Tag Archives: wills
7 Basic Estate Planning Mistakes (to Avoid)
Usually I prefer to advise people on positive steps to take, rather than mistakes to avoid. I’m going to break that rule slightly in this post, which is adapted from a page that we used to have on our main website. I think it makes more sense here instead, with links back to our… Read More »
Tablet Will: Don’t Try This at Home (or in Illinois)
In what appears to be a case of first impression (possibly anywhere), an Ohio probate court judge recently ruled that a Will created by a dying man on a Samsung Galaxy tablet computer could be admitted to probate in Ohio as a valid Will. Javier Castro, who had refused a blood transfusion due to… Read More »
Independent vs. Supervised Administration in Illinois (and one of many good reasons to have a Will)
Illinois probate administration comes in two flavors: (1) Independent; and (2) Supervised. Most estates are administered independently. What does this mean? Essentially it means that the court will review the opening and the closing of the estate, but unless there is some sort of dispute or a hearing is requested or additional surety bond… Read More »
Formal Proof of Will Hearings in Illinois
I recently represented a client in a formal proof of will hearing in Cook County Probate Court (Daley Center 18th Floor). This type of hearing involves bringing the (usually two) witnesses to a decedent’s Will into court to testify under oath as to the authenticity of their signatures and the circumstances surrounding the execution… Read More »
Storage of Original Estate Planning Documents
The world is becoming more digital and paperless. Not paper-free, but paper-less. I don’t know about you, but I much prefer digital access to my credit card statements, bank statements and the like, rather than file drawers full of documents. Our office maintains and digitally backs up copies of past client files on our… Read More »
You’re Named Executor. Now What? First Steps…
You have recently attended or arranged for the funeral of a relative or close friend who has passed away in Illinois. You find out that you have been named in the Will as executor of the estate. Now what? Where do you start? Many individuals have no prior experience or knowledge about serving as… Read More »