Rolling Meadows Probate Lawyer

Attorneys for Estate Administration in Palatine and Mount Prospect

Following a person's death, there are a wide variety of legal issues that will need to be addressed. In addition to managing personal and family-related concerns, such as funeral and burial arrangements, it will also be necessary to address ownership of the decedent's property and assets. This is typically done through a process known as probate.

At A. Traub & Associates, our compassionate attorneys can provide you with the legal help you need when managing your loved one's final affairs. We will work to alleviate your burdens by helping you complete your legal requirements as efficiently as possible, and with our help, you can rest assured that your family member's wishes will be carried out correctly.

The Probate Process in Illinois

A person's last will and testament names a person who will serve as the executor of the estate. After the person's death, the executor will file the will in probate court in the county where the decedent resided. They will then provide notice to the decedent's beneficiaries and creditors, complete an inventory of the decedent's assets, pay any required taxes or expenses for the estate, and distribute the assets to the decedent's beneficiaries according to the terms of the will.

Only certain types of assets are subject to probate. Assets that can be directly passed to beneficiaries are known as non-probate assets, and they include:

• Assets held in a trust
• Jointly-owned assets, such as a home owned by married spouses
• Retirement accounts or insurance policies with named beneficiaries
• Payable-on-death or transfer-on-death accounts

Trust Administration

If a decedent placed assets in a trust, the distribution of these assets to the beneficiaries named in the trust is often a straightforward process. However, while the probate process will not need to be completed for these assets, a trustee will still need to address many of the same concerns as an executor, such as completing an inventory of assets and paying outstanding taxes or debts. Our attorneys can provide legal help to trustees to ensure that all the proper requirements are met when administering a trust.

Contested Estates

During the process of probate and estate administration, disputes may arise among family members about the decedent's wishes and the terms of their will or trust. In some cases, heirs may wish to contest a will because they believe their loved one was improperly influenced or did not have the mental capacity to make decisions about how ownership of their property should be handled. In other cases, disputes over other estate planning documents may arise, such as when a person believes that the proper legal requirements were not met when a trust was created. In these situations, our lawyers provide representation for beneficiaries, and we can help you resolve these issues and make sure your loved one's wishes are followed.

Contact an Arlington Heights Estate Administration Lawyer

After the death of your loved one, you are already dealing with a variety of emotional and practical difficulties, and adding legal concerns on top of everything else may seem overwhelming. At A. Traub & Associates, our attorneys can assist you in meeting your legal requirements as an executor or trustee, helping you complete the process of probate and estate administration as efficiently as possible. We will work with you to address any disputes over a will, trust, or other estate planning documents, helping you determine the best way to resolve these issues and lay your family member's concerns to rest.

To arrange a confidential consultation with our attorneys, contact our office today at 847-749-4182. We provide legal help with estate administration in Northwest Cook County, including Mt. Prospect, Inverness, Palatine, Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove Village, Rolling Meadows, Long Grove, Des Plaines, Wheeling, Arlington Heights, Hoffman Estates, and Schaumburg.