Harvard Wills & Probate Lawyer, Illinois

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Includes: Estate Administration, Living Wills, Wills

Perry Callas

Wills & Probate, Estate Planning, Merger & Acquisition, Corporate
Status:  In Good Standing           

Adam Diamond

Federal Appellate Practice, Wills & Probate, Divorce, Criminal
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  20 Years

Andrew Holstine

Wills & Probate, Estate Planning, Business & Trade, Business
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  24 Years

Angela Thuma

Wills & Probate, Estate, Adoption, Divorce & Family Law
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  29 Years

Catherine Howard

Land Use & Zoning, Wills & Probate, Estate Planning, Transactions
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  53 Years

Donna M. Sandacz

Real Estate, Mediation, Wills & Probate, Trusts
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  13 Years

Gregory Barry

Landlord-Tenant, Real Estate, Wills & Probate, Estate, Employment
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  18 Years

John J. Murray

Wills & Probate, Insurance
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  20 Years

Jonathan Michael Thornton

Estate, Wills & Probate, Divorce & Family Law, Civil & Human Rights
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  13 Years

Lawrence Edward Rafferty

Commercial Real Estate, Real Estate, Wills & Probate, Transactions
Status:  In Good Standing           Licensed:  43 Years

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Free Help: Use This Form or Call 800-943-8690

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800-943-8690

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LEGAL TERMS

AB TRUST

A trust that allows couples to reduce or avoid estate taxes. Each spouse puts his or her property in an AB trust. When the first spouse dies, his or her half of... (more...)
A trust that allows couples to reduce or avoid estate taxes. Each spouse puts his or her property in an AB trust. When the first spouse dies, his or her half of the property goes to the beneficiaries named in the trust -- commonly, the grown children of the couple -- with the crucial condition that the surviving spouse has the right to use the property for life and is entitled to any income it generates. The surviving spouse may even be allowed to spend principal in certain circumstances. When the surviving spouse dies, the property passes to the trust beneficiaries. It is not considered part of the second spouse's estate for estate tax purposes. Using this kind of trust keeps the second spouse's taxable estate half the size it would be if the property were left directly to the spouse. This type of trust is also known as a bypass or credit shelter trust.

LAPSE

Under a will, the failure of a gift of property. A gift lapses when the beneficiary dies before the person who made the will, and no alternate has been named. S... (more...)
Under a will, the failure of a gift of property. A gift lapses when the beneficiary dies before the person who made the will, and no alternate has been named. Some states have anti-lapse statutes, which prevent gifts to relatives of the deceased person from lapsing unless the relative has no heirs of his or her own. A lapsed gift becomes part of the residuary estate.

EXEMPTION TRUST

A bypass trust funded with an amount no larger than the personal federal estate tax exemption in the year of death. If the trust grantor leaves property worth m... (more...)
A bypass trust funded with an amount no larger than the personal federal estate tax exemption in the year of death. If the trust grantor leaves property worth more than that amount, it usually goes to the surviving spouse. The trust property passes free from estate tax because of the personal exemption, and the rest is shielded from tax under the surviving spouse's marital deduction.

TAKING AGAINST THE WILL

A procedure under state law that gives a surviving spouse the right to demand a certain share (usually one-third to one-half) of the deceased spouse's property.... (more...)
A procedure under state law that gives a surviving spouse the right to demand a certain share (usually one-third to one-half) of the deceased spouse's property. The surviving spouse can take that share instead of accepting whatever he or she inherited through the deceased spouse's will. If the surviving spouse decides to take the statutory share, it's called 'taking against the will.' Dower and curtesy is another name for the same legal process.

NONPROBATE

The distribution of a deceased person's property by any means other than probate. Many types of property pass free of probate, including property left to a surv... (more...)
The distribution of a deceased person's property by any means other than probate. Many types of property pass free of probate, including property left to a surviving spouse and property left outside of a will through probate-avoidance methods such as pay-on-death designations, joint tenancy ownership, living trusts and life insurance. Property that avoids probate is sometimes described as the 'nonprobate estate.' Nonprobate distribution may also occur if the deceased person leaves an invalid will. In that case, property will pass according to the particular state's laws of intestate succession.

WARRANTY DEED

A seldom-used type of deed that contains express assurances about the legal validity of the title being transferred.

REMAINDERMAN

Someone who will inherit property in the future. For instance, if someone dies and leaves his home 'to Alma for life, and then to Barry,' Barry is a remainderma... (more...)
Someone who will inherit property in the future. For instance, if someone dies and leaves his home 'to Alma for life, and then to Barry,' Barry is a remainderman because he will inherit the home in the future, after Alma dies.

SPENDTHRIFT TRUST

A trust created for a beneficiary the grantor considers irresponsible about money. The trustee keeps control of the trust income, doling out money to the benefi... (more...)
A trust created for a beneficiary the grantor considers irresponsible about money. The trustee keeps control of the trust income, doling out money to the beneficiary as needed, and sometimes paying third parties (creditors, for example) on the beneficiary's behalf, bypassing the beneficiary completely. Spendthrift trusts typically contain a provision prohibiting creditors from seizing the trust fund to satisfy the beneficiary's debts. These trusts are legal in most states, even though creditors hate them.

BENEFICIARY

A person or organization legally entitled to receive benefits through a legal device, such as a will, trust or life insurance policy.

SAMPLE LEGAL CASES

In re Estate of Ellis

... Bauman was the pastor of the church of which Ellis was a member. When Ellis died in 2003, the 1999 will was admitted to probate. ... The circuit court of Cook County dismissed all counts as untimely pursuant to section 8-1 of the Probate Act of 1975 (755 ILCS 5/8-1 (West 2006)). ...

Wackrow v. Niemi

... James Woods died in August 2002. Letters of office were issued and Woods' will was admitted to probate on October 23, 2002. ... The estate did not deliver the property or the $300,000 to plaintiff. On October 24, 2003, the probate court denied plaintiff's claim against the estate. ...

In re Estate of Feinberg

... freedom. The Probate Act places only two limits on the ability of a testator to choose the objects of his bounty. ... desire. Under the Probate Act, Max and Erla had no obligation to make any provision at all for their grandchildren. ...