require a QDRO, open a suitable account to which the funds can be transferred and take all necessary steps to allow the transfer. Talk to your financial advisor.
Change title to cars, boats, RVs, or other vehicles by properly executing title documents. Be sure to address not only title, but all registration and license plates.
Open new checking and savings accounts in your individual name, if you haven’t already done so. Cancel any joint accounts, and make sure there are not any outstanding checks or debit cards remaining.
Cancel any joint credit cards, cell phone accounts, and debit cards, and open new accounts in your individual name. Use these new credit cards at least occasionally, in order to establish credit in your individual name.
If you have any automatic withdrawals or charges to joint accounts, make sure you contact the appropriate account holder prior to closing the account. Start automatic withdrawals in your new account, if applicable.
Transfer utilities into your name, as applicable. If you are vacating the residence, make sure your name is removed from bills attached to the residence such as utilities and cable.
Consider changing the beneficiaries on your life insurance, retirement, and other financial accounts.
If you are undergoing a name change, get certified copies of the judgment of divorce to change your name on your driver’s license, title, passport, Social Security card, and other documents.
Put your divorce paperwork in a safe place. Generally, if any future modifications are made to your judgment of divorce, those changes must be based on a substantial change of circumstances. You will need your divorce documents to identify issues and to evaluate whether a change of circumstances has occurred.
If you are receiving child support, check with the child-support agency to verify that it has the necessary documents, such as an interim disbursement order, to start the child-support process. If you are making or receiving payments through the Wisconsin Support Collections Trust Fund (WI SCTF), you must notify them of any address or employment changes in the future. WI SCTF’s address is P.O. Box 74200, Milwaukee, WI 53274-0200.
Make sure all your personal property has been distributed according to the judgment of divorce. Make necessary arrangements to transfer the property as soon as possible.
Review all health, home, auto, life, and umbrella insurance policies and make sure the terms and identification is correct on each policy. If life and health insurance is required as a part of your judgment of divorce, periodically request verification of the existence of any insurance policies required to be carried under the terms of any judgment of divorce. In the event of the death of your ex-spouse, immediately notify the life insurance carrier of the existence of any insurance policy in which you or your children have an interest.
If you are paying or receiving maintenance, identify if your tax withholding should be changed. Go to www. irs.gov/Individuals/IRS-Withholding-Calculator and run the calculator to determine your appropriate withholding. Remember that maintenance payments are
taxable to the recipient and deductible to the payor. The recipient will need to budget money for the payment of federal and state income taxes. Quarterly estimated tax payments may be required.
You will want to prepare a new will, power of attorney for health care, general durable power of attorney, living will, trust, and/or guardianship documents. What was legal and binding during your marriage may not be legal and binding after divorce.
Update your mailing address, if applicable, with the post office, credit card companies, banks, DMV, and insurance companies.
Close joint safe deposit or post office boxes and open new ones, if applicable.
Obtain a certified copy of your judgment of divorce for future reference.
Obtain a copy of your credit report. Check it for accuracy and updating.
Verify your health insurance coverage if you are obtaining COBRA benefits from your spouse’s employer.
Keep records of payments of maintenance, child support, and variable expenses. If you are the payor, do not pay in cash. Use a check or money order.
You may need your spouse to sign IRS Form 8332 relative to income tax exemptions. Make sure you have the form available for signature.
Update your children’s schools and medical and dental professionals with contact information of both you and your former spouse, emergency contacts, and school pick-up/drop-off instructions.
Keep a copy of your original marriage license if you were married for over ten years. If you were married over ten years and remain unmarried, you will be entitled to a portion of your former spouse’s Social Security.
You will be required to submit a copy of your marriage license, as well as a copy of the judgment of divorce, to the Social Security Administration.
Notify your employer of your change in marital status. It may be necessary to change beneficiaries on employment
documents. Review your tax claim information with your employer. Provide updated emergency contact information.
Notify the Internal Revenue Service and Wisconsin Department of Revenue of any address change during the year of the divorce or the year following the date of divorce.
If your judgment of divorce assigns any outstanding tax liability to your former spouse, include a copy of the relevant section of your judgment when filing your income tax returns.
This checklist is in no way comprehensive and is not applicable to all divorces. Contact your attorney to verify what
steps you should take now that your divorce is final. For more information, feel free to contact Attorney Linda S. Vanden Heuvel 1-800-805-1976.
