Illinois Law Blog

When it comes to drafting a will, there always seems to be a good reason to do it later. Unfortunately, however, accidents and tragedies occur every day that cause unexpected deaths. This can result in your passing before you have had a chance to create a will or plan...

Taxes are something that even death cannot help you avoid. When you die, your estate is subject to estate taxes in two ways. Your heirs may have to pay taxes at the federal and state levels. These two types of estate taxes vary greatly, so it is important to...

Before selling a residential property, the current owner must disclose any known issues on the property with the potential to affect its value to prospective buyers. This is a legal requirement that allows potential buyers to make an informed decision about whether or...

People in Illinois and elsewhere often overlook the importance of advance care planning, especially if they are young or otherwise healthy. However, those people would have no way to ensure they get the medical treatment they would want should they experience a...

For many people, losing a parent proves monumentally difficult. If you are among those who have lost your mother or father in recent years, you may understand all too well just how much of a toll it takes on you. You may also have come to realize that a parent's death...

A trust accounting is a document that lists assets, informs of any expenditures and disbursements and accounts for any income that has come into the trust since the last accounting. The trustee provides a trust accounting to the beneficiaries of the trust when...

A trust is a legal arrangement in Illinois under which you name someone else as a trustee and give them rights to operate your property on your behalf. A trust can be irrevocable or living. Either way, the beneficiaries of the trust will get to inherit the property...

Residents of Illinois who have already drafted an estate plan may feel as though their job is done. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case. Life can change all the time, and your estate plan can become inaccurate.  Cobizmag.com lists a few different reasons to...

Illinois residents in their 20s may not give much thought to estate planning. They may assume that it is only for the elderly and the rich. Since they do not anticipate death in the foreseeable future, and they likely have not yet accumulated much in the way of assets...

When creating your estate plan in Illinois, you may have questions about trusts. Contrary to popular belief, trusts are not only for rich people. In the interest of avoiding probate, some people use a trust instead of a will, while others find that an estate plan is...