The Milwaukee Post

10 • Milwaukee County Post • June 26, 2015 MILWAUKEE — The Eastside Milwaukee Garden Tour, presented by Eastside Milwaukee Community Council, will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 12. The tour features neighborhood private gar- dens in the area bordered by Edgewood Avenue to North Avenue between the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan. The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, and its Fresh Coast program is a major sup- porter of this tour. There are 25 gardens to view. The third annual free event is open to the public to enjoy the diversity of the East Side reflected in its homes and gardens. The gar- dens feature native plants, annuals, peren- nials, roses, vegetables, shade and container gardening, water features, organic gardens, garden art, and secret gardens. Maps are available the day of the tour at the Lake Park North Point Lighthouse, 2650 N. Wahl Ave., and Urban Ecology Center, 1500 E. Park Place. They will also be avail- able on the website of the Eastside Milwaukee Community Council and the Facebook page of the tour. Other Eastside Milwaukee Garden Tour highlights include: ■ Vendors of gardening-related items and master gardeners to answer your ques- tions at the historic North Point Lighthouse. ■ Educational programs and rain garden information at the Urban Ecology Center. ■ A guided bicycle tour with state Rep. Jonathan Brostoff, of portions of the route, starting at the Urban Ecology Center at 10 a.m. For more information, visit: www.east- sidemilwaukeecommunitycouncil.com/ and www.facebook.com/pages/Eastside- Milwaukee-Garden-Tour/590024404341056. 35TH ANNIVERSARY SALE Buy $3500 of Flooring Get OFF* Carpet • Hardwood Laminate • Vinyl • Tile Greenfield • 414.744.9400 4820 W. Loomis Rd. Waukesha • 262.524.1455 2120 E. Moreland Blvd. www.stusflooring.com Enter our FREE CARPET drawing! 244888051 $ 500 Expires 7-5-15 • See stores for details. * Not valid with any other offer, discount or prior purchase FREE ESTIMATES! Enter our FREE CARPET drawing! FREE ESTIMATES! 25 properties on Eastside Garden Tour news &views you won't find elsewhere. Milwaukee County's only weekly newspaper still mailed to subscribers. Available FREE at over 150 Southern Milwaukee County newstands! For locations, visit gmtoday.com/mpnewsstands Read our e-edition online at www.gmtoday.comClick on Milwaukee Post front page icon. 244888006 Mark Belling Question of the Week Steve "The Homer" True Week in Review Jessica McBride The List Community News Newsday Crossword Mark Belling Question of the Week Steve "The Homer" True Week in Review Jessica McBride For Independent Seniors 55 & Better 414.769.9240 3120 E. Norwich Avenue • St. Francis thompsonmeadows@aol.com 244888033 Thompson Meadows • Country Like Setting • Gazebo & Garden • Huge Closets • Large Open Kitchen • Same floor laundry • 1 & 2 Bedroom Starting at $600 • Elevator & Library • Small Pets Welcomed • Professional Management with $99 00 security deposit Monday–Friday: 7:30am–5:00pm, Saturday: 7:00am–12:00pm Vietnam Veteran - VFW Member 244888032 Special Rates for Senior Citizens & Veterans Norv's BARBER SHOP 2688 S. 13th St. 384-3380 - PAID ADVERTISEMENT - "DANGER!" - JOINT BANK ACCOUNTS Most lawyers who practice estate planning and probate, continuously have to deal with bank accounts erroneously opened in an improper fashion. Mom has three children. She is getting up in age and would appreciate the help of her son, Tom, in paying bills. She and Tom go to their local bank to open up an account. Unfortunately, the chances are very high that they will leave the bank having established a joint account between Mom and Tom. This means that Tom is a joint owner of all of the money in that account and that account will pass to Tom when Mom dies. If Mom intended the account to pass equally to her three children, she most likely will be disappointed. The other major problem with a joint account is that Tom's creditors can go after the joint account if Tom gets in financial trouble. Mom may continue to think of the joint account as "her" property, but the law sees it differently. Properly titling and opening a bank account is more complicated than most people realize. Bank tellers and many people in banks are not trained in explaining the consequences of titling an account. Also, most probate and estate planning lawyers will tell you that banks always want accounts to be jointly owned, rather than explaining the consequences of the different forms of ownership. In the above case, Mom should have named Tom as an agent under power of attorney on the account. Tom would have had the ability to deal with the account on behalf of Mom, without having any ownership rights to the account. Attorneys know that powers of attorney are the correct way to handle most of these situations. If Tom simply has power of attorney over the account, the money in the account does not belong to him. He simply has access to the money on behalf of Mom. Tom receives none of the money in the account on Mom's death and Tom's creditors cannot go after the money in the account. Unfortunately, the different ways of opening a bank account are seldom explained by bank employees. If you have a valid general durable power of attorney, normally prepared by an attorney, insist that the bank make a copy of the power of attorney and that the power of attorney form control the bank account. Also, discuss how your assets and bank accounts are titled with your estate planning attorney. Do not change the title on bank accounts without discussing with your estate planning attorney. Finally, do not accept the idea or suggestion that Tom can split the money with his siblings when Mom dies. The Law Office of James J. Winiarski offers a free simple estate planning consultation. Our approach to estate planning is to explain the options available, the cost of each option, and the advantages and disadvantages of each option. If you would like to set up an appointment for a free simple estate planning conference, please call us at (414) 383-3902. 244888076

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