What do you charge for services?
The charge for services depends on the nature of the service and the complexity of the estate. Palley Law Office offers an initial consultation at no charge, and a flat fee for most services which will be quoted once your goals are defined and the cost of putting a plan in place determined. Palley Law Office invites you to schedule an appointment by calling (312) 261-5885 or by booking online by clicking here.
What is estate planning?
Estate planning is the process of preparing written, legally valid guidance for your family, executors, friends, and others for what comes after death or when you're no longer able to handle your affairs or tell others what you want.
What property can I dispose of under a will?
Generally, you can dispose of your property in your will any way you want. However, it is important to know, for purposes of estate planning, that property controlled by beneficiary designations or titled with rights of survivorship does not get distributed through your will but instead passes to the beneficiary automatically on death. Because of this, estate planning should include not only a will, but careful review of how your real estate is titled and how beneficiaries are designated for things like life insurance policies, retirement accounts, and bank accounts.
What is a trust?
A trust is property held by a trustee for the benefit of one or more beneficiaries of the trust. For example, many young couples name a trustee in their wills to manage a trust for the benefit of their minor children in case both parents die before the children come of age. Another common use of trusts is to establish a revocable living trust to help avoid probate. Under a revocable living trust, you transfer your property to the trust during your lifetime. Upon your death the property is distributed according to the terms of the trust rather than through a will that goes through probate.
What are the advantages of a revocable trust over a simple will?
Revocable trusts help you (1) avoid or minimize probate; (2) pass control over your assets seamlessly; and (3) more easily preserve privacy than a plan with only a will.
Do I need a lawyer to write a will?
You can write your own will, but there are many pitfalls in doing so. If you make a mistake in drafting or execution, the will may be found invalid by the court, and your assets transferred under Illinois' intestacy law. Palley Law Office invites you to consult here, but even if you don't use Palley Law Office, please consult with an attorney. You've worked a lifetime to accumulate assets. Make sure those assets go where you want them to in the most cost-effective and time efficient manner.
A word about on-line will preparation services: fill-in-the-blank websites are not licensed attorneys, do not practice law, and provide no warranties. Only a lawyer's counsel can adequately address your particular needs. Internet-based services provide a false sense of security by failing to address important issues such as the disposition of assets that by law do not pass through a will; contingencies created by births, deaths, marriage, and divorce; special needs planning; same sex couples and other relationships; and preparation for estate administration. Failure to account for issues like these and the myriad other arcane laws around wills and trusts can defeat your plans and lead to expensive litigation and ill-will.
Do I need a lawyer for probate?
Yes. With the exception of estates that qualify under the small estate affidavit rules, Illinois probate courts require that you be represented by an attorney.
How do I avoid probate?
Good estate planning seeks to minimize the number of assets having to go through probate. As part of its engagement with you, Palley Law Office will look at the right mix of estate planning tools to minimize probate and the associated costs.
Does Palley Law Office help with small estate affidavits?
Yes, if the gross value of the estate is under $100,000 and there is no real estate, Palley Law Office can prepare a small estate affidavit for you to use in lieu of probate.
Does Illinois estate law offer protections for unmarried couples?
No, and because of that the need for estate plans for unmarried couples, LGBTQ or straight, is acute. Without a will leaving assets to your partner, and absent marriage or civil union, your surviving partner receives nothing from your estate. Important to know is that, under Illinois law, couples who in the past formed registered domestic partnerships are not considered in a civil union or marriage. Palley Law Office urges unmarried couples to seek its assistance in developing an estate plan at the earliest possible date.
Do I need a new will if I move to Illinois from another state?
You should have an estate planning attorney review your plan for possible updates. Because estate planning involves state law, there are often significant tax and non-tax reasons to update documents after a move.
Do you speak Spanish? Polish? Ukrainian? Russian? Arabic? Czech?
Palley Law Office offers legal translation in Spanish, Polish, Ukrainian, Russian, Czech and all other major languages. If you need help in a language other than English, you'll need to provide someone to translate up to the point where a legal translator can be engaged.
Palley Law Office ofrece traducción legal en español, polaco, ucraniano, ruso, checo y todos los demás idiomas principales. Si necesita ayuda en un idioma que no sea el inglés, deberá proporcionar a alguien para que traduzca hasta el punto en que se pueda contratar a un traductor legal.
Kancelaria Palley oferuje tłumaczenia prawne w języku hiszpańskim, polskim, ukraińskim, rosyjskim, czeskim i wszystkich innych głównych językach. Jeśli potrzebujesz pomocy w języku innym niż angielski, musisz wyznaczyć osobę do tłumaczenia, aż do momentu, w którym będzie można zatrudnić tłumacza prawnego.
Юридична фірма Palley пропонує юридичні переклади іспанською, польською, українською, російською, чеською та іншими основними мовами. Якщо вам потрібна допомога іншою мовою, ніж англійська, ви повинні призначити когось для перекладу, доки не буде найнято юридичний перекладач.
Advokátní kancelář Palley nabízí právní překlady do španělštiny, polštiny, ukrajinštiny, ruštiny, češtiny a dalších hlavních jazyků. Pokud potřebujete pomoc v jiném jazyce než v angličtině, musíte určit někoho, kdo bude tlumočit, dokud nebude možné najmout právního překladatele.
تقدم شركة Palley Law Office ترجمات قانونية إلى الإسبانية والبولندية والأوكرانية والروسية والتشيكية وغيرها من اللغات الرئيسية. إذا كنت بحاجة إلى مساعدة بلغة غير الإنجليزية، فيجب عليك تعيين شخص للترجمة الفورية حتى يتم تعيين مترجم قانوني.
Юридическая фирма Палли предлагает юридические переводы на испанский, польский, украинский, русский, чешский и другие основные языки. Если вам нужна помощь на другом языке, кроме английского, вы должны назначить кого-нибудь для перевода до тех пор, пока не будет нанят юридический переводчик.
What are your hours?
Office hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Evening and Saturday appointments are available on request.
Where is the office located?
Palley Law Office is located at 53 W. Jackson Blvd (Jackson and Dearborn) in Chicago and serves clients both in-person and remotely.
Where can I park?
Metered street parking is available, or if you prefer, the nearest parking garage is at 318 S. Federal St.
