Illinois Lawyer Referrals and Legal Guidance
Illinois Estate Planning, Probate and Wills
Estate planning is something that everyone should at lease consider. Estate planning takes into consideration what you want done with your assets during and after your lifetime. An estate plan is a written plan of how you would like your assets to be owned, managed and preserved while you are alive and it also includes planning for what you would like to happen to them when you are no longer living. Many people think that estate planning is something that is only done by people who are extremely wealthy. That is not true. All too often people in Illinois lose a loved one and then have to deal with the handling of their affairs because no plan was in place. No matter your age there is no guarantee of tomorrow so you should at least have an Illinois will.
The first step to estate planning is to document how you would like do distribute your assets after you die. If you do not have a formal written will or trust, your state will create an estate plan for you by default. This may result in unnecessary battles among family members or your assets being given to someone you do not want to receive them.
The following links provide additional information about topics related to Illinois estate planning. If you have any questions about estate planning or probate law or would like a referral to an experienced Illinois estate planning or probate lawyer please do not hesitate to contact us. All inquiries are free and confidential.
- Chicago Probate Lawyers
- Filing a Will in Illinois Probate Courts
- Free Power of Attorney for Health Care Form
- Frequently asked questions about estate planning in Illinois
- Grounds For Contesting a Will or Trust in Illinois
- How are attorneys fees paid in probate cases?
- How to Execute a Valid Will in Illinois
- Illinois estate planning for gay couples, same sex couples
- Illinois Guardianship Attorneys
- Illinois Probate Overview
- Illinois Wills
- Invalid wills in Illinois and intestate law
- Planning a Living Trust
- Probate in Illinois
- Rules for Witnessing a Will
- Special needs trusts and support trusts in Illinois
- The Role of an Executor in Illinois Probate Matters
- What Happens When Someone Dies Without a Will in Illinois?
- What Makes a Great Estate Planning or Probate Lawyer?
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- If something is left to you in a will you can reject it.
- For a will to be valid the person signing it must be of sound mind at the time they sign their will.
- In many cases probate attorneys will accept payment once the will has been approved by the judge and assets have been distributed.
- In many cases probate attorneys will accept payment out of the estate.
- The only Cook County Probate Court is in downtown Chicago at the Daley Center. It takes a minimum of 6 months once a will is officially filed in Probate Court until it can be approved in usually at least 1 year.
- You can usually avoid Probate Court altogether by putting your assets into a trust.
- By writing a new valid will you automatically terminate any previously written wills.
- Under Illinois law, a will is supposed to be filed in Probate Court within 30 days after a decedent’s death. In reality it often takes longer for the will to be filed.
- Lawyers should not charge on a contingency basis to process a will. However, many lawyers will charge on a contingency basis (they don’t get paid unless you win) if an estate is contested.
- Wills do not have to be notarized in Illinois, but they must be witnessed by two people.
- Power of attorneys expires upon the death of the person who has granted it.
Findgreatlawyers.com is a free service, run by Illinois lawyers, to find an attorney or obtain guidance for any Illinois legal matter, including Illinois estate planning cases. Please call us at (312) 346-5320 or (800) 517-1614 or fill out our contact us form and we will contact you. All inquiries are kept in strict confidence.