Estate Planning
Now Serving Clients Throughout Illinois
Most Estate Plans Can Be Prepared Without The Need For an In-Office Visit
Planning for YOUR legacy is one of the greatest gifts you can give.
Contact Us for the Drafting of these Estate Plan Documents:
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Wills
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Trusts
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Pour-Over Will
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Living Will
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Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare
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Durable Power of Attorney for Property
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Beneficiary Designations
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Transfer on Death Deeds
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Letters of Direction
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Will Codicils
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Trust Amendments
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Anatomical Gift Directives
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Executor Affidavits
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Pet Trusts
What is an Estate Plan?
Estate planning is one of those tasks that we know we need to do, but just seem to put it off for another day. And why not??? We have plenty of time ahead, no worries or cares. Besides, we have more important things to tend to, right?
Well, hopefully you answered this question with the one-word response… “wrong!” We never know what lies ahead – what tomorrow will bring. There is no way to assure ourselves that the need for an estate plan is far off and not immediately important.
So, what is estate planning anyway?
Estate planning is the careful process of arranging for and anticipating that one day there will come the need to distribute your assets and plan for your inability to make critical decisions in the way that YOU wish. Without an estate plan, you leave it to the courts to decide who takes care of you, where your property goes after your death, and who will take care of your children!
Additionally, estate planning will document a well thought out plan that minimizes tax burdens, transfers property, reduces or eliminates the need for probate and eases the burden on your loved ones.
Estate planning includes planning for incapacity – both short and long term, planning for the care of your children, documenting your final wishes for burial or the giving of an anatomical gift. It can even plan for the ongoing care of your beloved pet!
Estate plans can be very simple or quite complex. This depends largely on what you own and how you wish for it to be distributed at your death. True, contemplating our final wishes and the fact that the inevitable will come for all of us is hard. It is a tough conversation to have. But having that conversation now and working with a skilled attorney to be sure it is properly documented is truly a gift that you can give to your loved ones.
The passing of a loved one that died without an estate plan can be an extremely stressful situation for those left behind. There is so much uncertainty and stress that will be endured as the court sorts out how things will be distributed – quite likely in a manner that YOU never would have wished for!
Settling an estate that is well planned for and documented in an Estate Plan after the passing of a loved one is certainly not stress free – but the plan does relieve one very large burden on an already grieving family – sometimes so much to the point that settling the estate can be looked at as an honor by those involved, for they are carrying out YOUR final wishes – truly a gift that you gave to your loved ones making the process less of a burden, and more of a final celebration of YOUR life!
Do I Need an Estate Plan?
The short answer is “YES!”
No matter how old you are, what your occupation is, whether or not you have children or are married or single ‑ YOU need to have an estate plan in place!
An estate plan is more than a will ‑ it is a collection of well written documents that plans for and provides for the distribution of your assets and possessions at the time of your death, while avoiding or substantially decreasing unwanted costs that will take from your assets ‑ such as probate court fees, state and federal estate taxes, and more!
Your estate is the collection of all of your assets, finances and possessions at the time of your death. These are your most treasured belongings, your hard-earned life savings, perhaps the home you raised your children in!
Don’t leave it to chance for how these treasured possessions will be distributed. Call today to begin the process of creating YOUR estate plan!
An Estate Plan offers Peace of Mind….
When a loved one passes, the world can be turned upside down. Dealing with the death of a family member or friend is difficult.
Knowing that you have taken the right steps to do all that you can to be sure that those left behind will be provided for and taken care of in the way YOU desire can be a very reassuring thing.
Estate plans are as individual as the people who make them. They are truly one’s last wishes that mean so much to both the individual making the plans ‑ and those that love that individual dearly.
After your death, much will need to be done to settle your final affairs. Without a well-documented plan, friends and loved ones are left to guess what you would have wanted ‑ or worse, have the law tell them how the estate must be settled ‑ which may be very different from what you would have wanted.
Let us help bring the peace of mind that an estate plan offers ‑ so that you can live life and enjoy each day knowing that YOUR wishes will be honored as YOU would have wanted!
Virtual Estate Planning
Many estate plans can be done virtually so there is no need to take a day off of work for an in-office visit. Using our secure and confidential client portal along with telephone calls or video conferencing, we can discuss your estate planning needs, review documents and exchange drafts of your documents using your computer or mobile device. We can even provide detailed instructions on how to execute the documents making them legal without having to come to our offices.
Please ask if virtual estate planning is right for you!