When you hear about estate planning you often hear that Arlington Heights estate planning lawyers do “wills and trusts.” You may read about a will being probated, a trust is formed, and the benefits of both. But what are the differences between these, and why do they seem to be so intertwined all the time? […]

To challenge the beneficiary designation in a will, you must have standing. That is, you have something to gain from the outcome of the case. If you have standing you can challenge the designation within 6 months after the will is filed in probate court. Usually, challengers include: Spouses. Ex-spouses. Family members who are excluded […]

People create estate plans to help protect their assets and to ensure that they are distributed according to their wishes, even after they pass away. Estates are, however, still subject to taxes, which can leave heirs and beneficiaries with much less than they anticipated. Fortunately, there are a few different strategies that testators and trustors […]

Often, in an effort to avoid the probate process and potential will contest, individuals establish trusts, where a third party, or trustee, is authorized to hold assets on behalf of a beneficiary. In most cases, the person creating the trust will remain in control of the assets in that trust until he or she becomes […]