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!
What to Do After a Loved One Dies
If you have been named the person responsible for settling a deceased loved one’s affairs, commonly called an executor or personal representative (if your loved one had no estate plan or had a will) or a successor trustee (if they had a trust), you may find yourself...
Smart Estate Planning for Blended Families
National Stepfamily Day occurs every September! Amid shifting family structures, there is a good chance that you are part of a stepfamily—or know somebody who is. At its heart, National Stepfamily Day is a celebration of second chances and the resilience it takes to...
National Centenarians Day: Planning for a Longer Life (and Legacy)
Who wants to live to be 100? That depends on who you ask. Whatever the answer, one thing is clear: The odds of reaching that milestone are rising, along with the length of retirement and the number of life changes that come with it. Life expectancy gains in the US...
Jump-Start or Refresh Your Planning This Fall
Though we are in an era of overall declining economic confidence, many Americans are still somewhat upbeat about their retirement savings. However, how you feel about your 401(k) account may not reflect what is actually in it. National 401(k) Day is an ideal...
Assisting Your Clients: The Truth About Probate
After a loved one dies, their money and property that goes through probate must be distributed to the people legally entitled to it, either according to a last will and testament (also called a will) or the state’s default distribution scheme (found in its intestacy...
Assisting Your Clients: 3 Powers to Consider Giving to a Trust Protector
Many estate plans today include trusts that become irrevocable upon the trustmaker’s death and continue for the benefit of a surviving spouse, children, or other loved ones. Some trusts are designed to span multiple generations. For example, a trust may leave an...
Assisting Your Clients: Three Celebrity Deaths Highlight Important Estate Planning Considerations
From Game Shows to Estate Plans: Insights from Regis Philbin Regis Philbin, the Guinness World Record holder for the most hours on US television, was a familiar face in millions of homes for decades. By the time he retired from his show Live with Regis and Kelly in...
Assisting Your Clients: Three Celebrity Deaths Highlight Important Estate Planning Considerations
The Estate of a Heavyweight: George Foreman’s Final Chapter Born into an impoverished Houston household in 1949, George Foreman lived a rags-to-riches tale of pure Americana: Olympic gold medalist, heavyweight boxing champion, ordained minister, global pitchman, and...
Assisting Your Clients: Three Celebrity Deaths Highlight Important Estate Planning Considerations
The Legacy of Film Legend Val Kilmer Actor Val Kilmer’s passing in April 2025 highlights estate planning issues that can affect almost anyone. Although Kilmer was a celebrity, these issues—such as managing multistate real estate, deciding what happens to digital...
Property Sisters: Estate Planning Strategies to Protect Your Spouse
You found the love of your life, and as you have built your life together, you have likely weathered your fair share of storms and grown stronger because of them. Now that you are married, you are uniquely situated to provide meaningful support for your spouse after...