Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions, answered plainly.
Estate, property, and business — each answer links to the full topic.
Estate Planning & Probate
Estate planning & probate
It depends on what you own and whether avoiding probate matters to you. A will alone still goes through probate in Illinois. If you own real estate or more than $150,000 in solely-held assets, a trust or other non-probate transfer often saves your family time and money. Read the full answer →
Illinois provides revocable living trusts, Transfer on Death Instruments, land trusts, and beneficiary designations that move assets directly to your heirs without court involvement. Read the full answer → · Estate Planning →
Possibly, if your estate approaches $4 million — and farm and business assets add up fast. Illinois has no portability, so married couples should plan deliberately. Estate Planning →
Yes. We handle most estate planning by phone, video, and secure electronic document exchange, with signing coordinated wherever you are in Illinois.
Farm, Land & Agriculture
Farm succession & energy leases
Not before it's reviewed. Energy leases run for decades and are heavily drafted in the developer's favor. We review terms on rent, term length, decommissioning, and land impact before you commit.
Illinois appeal windows are short and tied to when your township's assessments are published — typically about 30 days. Because the date varies by county and year, contact us as soon as you receive your assessment notice.
Through coordinated estate and succession planning — wills, trusts, entity structuring, and buy-sell terms — so the next generation inherits a working operation rather than a tax bill and a dispute.