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Probate & Estate Attorney

Make an Estate Plan Before It's Too Late
No one wants to think about what will happen when they pass away. In order to protect your loved ones and ensure that everything that you worked so hard for gets passed along, it’s a good idea to plan for the worst case scenario.

At the law office of WILBRANDT LEGAL, we offer outstanding representation for our clients in need of estate planning. We are a knowledgeable and experienced estate planning law firm assisting our clients with a variety of different legal documents such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney and transfer on death deeds.

If you’re dealing with issues relating to the estate of a loved one, we can help you with that too. You’re already dealing with grief and loss.

You’ll get all the facts you need to handle your loved one’s estate or to set up a plan for your own future. Start planning for the future right now. Turn to your hometown attorney for exceptional legal representation.

We’ll Make Sure That Your Intentions Are Honored

  • Wills and trusts
  • Powers of attorney / health care directive
  • Probate litigation
  • Estate planning
  • Guardianship
  • Elder law

Frequently Asked Questions About Probate & Estates

What is probate?

The legal process of distributing a deceased person’s estate.

The personal property and real estate of a person, including bank accounts, stocks, IRA’s and other financial assets.
The Court that oversees the distribution of a deceased person’s estate, settles disputes between heirs and creditors.

Under Illinois law, whenever a deceased person’s estate exceeds $100,000, but not counting joint tenancy property, assets with beneficiaries (i.e., life insurance, IRA’s etc.), and trusts.

The probate process generally takes 7-12 months, but some complicated and disputed estates may take several years.

When all the deceased person’s assets have been distributed according to his or her Will or State Statute if there is no Will.

So to probate a Will, the Executor demonstrates to the Probate Court that he or she is following the deceased person’s wishes contained in his or her Will.

A deceased person’s assets are distributed to his or her heirs or people mentioned in the Will, but if there is no Will, then assets are distributed according to State law (i.e., children, spouse, other relatives).

There is no time limit, but the longer the Executor waits, the more likely problems will crop up.
A Will is a written document, properly witnessed, that outlines how a person wants his or her property distributed after their death.
At least seven months, but generally in most cases, it can be completed in a year. However, if the estate is complicated and/or disputes arise, then the probate process could take several years.

The decedent is the legal name for the dead person.

It is generally necessary when a deceased person’s solely owned assets exceed $100,000, but not counting life insurance, IRAs, trusts, etc.