Category: Estate Planning Lawyer

As you do your estate planning, you might have heard about the gift tax and how to avoid it. This article details how to avoid the gift tax in Illinois (there is no state gift tax, but there is a federal gift tax that applies in some situations – see below). If you have questions […]

One of the most critical goals of an estate plan is to avoid disagreements among beneficiaries about who gets what. Proper estate planning also minimizes the chances there will be a contested estate. Learn more about this critical topic below, then speak to our Lake County estate planning lawyers at Orlowsky & Wilson for legal […]

Not everyone does comprehensive estate planning to avoid contested estates with a Lincolnshire estate planning lawyer. That can cause someone to contest the estate. Some of those issues are about money and property and cause family discord. Learn about contested estates below and how to avoid these problems. Have questions about your estate? Talk to […]

It often happens that a loved one gets injured, or sick. As we get older, many diseases can affect us, and our ability to handle the affairs of our daily lives and those diseases can get progressively worse as people age. You may reach the point where you just do not think that your elderly […]

You may hear the advertisements on TV: “Get a reverse mortgage!” Reverse mortgages can help you, especially if you are older. But what are reverse mortgages, and can they be used in or do they have any role in estate planning? How Reverse Mortgages Work Normally, when you have a mortgage, you pay the mortgage. […]

To many people, estate taxes and inheritance taxes have something to do with someone passing away, but beyond that, the terms seem to be used interchangeably. There is, however, a difference between these two terms, that can be an important part of your estate planning strategies. What is an Estate Tax? An estate tax, as […]

There are a lot of reasons why we may expect to be included in someone’s will. But being family or a close friend to the deceased is no guarantee. With the right estate planning tools, anybody can be “disinherited” to some degree. That can leave you left with nothing, even if you expected to be […]

Whenever people discuss or write about estate planning, there seems to be one overriding goal: Avoiding a contested estate. But why is a contested estate something to avoid? Why does it matter if an estate is contested? The Lincolnshire estate planning lawyers at Orlowsky & Wilson can help. Legal and Non-Legal Reasons Some of the […]

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 […]

Life is unpredictable, which can make it difficult to plan for the future. When it comes to estate planning, however, there are steps that we can take to help protect ourselves in the event of physical or mental incapacity. To learn more about putting a contingency plan in place to help protect your own interests, […]