Wisconsin law
Elder Laws in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin elder law sits at the intersection of federal programs (Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security) and Wisconsin's guardianship, power-of-attorney, and long-term-care statutes. Wisconsin's Family Care and IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self-Direct) programs provide Medicaid long-term-services-and-supports for eligible elderly and disabled adults. Wisconsin adopted the Uniform Power of Attorney Act (Wis. Stat. ch. 244) and operates a guardianship and protective-placement framework under Wis. Stat. ch. 54 and ch. 55.
Last verified: 2026-04-20
State law
Key Wisconsin Statutes
Wisconsin's adult-guardianship framework — covering guardians of the person, guardians of the estate, and limited guardianships.
Wisconsin's protective-placement statute — authorizes court-ordered placement of incapacitated adults in the least-restrictive setting consistent with their needs.
Wisconsin's adoption of the Uniform Power of Attorney Act — the principal framework for durable powers of attorney for finance.
Wisconsin's separate health-care-POA statute — used in conjunction with the Declaration to Physicians (living will) under ch. 154.
State law
Official Sources
Not Legal Advice
This page summarizes publicly available statutes and rules for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by viewing this content. Laws change — always verify with the primary source or consult a licensed attorney in Wisconsin.
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