861.10 Waiver of right to elect; failure to elect.
(1) Right to elect may be waived. The right to elect a deferred marital property elective share amount may be waived by the surviving spouse in whole or in part. The waiver may take place before or after marriage. The waiver must be contained in a marital property agreement that is enforceable under s. 766.58 or in a signed document filed with a court described in s. 861.08 (1) (a) after the decedent's death.
(2) Waiver of “all rights". Unless the waiver provides otherwise, a waiver of “all rights," or equivalent language, in the property or estate of a present or prospective spouse, or in a complete property settlement entered into because of separation or divorce, is a waiver of all rights in the deferred marital property elective share amount.
(3) Failure to elect. Failure of a surviving spouse to elect is not a transfer of property and is not a gift from the surviving spouse to the decedent spouse's probate estate or to the beneficiaries of other transfers.
History: 1997 a. 188; 2005 a. 216.
Structure Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 861 - Probate — family rights.
861.01 - Ownership of marital property at death.
861.02 - Deferred marital property elective share amount.
861.05 - Augmented deferred marital property estate: calculation of property interests.
861.06 - Satisfaction of deferred marital property elective share amount.
861.07 - Personal liability of recipients.
861.08 - Proceeding for election; time limit.
861.09 - Right of election by or on behalf of surviving spouse.
861.10 - Waiver of right to elect; failure to elect.
861.11 - Protection of payers and other 3rd parties.
861.17 - Rights in property transferred in fraud of surviving spouse.
861.20 - Surviving spouse's right in nondomiciliary decedent's real property in this state.
861.21 - Assignment of home to surviving spouse or surviving domestic partner.
861.31 - Allowance to family during administration.
861.33 - Selection of personalty by surviving spouse or surviving domestic partner.
861.41 - Exemption of property to be assigned to surviving spouse or surviving domestic partner.
861.43 - Authority and powers of conservator, guardian or agent.