What happens to your home, savings and property if you’ve spent decades with a partner—but never got married?

On this episode of Legally Speaking, Kirsten Hildebrand and Matt Kaplan explain why unmarried couples in Wisconsin can face major estate-planning risks, including the important reality that Wisconsin does not recognize common-law marriage.

They discuss how estate planning and asset protection trusts can help unmarried partners, siblings and other family members protect property and plan for long-term care. Plus, what happens when someone enters a nursing home, how Medicaid’s five-year look-back period works, why timing is critical and how nursing home expenses can quickly consume a lifetime of savings.

Kirsten and Matt also explain why planning ahead can help preserve assets for the people you love—and share real-world examples of how even a relatively modest inheritance can make a lasting difference for the next generation.

This program is for informational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized legal advice.

Can a Lake Michigan homeowner stop you from walking along the shoreline—or does Wisconsin law give the public a right to be there?

On this episode of Legally Speaking, Kirsten Hildebrand and Matt Kaplan examine a Shorewood trespassing case involving a UWM professor who deliberately challenged a homeowner’s “No Trespassing” signs while walking along Lake Michigan. After refusing to leave, he received a citation and began a legal fight over exactly where private property ends and the public’s rights begin.

She aint messing with no broke lawyers. This hour, Kirsten & Matt dive into the legal landscape of predatory marriages. What are the signs a loved one might be in one? How do you prevent these kinds of problems, and how does doing your legal homework set you up for a successful marriage, maybe even after the marriage is over.

Can you legally own a tiger, monkey, alligator or other exotic animal in Wisconsin? On this episode of Legally Speaking, Kirsten Hildebrand and attorney Matt Kaplan explore Wisconsin's unusual exotic animal laws, Milwaukee's new restrictions on dangerous and non-domesticated animals, and what can happen when an exotic pet escapes or injures someone.

In the debut episode, Kirsten & Hildebrand Law Partner Matt dive into how the law affects all of your senses. But what if your senses are disrupted? Smell, sounds, unruly sights. They can be a nuisance, but can you sue over being inconvenienced? Even at a national level? This is Legally Speaking!