Category: Estate Planning Lawyer

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, […]

When a person passes away, most of his or her assets will need to go through probate before they can be distributed, even when that individual has a will. There are, however, some exceptions to this rule. Life insurance plans, for instance, do not go through probate. Furthermore, beneficiary designations on these kinds of policies […]

While their names may be similar, there is actually a significant difference between a standard Last Will and Testament and a living will. The former, for instance, is a legal instrument that dictates how a person’s assets will be utilized and distributed upon his or her death. A living will, on the other hand, contains […]

Family disagreements in contested estates are extremely common. While there isn’t really any way to guarantee that your estate won’t be contested after your death, there are several steps you can take to help prevent this outcome. For instance, talking about your estate plan openly with your family members can help avoid confusion and disputes […]

Wills and Trusts One of the best ways that we can help protect our assets and provide for loved ones is to create a will or trust. The former is a legally enforceable document in which individuals can state how they want their assets to be distributed upon their deaths. Trusts, on the other hand, […]

For most of us, choosing the simpler route is usually preferable to engaging in a time-consuming or complex process. However, this does not always translate to the estate planning process, where planning a simple estate may be easier in the short-term but cause more problems later. To learn more about the ins and outs of […]

While taxes may be the last thing on your mind when planning your estate, the reality is the repercussions of certain bequests can have significant tax-related repercussions down the road. One of the best ways to avoid a surprise come tax time is to speak with Alan G. Orlowsky, an experienced Chicago estate planning lawyer […]

When a person passes away with a will in place, his/her assets will be distributed according to that estate plan. However, administering these bequests does require the help of an executor, who is also usually named in the will. While these individuals owe a fiduciary duty to the beneficiaries of the estate they administer, an […]