Geneva, IL Estate Planning Law Firm

Will, Trusts, and Estates Attorneys Serving DeKalb County, Kendall County, and DuPage County

Estate planning is a serious undertaking. It is essential to think about your family's future and how you would like important issues handled when you are no longer able to speak for yourself if an accident takes place, you become disabled, or someone passes away. These circumstances and others must be taken into consideration when determining how your estate will be handled should such circumstances arise.

At Serrano Hanson, we can help you answer the important questions and create the appropriate documents to ensure that your wishes will be known and enforceable if you are unable to articulate them yourself.

Estate Planning Basics

As estate planning can be an emotionally charged undertaking, many people want to avoid thinking about it. Many of the clients we encounter do not know very much about estate planning. Our attorneys are able to give clients an overview of the relevant topics including:

• Wills;
• Trusts;
• Deeds/Joint Tenancy;
• Taxes;
• Living Wills; and
• Powers of Attorney.

We can help you clarify your wishes and draft the appropriate documents to ensure that they are legally enforceable. We can also help you structure your current assets in order to avoid unnecessary or excessive estate taxes down the road through the use of trusts, joint tenancy agreements, and other options.

Probate Issues

With proper estate planning under the guidance of a knowledgeable Illinois estate planning attorney, most estates can be settled quickly and efficiently. However, not everyone seeks estate planning guidance, and many people forget to update their estate planning documents when circumstances in their life change, such as if a divorce has taken place and the former spouse's name is still included in the documents. In some cases, there is no will at all when a person passes away. As a result, many estates end up in probate court in order to determine the legal distribution of assets. We represent clients who are dealing with probate issues, helping them understand the legal system as it applies to their specific situation, and seeking legal recourse when necessary.

When dealing with something as important as estate planning, it is imperative that you seek guidance from a law firm you can trust. While some individuals may try to draft their own will, it can be easy to overlook details that may make it difficult for your heirs to enforce your wishes. At Serrano Hanson, we focus on understanding our clients' goals and helping them find practical solutions for their concerns. We make the law accessible and understandable to our clients, so that they can rest assured, confident that their wishes regarding property, assets, and end-of-life care will be followed. If you have not created an estate plan or would like assistance in changing yours, contact us at 630-844-8781 today to schedule a consultation.

The lawyers at Serrano Hanson provide estate planning guidance to clients throughout DeKalb, Kane, Kendall, and DuPage Counties, including South Elgin, St. Charles, Batavia, and Campton Hills.