Property Sisters: Life Estate versus Right of Occupancy Trust: Which Is Right for You?

by | Jun 20, 2025 | Blog, Common Questions, Education, End-of-Life wishes, Estate Planning, Kerlin Walsh Law, News, Palos Park Property Sisters, Real Estate, Wills & Trusts

Planning for the future of your home can be complicated, especially when you want to ensure that a loved one can continue living there after you are gone. Two common tools for accomplishing this are life estates and right of occupancy trusts. A life estate grants...

Property Sisters: 4 Tips to Avoid a Will or Trust Contest

by | May 20, 2025 | Blog, Common Questions, Education, End-of-Life wishes, Estate Planning, Kerlin Walsh Law, News, Palos Park Property Sisters, Real Estate, Wills & Trusts

Fighting over provisions in your will or trust can derail your final wishes, rapidly deplete your financial legacy, and tear your loved ones apart. However, with proper planning, you can help your family avoid a potentially disastrous fight.  If you are concerned...

Property Sisters: Should I Buy a Home with Someone Other than a Spouse?

by | Apr 25, 2025 | Blog, Common Questions, Education, Estate Planning, Healthcare Decisions, Kerlin Walsh Law, News, Palos Park Property Sisters, Real Estate, Wills & Trusts

Rising housing costs, the desire for companionship, and the need to share resources are increasingly leading buyers to consider co-owning a home with someone other than a spouse, such as a friend, relative, or significant other. Although this arrangement can be...

Property Sisters: How to Give Real Property to a Loved One at Your Death Without Probate Court Involvement

by | Mar 10, 2025 | Blog, Common Questions, Estate Planning, Healthcare Decisions, Kerlin Walsh Law, News, Palos Park Property Sisters, Probate, Real Estate, Wills & Trusts

A home is often one of the most important assets that people own. Therefore, most people want to stay in their home until they die and then have a loved one receive it. One common way to pass a home to loved ones is through a will. However, transferring property with...

Property Sisters: Using a DIY Deed to Avoid Probate Can Lead to Unintended Consequences

by | Dec 23, 2024 | Blog, Common Questions, Estate Planning, Kerlin Walsh Law, News, Palos Park Property Sisters, Wills & Trusts

One common way to avoid the probate requirement for real estate after the owner dies is to add children or other individuals to the property title as joint owners with rights of survivorship. When joint owners have survivorship rights and one joint owner passes away,...