Illinois may soon see a major update to its Small Estate Affidavit process. On June 20, 2025, the Illinois General Assembly passed Senate Bill 83 and sent it to the Governor for consideration. The Governor has until August 19, 2025, to sign or veto the bill. Since the General Assembly…
Articles Posted in Estate Planning
Senate Bill 1667 Would Add New Obligations for Trustees in Illinois
A new bill, Senate Bill 1667, has been sent to the Governor’s desk and could soon bring meaningful updates to the Illinois Trust Code. If signed into law, this legislation would create additional obligations for trustees, especially regarding document retention and the recovery of unclaimed trust assets. These proposed changes…
Gene Hackman’s Death Underscores Need for Fleshed Out Estate Documents
The recent deaths of Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and his wife of the past three decades, Betsy Arakawa, very close in time to one another have led to a potentially messy situation in which one of Hackman’s children might be contesting his will. The scenario highlights why it’s important that…
Going Through a Divorce? Don’t Forget to Disinherit Your Soon-to-be Ex
Guest Blogger: Attorney Tracy Ries For parents going through a divorce, the right-now priority is to retain matrimonial attorneys to negotiate or litigate a plan to divide up assets, determine alimony and child support payments, and haggle over children’s residency and visitation schedules. And it’s understandable that’s the top focus…
Estate Planning Insights: The Widespread Impact of Wills
Did you know that according to recent statistics, a significant percentage of adults still don’t have a will in place? Here’s a glimpse into the current state of estate planning: 1. Widespread Gap: Surprisingly, approximately 60% of adults worldwide do not have a valid will. This means the majority of…