One of the most important conversations you can have with your children in Illinois is about your estate plan. This can be a difficult conversation, but it's one that is crucial to have. By discussing your estate plan with your children, you ensure that they know what...
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The importance of being prepared
No one really wants to think about what will happen when they die. But as you get older, planning for that event becomes even more important. Estate planning is the process of getting all of your assets and belongings in order before you pass. This process involves...
Estate planning for new parents
Every adult in Illinois should have an estate plan. That's true even for young people who don't own much. It's doubly true for new parents. In fact, any time there's a change in your family, whether that means marriage, divorce or birth, you should revise your estate...
Are there risks with gifting a home to adult children?
Estate planning often involves strategies to make things easier for heirs. Parents might list their children on accounts as a way of avoiding probate. Another probate-avoidance plan could entail transferring the ownership of a house to adult children rather than...
Should you update your will if you move?
Estate planning in Illinois isn't something that you do once: You need to do it multiple times in your life to make sure that your estate is up to date in case the unthinkable happens. If you recently moved to Illinois from another state, is that a major life event...
Why you should avoid do-it-yourself wills
When it is time to draft your will, you might be tempted to just grab a do-it-yourself kit and try to handle things at home. This usually isn't a good idea because it is difficult to condense complex estate planning objectives into a simple document like the ones...
These areas are priorities for your estate plan
Your estate plan is a multifaceted tool that helps your loved ones distribute your assets when you are gone, but there is much more to this tool than that. You can also let your loved ones know what you want in your final days if you can't speak up for yourself.When...
What does an executor do?
There are sometimes several people involved with the creation of a will: The deceased, their attorney, their family members, and their friends or other loved ones. All of these people can contribute to making the will a relevant, legally enforceable document. Often,...
Why you don’t want a will kit
There's nothing more frustrating than having something completed, only to find out it was done wrong when it's too late to fix it. Imagine the severity if it's your last will and testament. While Illinois recognizes many wills--including some in rather simple...
Living wills and health care power of attorney
Most people want to know that they will be taken care of if they are injured, but they also tend to have a preference for how they are treated. In many cases, people are able to communicate their wishes on their own, but what happens if they are not able to do...
