by Lauren Jackson | Jan 20, 2023 | Estate Planning, financial advisor
When thinking about estate planning, you may not realize how much a financial advisor can be involved in the process. Many financial advisors will not take you on as a client if you do not have your estate planning complete. Why would financial advisors turn down...
by Lauren Jackson | Nov 1, 2022 | Attorney, buying a home, Lawyer, Real Estate, selling a home
Are you ready to buy a home? Are you ready to sell your current home? Do you think it is possible to do both transactions in one day? With some good planning and a little bit of luck on your side, it can be done. If possible, we encourage our clients not to buy and...
by Lauren Jackson | Jul 13, 2022 | College Incentive Provision, Estate Planning, Revocable living trust
When clients are completing their estate plan and they have minor children one of the hardest questions to answer is what is the best way to leave assets? I would never advise clients to give large sums of money to 18 year old’s with no restrictions. So, what are...
by Lauren Jackson | Jun 13, 2022 | Beneficiaries, Estate Planning, Real Estate, Trusts
If you are part of a group of beneficiaries (2, 3, etc.) and have inherited a parcel or parcels of real estate together, there are a variety of ways in which the real estate may be distributed. First and foremost, if the real estate is owned by a trust, the trustee of...
by Lauren Jackson | May 2, 2022 | executor, petition for probate, Probate
When a loved one dies it is a very stressful time for all family members involved. If the decedent completed their estate plan (including funding it) a lot of the work to transfer the assets upon death has been done. Someone should only have to implement...
by Lauren Jackson | May 2, 2022 | Quit claim deed, Real Estate, warranty deed
When buying residential real estate, there are a lot of documents that you will sign and documents you will receive at the closing. One of those documents is the deed to the property. Even if you are buying with a loan, you will still get the deed at the...
by Lauren Jackson | May 2, 2022 | Estate Planning, Living will, Power of Attorney
If you are considering having your estate plan completed, one document that you may have questions about is a living will. Many people believe all they need for a complete estate plan is a living will. However, a Will and a Living Will are two completely...
by Lauren Jackson | May 2, 2022 | executor, Probate
If the original will has, in fact, been filed and all the paperwork is in order, the judge will sign an order opening the estate and authorizing the executor to act on behalf of the estate. At this point, the executor can legally speak for the estate, communicate...
by Lauren Jackson | May 2, 2022 | foreclosure, Real Estate, Short Sale
A real estate short sale is where you owe more money on your loan than what you can sell the home for. This is not an easy transaction in this current market, but it still is possible to get your lender to accept a lesser amount than what they are owed on the...
by Lauren Jackson | May 1, 2022 | executor, intestate estate, Probate
The probate process in Illinois is an unknown and confusing process for most individuals having to navigate it. Whether the deceased has a will or trust and the assets in the estate will determine the path we take on how to handle their probate case. If, after...
