If you are a beneficiary in a family member’s will, probate might feel frustrating. As far as you are concerned, the deceased’s wishes were crystal clear, so why is it taking so long to receive what they wanted you to have? The first thing to remember is that probate...
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LAKE FOREST ILLINOIS TRUSTS AND ESTATES LAW BLOG
Is an electronic will a better tool than a written will?
For a long time, people trying to leave behind a specific estate plan would hand-write their wishes for their legacies. Doing so ensured that people could validate their wishes by verifying their handwriting. The use of witnesses and notaries has diminished the...
Know when to review and update your will
Some adults create their estate plan and then forget about it. While it’s acceptable to not dwell on it daily, you should plan to review it periodically so you can ensure that it’s all accurate. Ideally, you’ll do this every couple years. You must also review the...
Did your sibling take advantage of your parent’s dementia?
Older adults who experience dementia will have a difficult time managing their own lives. They may depend on family members or professional caregivers to provide for their daily needs and to handle their finances. Once a professional takes over or your loved one is...
What’s a pour-over will?
Do you have a revocable living trust? If you do (or are even considering one), then you need to learn about pour-over wills. A pour-over will is a unique part of an estate plan designed to work with a revocable living trust. Here’s what you need to know. How does a...
Disputes may happen when heirs take personal items
Ideally, when a parent passes away, they leave a will behind. It notes how the personal items they are passing to their heirs should be split up. It may say specifically how this should be done -- Child A gets a certain painting, Child B gets the book collection, etc...
