Estate Planning, Probate & Elder Law Attorneys

» SEC distributes $32 million to investors

» AIG announces preferred stock issue

» Guns, Will, and Gwatney's Name Found in Shooter's Home in

The man who fatally shot the chairman of the state Democratic Party had a Post-It note at home with the victim's last name and phone number along with 14 guns, antidepressants and a last will and testament, ...

» Probate Checklist

One of my very long-range projects is creating a comprehensive, soup-to-nuts checklist for Illinois probate. This may be a stand-alone website with just my own content, or I may set it up as a wiki. Anyway, here is the rough outline of things I hope to cover, which can serve as a very rough checklist for Illinois probates:

1.0 Deal with funeral and related post-death matters (including anatomical gifts)

2.0 Find and file the Will, if any

3.0 Compile a list of the decedent’s assets and liabilities

4.0 Compile a list of the decedent’s heirs and (if there’s a Will) legatees

5.0 Determine who will be personal representative (executor or administrator)

6.0 Initiate a probate proceeding (if needed)

7.0 Deal with initial practical matters (forward mail, contact social security, etc.)

8.0 Collect property

9.0 Liquidate or otherwise manage property

10.0 Deal with claims, if any

11.0 Deal with litigation, if any

12.0 Pay taxes

13.0 Close the estate

» Ethics and the Estate Planner

The Second Annual ACTEC/ALI-ABA Live Telephone Seminar/Audio Webcast entitled Top Ten Ethical Challenges Facing Estate Planners will be held on Thursday, October 16, 2008 at the following times: Eastern 12 noon ...