Claims in Illinois Probate: Understanding the Different Classes
Probate is the legal process through which a deceased person’s estate is administered, which includes identifying assets, paying debts, and distributing the remaining property to the heirs or beneficiaries. During…
Settlements in Probate Law: Types of Cases That Can Be Resolved
Probate law is often associated with the administration of estates after someone passes away. While many aspects of probate involve the straightforward distribution of assets according to a will or…
Understanding the Duty of a Trustee: A Guide to Fiduciary Responsibility
Trusts play a vital role in estate planning, providing a structured way to manage and distribute assets according to the wishes of the grantor. Central to the effective operation of…
What Beneficiaries Can Do If They Suspect a Trustee is Violating the Illinois Trust Code
Being a beneficiary of a trust comes with certain rights and expectations. Trustees are entrusted with managing assets in accordance with the terms of the trust and in the best…
Bonds: what they are and how much they cost
In probate, a bond acts like an insurance policy in the event that a mistake is made by the estate’s representative that causes harm and requires the surety company to…
When Does a Property get Probated?
When someone dies without leaving a Will, the loved one’s family and friends will need to open a probate estate to collect the decedent’s assets and pay the estate’s debts….
Estate of Coffman ruling, POAs, and the Presumption of Fraud
A “Power of Attorney” document grants a person the power to act on behalf of someone else. In POA’s for property, the creator of the document (“principal”) allows the agent…
Personal Injury Lawsuits and Opening an Estate
In order to file a personal injury lawsuit on behalf of someone who died, an estate must be opened on their behalf. We work with personal injury attorneys to ensure…
How Can Estate Planning Help You Minimize Family Conflicts?
Families fight for various reasons, and some fights can be immediately resolved by talking about it the next day. But other arguments take longer to fix, especially when people fight…
How Can Estate Planning Help You Plan for Incapacity?
Most people don’t want to think about the possibility of being incapacitated, especially if they’re in the prime of life. However, the likelihood of becoming incapacitated by an illness or…