Blogs From the Plan Forward Legal Team
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3 Big Estate Planning Challenges for the LGBTQ+ Community
Estate planning is often framed as paperwork about money. In reality, it is about something much more personal. It is about who gets to speak for you, who is protected, and whether the people you love are recognized when it matters most. For many LGBTQ+ individuals and families, the legal system does not automatically reflect…
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Can You Keep A Parent’s Low Interest Mortgage After They Die?
For many families, the biggest fear after inheriting a home is not what happens to the mortgage. It is the interest rate. Parents who refinanced or purchased before the COVID-era rate increases often have mortgage rates that are dramatically lower than what is available today. When heirs hear the word refinance, they immediately worry that…
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Death and Mortgages: What Happens To A Mortgage When You Die?
The mortgage does not go away when someone dies. Even though ownership of the home can transfer to a surviving spouse, heir, or trust beneficiary, the mortgage lien stays attached to the property. In most cases, families end up choosing one of three outcomes: they keep paying and keep the home, they assume or refinance…
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What is a Property Memorandum and Do You Need One?
Like many people, your focus on the legacy you leave behind after death may fall on larger assets, like property and financial accounts. Wills and trusts are exceptional legal documents for expressing your wishes regarding asset distribution. However, disregarding the distribution of your personal effects may leave family members with the emotional challenge of deciding…
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How Long After Death Do You Have to Transfer Property?
Making timely, complex legal decisions when you lose a loved one can be overwhelming. Still, state law requires you to swiftly act to initiate probate and address the estate. Let Plan Forward Legal assist you through the property transfer process with efficiency and care after losing someone you care for. A Chicago estate planning attorney…
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How Much Does An Estate Planning Lawyer Cost In Illinois?
Many of us have an aversion to doing things we know we should, but that we anticipate will cause us financial discomfort. Estate planning is one of those should-do tasks that is easy to put off because we tell ourselves (among other excuses) it’s going to be expensive. Preparing an estate plan tailored to your…
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Investing in Gold? Learn How That Affects Your Estate Plan
Gold is having a moment. Prices have soared as global and economic instability shape current events. But investing in gold isn’t new. Gold is one of the oldest assets we humans have ever used, and people have been passing it down to loved ones ever since we decided it was valuable. But if you already…
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Should My Power of Attorney for Property, My Healthcare Power of Attorney, and My Executor All Be the Same Person?
Choosing whether or not to have the same person as your power of attorney for property, healthcare, and as the executor of your will is a weighty decision. Estate planning involves careful selection to ensure your affairs are in order should you become incapacitated or when you pass. While it is common to choose one…
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Assisted Reproductive Technology and Estate Planning: What ART Babies Mean for Your Long Term
What if you have a baby six months after you die? How about two years? 20 even? It’s not science fiction. This is modern science, and it’s only advancing. The storage and eventual use of genetic material for reproduction, even after someone dies, is a very real topic that has serious implications in the legal…