Your estate is your legacy. Your Downers Grove, IL estate planning lawyer can help you protect it. At Madden Law LLC, we have over 20+ years of experience in estate planning, wills, living trusts, and more. Read on to see why it’s so important to contact an estate lawyer, and get in touch with us today to get started.
Estate Planning Lawyer Downers Grove, IL
If you’ve searched for estate planning services, you’ve already taken a step in the right direction. Most people don’t properly prepare: This results in entire portfolios of assets and investments (properties, businesses, and even family heirlooms) ending up in the wrong hands. Without a legal plan in place, it’ll be up to your family and the courts to decide who gets what. This rarely goes as you’d expect.
Estate planning helps you protect what matters most. It also helps your family cope with their loss. They may be struggling with their grief, and it’ll only get worse if they have to suddenly deal with paperwork, fees, and legal fights over your property. And if you die without leaving a will or a trust behind, there’s a chance that an estranged child or ex will get a large cut of your estate.
Fortunately, you can create a will to avoid most of these problems. Your will serves as an important list of your properties, and your last wishes. Everything you’ve built for yourself and your loved ones, everything in your name - that will be distributed according to your final requests. Your family will still have to deal with probate, but it’s better than being completely intestate upon your death.
Probate is the process through which your assets are distributed after you pass away. It takes several steps, including tracking down all of your property and beneficiaries, and paying a third party to value everything you own. There’s fees and opportunities for dispute, so it’s important to leave clear instructions with legal input from your will and trust lawyer.
Probate can be challenging, so your Downers Grove estate planning lawyer may recommend setting up a trust. Trusts function similarly to wills, but they require maintenance during your lifetime. A living trust lawyer will help you manage your trust by updating its contents whenever you make major investments, but it’s important to get in touch with an attorney with plenty of experience.
Why Experience Matters In Estate Planning
At Madden Law LLC, here’s how our experience makes a difference:
- We offer a wide range of estate planning services, from wills and trusts to probate support. We can help you plan your estate, and we can help your loved ones understand their next steps.
- We have over 20 years of legal experience. We know the best strategies for planning your estate, and we’ll steer you clear of any major pitfalls.
- Attorney and founder David Madden is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association, and the DuPage County Bar Association. We maintain a standard of excellence that extends to all of our clients.
Contact Us Today
It’s never too late - or too early - to start planning for your future. Contact Madden Law LLC today, and see what a Downers Grove estate planning lawyer from our team can do for you.