Estate Planning for Individuals and Families
Planning for your estate means that you know exactly what will happen with your assets in the future. It helps you protect your property and your loved ones. Without an estate plan, your property will be distributed according to state laws, not your wishes. We’ll take you through the whole process, so you can feel good knowing you have a secure plan in place.
How we can help:
- Provide legal and practical advice tailored to your needs, whether you’re single, getting married, starting a family, retiring or suffering the loss of a loved one
- Help you manage difficult family dynamics that often come with estate planning
- Navigate state and federal laws to transfer assets both during life and at death
- Update existing estate planning documents when they become outdated or no longer accomplish their intended purposes
A successful estate plan goes beyond a will.
Together, we’ll make sure you’ve made plans to:
- Protect your loved ones
- Distribute and protect your assets
- Incorporate tax planning
- Balance the costs and benefits of probate (probate is used to pay debts and distribute assets after someone dies)
- Plan for disability
Getting married? Starting a family? Now is the perfect time to start planning.
A lot of people think estate planning only applies to those with a high net worth, but that’s not the case. Every family should have an estate plan, especially if you have children. We make the process simple and straightforward, while ensuring you have everything in place to protect your partner and children. This includes:
- Powers of Attorney for property and healthcare
- Designation of guardian for minor children
- Last Will and Testament
- Trusts
What does estate planning mean for the LGBTQ+ community?
Whether you’re single, partnered, married, have children, are trying to have children or never plan to have children, we know it’s just as important to you to protect the people you love and have a secure plan for the future. We also know legal processes can often be more complicated for the LGBTQ+ community and non-traditional families. We have deep experience, both professional and personal, in navigating these waters. From estate planning for unmarried couples, to surrogacy and adoption, to understanding what’s covered (and what’s not covered) in The Illinois Marriage Fairness Act, we will partner with you to make sure you have a plan in place for your life now and in the future.
Have questions?
Of course you do. Estate planning is very personal and can feel very complicated. You probably have a lot of questions. We’re here to answer them. Schedule a consultation to discuss your needs, the documents you should have in place, and how we can help.
