Blog Articles
Info About Wills, Trusts, and More…
Hello and welcome! I am Eileen Kerlin Walsh, and I will bring you valuable and topical information on Estate Planning. Estate Planning is the legal process of protecting your assets and your loved ones in the event of disability or death.
Why do you need an estate plan? If you don’t have a valid Will or Trust, Illinois law determines how your assets pass, to whom and when. Having no estate plan can lead to unnecessary taxes, creditors, probate court and other undesirable results. This is the most costly way to pass assets to your loved ones. You can do much better and my column will show you how!
A Cozy Chat About Your Legacy: Planning for Peace of Mind This Holiday Season
12 Estate Planning Steps to Take This Holiday Season “On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree.” —The Twelve Days of Christmas A partridge in a pear tree? Lords a-leaping? Many of us may know the lyrics to “The Twelve Days of...
Helping Clients Protect What Matters Most: Key Guardian Planning Questions Every Advisor Should Understand
When working with families—particularly those with minor children—discussions about future planning can be sensitive but essential. One of the most overlooked elements of a comprehensive estate plan is guardian nomination: determining who will care for a client’s...
5 Things Advisors Should Know When Guiding New Parents About Wills
For many clients, becoming a parent brings tremendous joy—along with new responsibilities and a deeper sense of planning for the future. It’s also often the first time they begin thinking seriously about what would happen if they were no longer here to care for their...
The Advisor’s Estate Planning Challenge: Test Your Knowledge!
In 2025, what is the total amount of money and property that a person can gift during their lifetime and leave at their death (other than to their spouse) without owing any federal estate tax? $5 million $15 million $13.99 million as much as you want The correct...
Assisting Your Clients with Estate Planning: Beyond the Basics for Modern Families
Today’s families take many different forms. Some are blended through divorce and remarriage while others are built through long-term partnerships, adoption, or fostering. Families may include same-sex or opposite-sex couples; married or unmarried partners; or children...
Assisting Your Clients with Estate Planning: The Missing Piece in Their Financial Puzzle
Top 3 Reasons Your Clients May Not Have an Estate Plan—and How You Can Help During your discussions with other advisors or while reading industry publications, you have likely come across startling statistics about the number of Americans without an estate plan. The...
Property Sisters: If You Own Your Property This Way, You May Accidentally Disinherit Your Own Children
Do you own your home, other property, or a financial account with someone else, such as a spouse or an adult child? If so, you might be surprised to learn that a common way of owning property could cause problems for your loved ones in the future. While there are...
Property Sisters: If I Leave Someone My Home, What Do They Really Get?
Your home is likely one of the most valuable assets you own, if not the mostvaluable. Calling it an asset can sound cold. A home is far more than an assortment of materials and possessions. It is also a place to live, gather, create life stories, and share memories....
Estate Planning for New and Expanding Families – Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: What is a guardian? There are two kinds of guardians: (1) those appointed by a court to care for a minor child when both of the child’s legal parents are unable to do so and (2) those appointed by a court to care for an incapacitated adult who can no...
5 Things Every New Parent Needs to Know About Wills
Congratulations on your new baby! Becoming a parent is an incredible journey filled with joy, love, and a whole lot of sleepless nights. It is also a time when you start thinking about the future in an entirely new way. You want to ensure that your child is always...