Chosen Estate Planning

07/31/2026

Illinois doesn't have an inheritance tax. That doesn't mean your family is in the clear.

Illinois taxes the estate itself, not what each heir receives. So if you inherit from an Illinois estate, you won't get a separate tax bill from the state. But the estate might owe a lot before anything reaches you.

Here's the part that catches people off guard: the exclusion is $4 million, and it's a cliff, not a gradual scale. Cross it by even a small amount, and the tax applies to the entire taxable estate. A lot of families with $5 or $6 million assume they're safe because they're under the federal threshold. Illinois doesn't work that way.

There's also no portability for spouses. If the first spouse to pass doesn't use their exclusion, it's gone.

We broke down the exclusion, rate schedule, filing requirements, and the planning tools that can prevent this from becoming a problem. Full article linked below. 👇

Illinois does not have a beneficiary-level inheritance tax. What it does have is a state estate tax that is paid by the estate itself before any

07/27/2026

If you have a family member with a disability, you already know that planning for their future looks a little different.

It's not just about what you leave them someday. It's about making sure that gift doesn't accidentally take away the support they already rely on.

Programs like Medicaid and SSI have strict limits on how much a person can have in assets. So even a well-meaning inheritance, left directly to a loved one, can push them over that line and put years of care and support at risk.

A Special Needs Trust offers a better way. It allows assets to be set aside for your family member without counting against their eligibility, so the benefits they depend on stay protected while the trust helps cover the extras that make life fuller.

In Illinois, there are a couple of ways to set this up, and the right one depends on your family's situation. We put together a full guide on how Special Needs Trusts work here, including what makes them protective and where families sometimes go wrong.

Click the link below to read more. 💛 https://chosenestateplanning.com/what-is-a-special-needs-trust-in-illinois/

A special needs trust is set up so the beneficiary can still qualify for public benefits, whether that's Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, public housing, or other programs.

07/24/2026

Losing someone you love is hard enough. Feeling shut out of their estate can make it so much harder.

If you're a beneficiary or heir who feels left in the dark during probate, you're not powerless. Illinois law gives interested parties real rights to information, including notice of proceedings and accountings of estate assets. Sometimes what feels like exclusion is really just how independent administration works. Other times, it's a sign something needs a closer look.

We break down what you're entitled to know, and what steps to take if you're concerned, in our latest article. https://chosenestateplanning.com/feeling-left-out-of-probate-illinois-beneficiary-rights-explained/

Being left out of the probate process can be frustrating and confusing. However, beneficiaries and interested parties often have legal rights to information and participation.

07/20/2026

Getting married again? Congratulations.

Second marriages come with more than a first one did. Your own accounts. A home. Grown children. Your new partner brings the same, and that’s a good thing.

It also means Illinois default rules were not written with your family in mind. A will alone has limits. Old beneficiary forms override everything else. There are better tools for taking care of your spouse and your children at the same time.

We wrote about how it all fits together:
https://chosenestateplanning.com/getting-married-again-heres-what-illinois-law-assumes-about-your-new-family/

Today's second marriages are so distinct from what first unions entail that they almost deserve a moniker of their own (“conscious recoupling,” anyone?).

07/18/2026

More people are asking AI to draft their wills. The instinct is right. The document is the problem.
An AI tool might get Illinois's ex*****on rules correct. It might not. You have no way to verify until it’s too late. The first real review of an AI-drafted will happens in probate court, after the one person who could fix an error is gone.
There's a bigger gap, though. AI drafts for a generic family. Illinois intestacy law recognizes spouses and blood relatives, and that's the same template the training data leans on. An unmarried partner of fifteen years, stepchildren you never legally adopted, the friend who's been your real family for decades: none of them show up in the default.
Where AI genuinely helps is education. Learn the vocabulary. Understand how probate works. Come to your attorney with better questions. Then let a human who knows your family build the actual documents.
Use AI to get educated. Don't use it to get documented.
Full article:

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool for gathering information. However, relying on it to create legally binding estate planning documents can lead to costly mistakes.

07/15/2026

New parents ask us what changes about estate planning once a baby arrives. The short answer: the questions get more specific. Who would raise your child. Who manages the money meant for them, and until what age.
Illinois gives parents good tools here.
Your will is where you nominate a guardian, and that nomination carries real weight with the court. A trust handles the money side, letting your child receive support on a schedule you set instead of a lump sum at 18.
One more worth knowing about: Illinois lets parents name a short-term guardian on a simple form. Someone you trust can step in right away in an emergency, no court involved.
The full guide is on the blog: https://chosenestateplanning.com/estate-planning-for-new-parents-in-illinois/

Welcoming a child into your family changes more than your daily routine. It creates new legal and financial responsibilities that should be reflected in a comprehensive estate plan.

07/12/2026

Here's something most families don't learn until they're living it: probate in Illinois usually takes 9 to 18 months. Not because the courts are broken — that's just how the process is built.

During that time, the mortgage is still due. Nobody can sell the house or close an account until the court says so. And if you're an unmarried partner or part of a chosen family, Illinois law may not recognize you at all without the right documents in place.

The good news? Most of this is avoidable. A properly funded trust, updated beneficiary designations, and organized records can keep your family out of probate court almost entirely.

Our new article breaks down where the months actually go — and how to plan around them.

Read it here:

07/10/2026

Nothing prepares you for the day you're sitting across from your aging parents, trying to piece together a financial picture they've spent a lifetime keeping private.
That conversation is hard. Waiting is harder. Families who wait don't inherit a plan — they inherit a crisis, a stack of unopened mail, and a bank that won't tell them anything.
Our new article breaks down five steps for talking money with aging parents before it becomes an emergency — including what to do when the person you're caring for isn't legally your parent at all.
The talk is a gift. Here's how to start it. 👇

Call now to connect with business.

06/29/2026

People often think about long-term care as a health issue. It's also an inheritance issue.
When extended care is needed, the costs come from somewhere. That typically means retirement accounts, investments, and home equity. Assets families intended to leave behind can be significantly reduced before they reach the next generation.
This is plannable. Long-term care insurance, Medicaid planning, and a coordinated estate plan can work together to protect both your care and your legacy — but it requires starting before you need it.
Read the full article in the comments 👇 💜

Call now to connect with business.

06/23/2026

When the economy feels uncertain, most people put estate planning on the back burner. We get it. But here's the thing: economic uncertainty is actually one of the best reasons to make sure your plan is in place.

A good estate plan doesn't predict the future. It creates stability regardless of what the future brings — for you and for the people you love.

We wrote about this and more in our latest article on estate planning during uncertain times. Worth a read if you've been meaning to get your documents in order.

https://chosenestateplanning.com/how-your-estate-plan-can-help-address-economic-uncertainty/

A well-structured estate plan can provide stability during economic uncertainty by ensuring that financial and healthcare decisions remain clear, enforceable, and aligned with long-term goals.