Essential Legal Documents for the College Student
It's that time of year again- the time for 18-23-year-olds to head off to college around the country. Whether you have a child moving away for the first time as a freshman or you're a fifth year senior...
View ArticleWait, I Should Review My Estate Plan When?
So you’ve done some estate planning (maybe even a substantial amount), but now what? Do you just sit pat and let life happen? Well, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that filing your plan away and never...
View ArticleNot Married but Living Together? There's an Estate Plan for That
Unmarried couples who live together are becoming the new norm. According to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly three out of four women in the U.S. have lived with...
View ArticleHow to Give Your Estate Plan a Year-End Check Up
With 2014 fast approaching, many are looking for ways to improve their lives for the better in the year to come. Whether it’s a new workout regimen, quitting smoking, spending more time with family, or...
View ArticleProbate in Illinois | What happens when a loved one dies
When a family member passes away there are often more questions than answers. Naturally, some of those questions are about what needs to be done in order to transfer the deceased individual's assets...
View ArticleEstate Planning Checklist for College Students
Upon a child reaching the age of 18 a parent’s right’s in controlling some affairs of that child become significantly diminished.Of particular note: 1) parents will no longer be able to control the...
View ArticleEstate Planning Checklist for Young Adults
Upon graduation from college, or reaching your young twenties, you should be starting to think about setting yourself up for the future as you build your career. Opening retirement accounts and putting...
View ArticleEstate Planning Checklist for Cohabitating Couples
Cohabitating couples are quickly becoming more common. According to a 2013 government study, nearly 48% of women move in with men before getting married.With these committed relationships, however,...
View ArticleEstate Planning Checklist for Married Couples
Chances are at some point or another you and your spouse have brought up the topic of estate planning. Whether it was talking about writing wills or how to plan for retirement, it’s a common discussion...
View ArticleNew Handout | Estate Planning for Same Sex Couples
Estate Planning for Same Sex Couples presents some challenges not otherwise seen when planning for married couples. In states like Illinois, where same-sex marriage is legal, the challenges are now...
View ArticleAn Illustration of a Revocable Living Trust
Most people have heard of trusts, but often times when I begin a conversation with a client about whether a trust should be incorporated into their estate plan, I am met with blank stares and dozens of...
View ArticlePet Care After Death | Planning for Furry Family Members
According to the Humane Society of the United States, pet ownership in the United States has more than tripled from the 1970s, when approximately 67 million households had pets, to 2012, when there...
View ArticleSafekeeping Estate Planning Documents
Drafting a complete estate plan can give a person peace of mind in the assurance that he and his loved ones will be taken care of should disability or death come knocking. One of the most common...
View ArticleEstate Planning Challenges with Digital Assets
Law is a slow moving animal. More often than not, changes to laws or adoption of new laws are not so much of a function of foreseeing future issues for which they may be applicable, as they are...
View ArticleFederal vs. Illinois Estate and Gift Tax Differences
Knowing the differences between federal and state estate tax laws is essential for estate planning attorneys that want to ensure they are minimizing any tax burden on their clients. In Illinois, there...
View ArticleGive Your Estate Plan a New Year Check Up
Welcome to 2016! If you’re like me, you’ve spent the first few weeks of the New Year trying to get organized and set some goals for the year to come. Whether it’s a new workout regimen, quitting...
View ArticleGive Your Estate Plan a 2017 New Year Checkup
Welcome to 2017! If you’re like me, you’ve spent the first few days of the New Year trying to get organized and set some goals for the year to come. Whether it’s a new workout regimen, quitting...
View ArticleEstate Planning Made Simple: What Every Married Couple Should Know
Chances are at some point or another you and your spouse have brought up the topic of estate planning. Whether it was talking about writing wills or how to plan for retirement, it’s a common discussion...
View ArticleConsiderations When Selecting a Guardian for Minor Children
It is something every parent thinks about—what will happen to my kids if I die? It’s, understandably not one of the most pleasant things to think about, but having a contingency plan in place in the...
View Article
More Pages to Explore .....