Estate Planning

Illinois has laws around how to create a will. If you don't follow the correct procedure, then the court may deem your will invalid after your death and follow intestacy law to distribute your estate. Witnesses You need two witnesses to observe you sign or acknowledge...

If you’re an Illinois resident looking to protect your assets or secure them for your beneficiaries, you may want to consider creating a trust. A trust is an arrangement that helps you direct the use of your assets after your death or incapacity and has many other...

People in Illinois may want to work with an attorney to create an estate plan instead of relying on do-it-yourself plans. Do-it-yourself solutions may not fit every situation. Working with an attorney may decrease the likelihood of errors. If you do an estate plan on...

Leaving a will and an estate plan is the best way to protect your assets in Illinois. You can also use this opportunity to set up a fund for your designated beneficiaries. The person whom you appoint as trustee will carry out your wishes in this regard. There are two...

Many Illinois residents are in their second marriages, which means they might have stepchildren. It’s important to use these estate planning tips to protect your blended family. Create a trust Creating a revocable living trust is a good way to hold assets and property...

We all know that having an estate plan is important in Illinois. However, there are a number of common mistakes that people make when they are putting together their plans. Not having a will A will is one of the most important documents in an estate plan. It allows...

If you own property in Illinois, legal changes now allow you to transfer all types of real estate to a beneficiary without going through probate after your passing. Illinois expanded its Transfer on Death Instrument Act on Jan. 1, 2022, to include commercial...

A person who dies without a will has to go through probate court. In Illinois, the person's property goes through a process known as intestate succession. This process gives an opportunity for each of the deceased person's heirs to inherit the property. The rules for...

If you want to make sure your assets are passed down to your beneficiaries in a timely manner once you pass away, you may want to consider the benefit of revocable living trusts. However, it is important to note that some assets can go into the trust while others can...

When Illinois residents draft a will, choosing an executor is one of the most important decisions they make. Their executors will be tasked with making sure that the estate’s debts are paid and the remaining assets are distributed to heirs in accordance with the...