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The Waukesha County Estate Planning Council is the premier networking resource and professional association for estate planning professionals in Waukesha County and south east Wisconsin. Meetings are held monthly during fall, winter and spring, including social and networking time, a delicious meal, and educational speakers.

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3rd Thursday of Jan, Feb, Mar, Sep, Oct, Nov; 5pm-7:30pm
Milwaukee Marriott West

W231 N1600 Corporate Court
Waukesha, WI 53186
United States

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WCEPC January Meeting Special Needs Trust Planning

Mary Till, Program Director

Life Navigators

Mary has been with Life Navigators for over seventeen years and has worked in a variety of programs that support kids and adults with disabilities and their families. Mary currently manages the Trust Program and oversees numerous programs supporting kids and adults with disabilities and their families including Corporate Guardianship, Information & Assistance, Family Support and Self-Advocacy & Independence. Mary received her Bachelors in Social Work from Marquette University in 1993.

Nancy K. Schoenberg

Vice President

Senior Trust Administrator

Prairie Trust

Nancy joined Prairie Trust in December 2013 and is responsible for the administration of trusts, estates, and employee benefits plans. She is accountable for all the special needs trusts and is very dedicated to her clients in enhancing their quality of life.

Prior to joining Prairie Trust, Nancy worked at Talmer Bank f/k/a First Banking Center in Burlington for thirteen years. While there, she supervised trust operations and administered trusts and employee benefits plans. Nancy also previously worked in the wealth management department at Norstates Bank in Waukegan, Illinois for seven years where she was involved in various aspects of the Trust business.

She received her bachelor’s of business administration in finance from UW-Whitewater in 1991. She also earned her Retirement Services Professional Certification and completed Trust I from Cannon Financial Institute in 2002.

Nancy believes in using her skills to help the community. She serves as a volunteer and committee member for the Life Navigator’s Trust Program. She is also a member of the Walworth Estate Planning Council and a board member of the Lyons for a Better Neighborhood, Inc. non-profit organization.

October Meeting Fiduciary Income Tax and Planning

PETER J. SMILEY

Attorney at Law

Attorney Peter J. Smiley joined Willms-O'Leary, S.C. in 2015. He practices in the areas of tax planning and preparation, business law, estate planning, trust administration, real estate, accounting, and taxation. Peter prepares estate, gift, and income tax returns, with a focus on fiduciary and business income tax returns.

Peter also assists businesses, trusts, and estates in the operation and administration of these entities. This includes the accounting, tax preparation, payable/receivable management, and various other tasks these entities may be required to complete.

Peter is licensed to practice in the State of Wisconsin and in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. He is an active member of the Ozaukee County Bar Association, the Milwaukee Bar Association, and the Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He also sits on the Board of Directors and is the Vice President of the Friends of the Domes.

He received his Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School, where he graduated with honors. While at Marquette, Peter was an intern with the Honorable Judge Mark Gundrum, on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, and was an editor for the Marquette Intellectual Property Law Review. He earned a B.A. in Finance with a focus in Accounting from UW-Milwaukee, and is currently a completing his M.S. of Taxation.

Peter is a Mequon native, and enjoys motorsports, travel, and volunteering with a number of local organizations.

Professional Membership:

State Bar of Wisconsin, Member
Taxation Law Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin, Director (2020 - 2023 term)
Ozaukee County Bar Association, Member
Milwaukee County Bar Association, Member
American Bar Association, Member

Community Organizations:

Board Member and Vice President of the Friends of the Domes
Member of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation Young Professional Advisor Council (2019 - 2020 term)
Member of Milwaukee Public Museum 1882 Society

Awards and Recognition:

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (2021)
Up and Coming Lawyers, Wisconsin Law Journal (2019)

MAUREEN L. O'LEARY (GUTH)

Attorney at Law

Maureen L. O'Leary (Guth) is the President and owner of Willms-O'Leary, S.C.

Maureen practices primarily in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, business succession planning, business transactions, real estate, accounting, and taxation. Maureen has significant experience with complex estate planning, business, trust, and estate issues, and she frequently represents business owners in corporate planning, sales and acquisitions, dispute resolution, succession planning and tax planning.  Maureen also prepares estate, gift, and income tax returns, with a focus on fiduciary and business income tax returns.

Maureen received her Juris Doctor degree with honors from Marquette University Law School in 2008. Prior to law school, Maureen began her career in the business world, as a shareholder and Operations Manager of Swimtastic Corporation, where she helped turn one location into a national franchise.

Maureen is a member of the Ozaukee County Bar Association, Washington County Bar Association and the Milwaukee Bar Association. Maureen frequently gives trust, estate and business related presentations to professional groups such as the National Business Institute and the State Bar of Wisconsin.  She is a Director of the State Bar of Wisconsin's Business Law Section (2019 - 2022 term), an active member of the Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Club and a member of the Mequon/Thiensville Chamber of Commerce Masterminds group.

Maureen is an officer and director of the Milwaukee Estate Planning Forum, a multi-disciplinary organization of estate planning professionals in the Greater Milwaukee area. The Milwaukee Estate Planning Forum is a member of the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils, a national organization of professional estate planners and affiliated local estate planning councils focused on establishing and monitoring the highest professional and educational standards. Maureen is also on the Forum's speaker committee.

Maureen lives in Glendale with her husband, Jeremy, and her daughters, Jacqueline and Madeline. In her free time, Maureen volunteers as a Micro Preemie Parent Mentor with Graham's Foundation because her oldest daughter, Jacqueline, was born four months prematurely. Maureen also has a boxer dog named Zena and she is on the Board of Directors for the Green Acres Boxer Rescue of Wisconsin, which rescues boxer dogs throughout the State of Wisconsin.

Publications:
"Tips for an Effective Business Succession Plan"
State Bar of Wisconsin Business Law Blog
August 19, 2020

Author of Wisconsin Exhibit to "Executing Estate Planning Documents During the Pandemic and the Slow Return to the “New Normal”" by Martin M. Shenkman, Esq., Jonathan Blattmachr, Esq., Andrew Wolfe, Esq., and Thomas A. Tietz, Esq
LISI Estate Planning Newsletter #2799 (June 11, 2020)

"SECURE Act: Ensuring Safety of Retirement Accounts"
Wisconsin Lawyer Magazine
May 2020

"Estate Tax Returns for Nontaxable Estates After the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017"
Wisconsin Institute of CPAs' On Balance Magazine
May/June 2020

"A Powerful Tool: Modification or Termination of a Noncharitable Irrevocable Trust by Consent Under Section 411(A) of the Uniform Trust Code"
The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
ACTEC Law Journal, Volume 45, Number 1, Fall 2019

Maureen has been ranked 10 out of 10 by Avvo:
Avvo is a national attorney rating service that uses a mathematical model to rate attorneys based on experience, professional achievements, industry recognition and professional conduct.

September meeting- Shutting Down Small Businesses and Bankruptcy Considerations

Ms. Lamberty is an associate attorney whose practice focuses on bankruptcy law in Wisconsin. Ms. Lamberty received her law degree from Marquette University in 2015 and her undergraduate degree in therapeutic recreation from University of Wisconsin- La Crosse in 2012. Ms. Lamberty is admitted to practice in the state courts of Wisconsin, as well as the Eastern and Western Federal District Court of Wisconsin, the Eastern Federal District Court of Missouri, and The Federal District Court of Colorado.

Mr. Fedewa is an associate attorney whose practice focuses on bankruptcy law in Wisconsin. Mr. Fedewa received his law degree from Marquette University in 2014 and his undergraduate degree in history, political science, and broadfield social sciences from Wisconsin Lutheran College in 2013. Mr. Fedewa is admitted to practice in the state courts of Wisconsin, as well as the Eastern Federal District Court of Wisconsin.

March Meeting: Special Needs and Pooled Trust Update

The speakers for this meeting are Mary Till and Matthew Chang. Mary is the program manager at Life Navigators, where her primary focus is to strengthen Life Navigators' program efforts. Matthew is in-House Counsel for a private nonprofit administering pooled special needs trusts for Wisconsinites with disabilities. The topic for this month's meeting is Special Needs and Pooled Trust Update.

February Meeting: The Heckerling Update

Mark Shiller is this month's speaker. Mark concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning, business succession planning and typically assists business owners, professionals, senior executives and other individuals, couples and families who appreciate his thoughtful and creative approaches to their often complicated personal, tax and financial planning challenges. In addition, Mark works with individuals, couples and families to identify and leverage their values and circumstances to inform and direct their planning towards meaningful results – including avoiding the trust fund baby problem and ineffective succession of ownership and management in family businesses. The topic for the meeting is The Heckerling Update.

January Meeting: The Use of Asset-Specific Trusts in Estate Planning

Phil, a partner at Husch Blackwell, counsels clients on estate planning, business succession planning, probate and trust administration, marital property and tax planning. He helps them achieve their objectives while minimizing taxes and expenses, and managing risk. Phil is proficient in matters involving unique assets, international considerations and beneficiaries with special needs. On countless occasions, he has provided fiduciary counseling to trustees when they needed guidance or intervention to help disgruntled beneficiaries understand trusts.

November Meeting: Business Succession Planning Fundamentals for Estate Planning Professionals

Matt Ackmann is an associate attorney in Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren’s Trust & Estates Practice. Matt assists a wide range of clients including individuals and families, closely held businesses and non-profit organizations. Matt is based out of the Waukesha office and also serves clients in the Milwaukee and Madison areas. Originally from a suburb of Chicago, Matt received his B.A. from Loyola University Chicago and his J.D. from Marquette University Law School.

October Meeting: Charitable Planning and Partnering with Community Foundations

The Speakers for this meeting are Maura Cook Lamensky and Fiesha Lynn Bell.

Maura is the Associate Director of Gift Planning at the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. In her role at the Foundation, Maura works to strengthen relationships with the professional adviser community by serving as a resource for advisers and their philanthropic clients. Maura manages a council of young professional advises, which introduces members to the Foundation and encourages networking across sectors. She also works with new prospects to develop and document charitable intentions, as well as legacy donors who have made plans for the Foundation to receive a gift in the future.

Prior to joining the staff at the Foundation, Maura was an associate attorney at Husch Blackwell’s Milwaukee office with a focus on estate planning. Originally from Davenport, Iowa, Maura received her J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law and her bachelor’s from Lawrence University.

Fiesha Lynn Bell is the newly appointed Major Gift Officer at the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. A newly created role for the Development and Philinthopic Services team. Fiesha Lynn is responsible for managing a portfolio of existing donors, with the primary goal of growing the assets of the Foundation. Fiesha Lynn’s background and expertise will allow the Foundation to grow through deepening relationships with current fund holders and developing relationships with new donors.

Fiesha Lynn is an Indianapolis native, earning a bachelor’s degree in Business and Cross Linguistics from Indiana University. She began her career in the retail fashion industry in human resources with a focus on talent development and business management.

September Meeting: Medicare and Marketplace Options in 2019

Speaking at this meeting is Chris McArdle. Chris has been helping individuals and small employers in the Milwaukee area find insurance solutions for almost 25 years. In addition to finding the right plan at the right price, he also ensures the consumer is educated and can be confident in their decisions. He presents on the topics of Medicare and the Affordable Care Act regularly, and is frequently quoted in the local media. Chris has served on various industry task forces and advisory groups for the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance, and for local insurance carriers.

The three primary areas of concentration for Chris and his firm are small group benefits (health, dental, vision, life, disability, etc.), Medicare plans, and individual policies for those without access to group medical coverage. By narrowing their scope of focus, Chris and his team are able to deliver market leading solutions, and world class service.

Chris is a graduate of Marquette University with a degree in Business Economics, and remains active with various alumni groups at his alma mater. He currently serves as the Board Chair at YMCA Camp Minikani and is on the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee Board of Directors. Chris has served as President of the Milwaukee Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Pi, and enjoys volunteering with groups such as Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee, St. John Vianney Parish and the American Heart Association. Chris and his wife Michelle live in Brookfield with their teenage daughter, Meghan.

WEDNESDAY March Meeting

Joel Nettesheim and Dan Glomski will be tag team presenting for our March Meeting. Joel is a principal at SVA Certified Public Accountants, S.C. and member of the Business Advisory Services group. Joel helps clients improve their company profitability and protects their interests by clearly understanding their future goals. He works closely and proactively with clients with an emphasis in business and income tax planning. This approach results in better management of their business and personal assets to help them reach their life goals.

Dan is also a principal with SVA Certified Public Accountants, S.C. and a member of the Business Advisory Services group. Dan helps clients understand financial information to improve their company’s profitability and protect their interests. He does this by taking the time to understand the client, external influences and personal objectives of the owners. He works closely and proactively with the clients, emphasizing customer service and being available for his clients. This approach results in supporting clients with timely information and strategies to move them and their businesses forward to help them reach continued success.

February Meeting: Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning 2019

Speaking at this meeting is David Patzer. David is the chair of Godfrey & Kahn's Estate Planning, Estate & Trust Administration Practice Group in the Milwaukee office. His areas of practice include fiduciary income taxation, estate and gift taxation, probate administration, and the preparation of marital agreements, wills, trusts, and other estate planning instruments. David's presentation will be the Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning 2019 Update.