What Happens If I Do Not Have a Power of Attorney? There are two types of powers of attorney in Illinois, a power of attorney for healthcare and a power of attorney for property. These are both legal documents that can and should be drafted in advance of needing them. They are easy documents to... Read more »
Wells Fargo in Hot Water…Again. You may have seen it. Watching a sporting event, maybe just aimlessly surfing channels to kill some time. Wells Fargo’s new commercial, it does something, it just pulls at your heartstrings. Maybe it’s the appeal to history, maybe it’s the horses, or maybe it’s the idea of a comeback story.... Read more »
Is There a Benefit to Doing a Short Sale? Many people falling behind on their mortgages and facing foreclosure wonder whether there is a benefit to doing a short sale versus simply riding out the foreclosure and leaving the home upon eviction. Both options have their pros and cons, and so it is advisable to... Read more »
My Parent’s Death Was the Result of an Accident. Do I Need Probate? If your parent or spouse lived in Illinois and died due to an accident, a probate matter should be opened if your family intends to pursue the party that caused the accident for a wrongful death claim. Any type of wrongful death... Read more »
What is the Governing Law of Foreclosure in Illinois? Illinois, like most states, has enacted specific legislation that controls the method of a bank’s foreclosure. The Illinois Mortgage Foreclosure Law of 1987 (IMFL), is Illinois’ version, cited as 735 ILCS 5/15-1101 et. seq. The IMFL is the primary source of law governing foreclosures, and includes... Read more »
What is a Special Needs Trust? If you have a loved one who has special needs, then you may have heard about Special Needs Trusts (SNTs). Special Needs Trusts permit you to gift or bequest money to a loved one (via the Trust) without jeopardizing the person’s government benefits. The government benefit that is most... Read more »
The Dangers of Using a Small Estate Affidavit in Illinois If you’ve had a loved one pass away and the duty has fallen to you to collect assets and pay outstanding bills, you’ve no doubt heard of a small estate affidavit. Perhaps you went to the bank to access your parent’s bank account to pay... Read more »
Benefits of Having a Trust in Addition to a Will Many people often wonder whether it is necessary to have a Trust when they already have a Will, and vice versa. Trusts offer many benefits that a Will cannot replicate, but Trusts are not for everyone. But to better understand what a Trust can do,... Read more »