Estate Planning · DuPage County, Illinois
Wills, trusts, and the planning that keeps your family in control and out of court, from the same DuPage County firm since 1990.
A last will and testament does three things in Illinois. It names who receives your assets after death. It nominates guardians for any minor children. And it designates an executor to handle your estate through probate. Without a valid will, the Illinois Probate Act decides all three for you — often in ways that don’t match what you would have chosen.
We’ve drafted Illinois wills for DuPage County families since 1990. The work is part legal precision and part listening — understanding your family, your assets, and the situations you want to plan around. Then we put it in writing in a way the probate court will honor.
A well-drafted Illinois will addresses far more than just who gets what.
Name who will raise your minor children if both parents pass. Without this, the court decides.
Pass specific assets — heirlooms, real estate, business interests — to specific people.
Designate who will manage your estate through probate. Naming wisely matters.
Catch-all provisions so any asset not specifically named still passes as you intended.
Required Illinois language so your will is admitted to probate without witness testimony.
When life changes, we update your will properly — not by handwritten notes on the original.
We sit down — in person or by phone — and understand your family, assets, and concerns.
You get a clear price before we start drafting. No hourly billing surprises.
We draft your will, walk you through every clause in plain English, and revise until it’s right.
Proper Illinois signing with two witnesses and notary. Originals secured, copies to you.
Online templates often miss Illinois witness and notary requirements — invalid wills cost more than legal ones.
Blended families, special needs children, and small businesses need clauses templates don’t have.
We’ll tell you when a trust is better than a will — and when you genuinely just need a will.
Illinois has its own estate tax above the federal threshold. Smart drafting can save your heirs significant money.
Your will should work with your POA, beneficiary designations, and any trusts — not contradict them.
You’ll know exactly what your will costs before we start. Most families pay less than they expect.
From our Villa Park office, we represent clients across DuPage County and the western suburbs of Chicago.
A simple Illinois will from our firm is a flat fee in the low hundreds. More complex wills — with trusts, business interests, or special needs planning — cost more. We give you exact pricing at your free consultation before any work begins.
Illinois intestacy laws decide everything: who gets your assets, who raises your minor children, and who administers your estate. Spouses don’t automatically get everything — children share with the surviving spouse. The court appoints an executor, not necessarily someone you’d choose.
Technically yes — but Illinois requires specific witness and notary procedures, and template language often misses important contingencies. Many DIY wills fail in probate or create disputes between family members. The cost of a proper will is almost always less than the cost of fixing a flawed one.
Review every 3-5 years and after any major life event: marriage, divorce, birth of a child, death of a beneficiary, major change in assets, or a move to a different state. Small changes can be made with a codicil; larger changes warrant a fresh will.
Yes. Each spouse needs an individual will — Illinois doesn’t recognize joint wills as a substitute. We typically draft mirror wills for spouses that reference each other but stand independently.
No — a will is the document used in probate. To avoid probate entirely, you need a living trust, properly titled assets, and beneficiary designations on accounts. We can help you set up that broader plan if appropriate.
Most clients are surprised at how fast and affordable it is. A free 30-minute consultation tells you exactly what you need and what it costs.