Crawford Law LLC

10/06/2026

10/06/2026

Day two of the Cook County Sheriff's Office (Official) Responder Reset Wellness Symposium came with a curveball, and a great opportunity.

I went from vendor to presenter in a matter of minutes.

When the scheduled financial wellness speaker was unable to attend, I had the opportunity to step in and present a condensed version of Protect What Matters: Estate Planning, Asset Protection, and Financial Wellness. My Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (Police Training Board) (ILETSB) certified course for law enforcement.

As my department’s financial wellness coordinator, this is an area I care deeply about.

Estate planning is financial wellness.

The session quickly became interactive, and the conversations continued long after I stepped off the stage. First responders were asking questions, sharing experiences, and wanting to know what they could do to better protect themselves and their families.

Another great moment was running into Akida Anderson, my Illinois State Police Basic Academy Class Coordinator. Somehow, he recognized me immediately even though it has been about 17 years, a few gray hairs, and a couple pounds since I graduated from the ISP Basic Academy as a Lake in the Hills police officer.

Days like this reinforce why this work matters.

First responders need this information, and I look forward to continuing to bring financial wellness, estate planning, and asset protection education to the first responder community.

10/05/2026

Today and tomorrow I have the opportunity to attend the Cook County Sheriff's Office (Official) Responder Reset Wellness Symposium, and I was impressed from the moment I walked into the room. The number of first responders who voluntarily chose to be here and invest in their own wellness says a lot.

The morning opened with an incredible conversation from Tom Farley, brother of Chris Farley. Tom spoke with a level of honesty, humility, and vulnerability that was both empowering and relatable. His message was a reminder not only of the struggles each of us may experience, but also that the people standing beside us may be carrying struggles of their own.

Being part of the first responder family is an incredible journey, with plenty of highs and lows along the way. No first responder should go through this career feeling alone.

And speaking of family, it was great running into the one and only Jennifer Black, who is here as a fellow vendor representing Lexipol. Jen is family, and despite both of us working as first responders for many years, it took Jen retiring from the Sheriff’s Police for us to connect professionally. Great seeing you, Jen, and even better seeing you thriving in life after your law enforcement career!

Looking forward to the rest of the symposium and the conversations still to come.

10/03/2026

Thank you, Illinois Public Pension Fund Association, for putting on a tremendous conference this past week and inviting me out to speak to conference attendees. The audience was from across Illinois and gave me the privilege of speaking to them about the importance of creating an estate plan and what they can do to protect their loved ones.

I was blown away by the positive response and energy these conversations brought about. By the time I walked off stage, I had run out of my stack of business cards and had a line of people wanting to talk with me. I truly appreciate those who wanted to share their story, know how they could best set up or update their plan, and get this information out to their fellow first responders so they could do the same.

One conversation that repeated itself was this: one of the worst things you can do is to have no plan. The next worst thing is to have an outdated plan that no longer reflects your life situation.

Create a plan and review it regularly!

My biggest takeaway is that there is a lot of work to do. Officers, firefighters, dispatchers, and government workers need this information. There currently is not enough education in this area and there is so much confusion in this topic.

Still don’t have an estate plan? All I can ask is, what are you waiting for?

10/02/2026

NEW CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT 🚔🚒

I’m excited to officially announce a new training program I’ll be presenting alongside TPC Financial Coaching:

Protecting What Matters: Financial Wellness, Estate Planning, and Asset Protection for First Responder Families

We talk a lot in public safety about physical wellness, mental health, resiliency, and preparing for the challenges of the job.

But what about the financial and legal stress that follows us home?

This course was built to connect those pieces.

Together, Tim Cooney and I will walk first responders through practical strategies involving:
• Budgeting, debt management, emergency funds, and long-term financial planning
• Retirement, pensions, and beneficiary designations
• Wills, trusts, and probate avoidance
• Powers of attorney and incapacity planning
• Asset protection and common planning mistakes
• Issues and risks that are particularly relevant to first responders and their families

The goal is not to sell financial products or legal services. It is to educate first responders by giving them practical information they can use to make better decisions, reduce financial stress, protect their families, and prepare for both the expected and unexpected.

The law-enforcement version of the program can be offered for ILETSB Officer Wellness mandate credits, and the syllabus incorporates those mandate areas throughout the financial wellness and estate-planning portions of the course.

We can also bring customized versions of the program to fire departments, municipalities, public safety organizations, and other government entities.

As agencies begin building their 2027 training calendars, we are now scheduling classes.
Interested in bringing Protecting What Matters to your organization? Reach out to me directly and let’s put something together.

Crawford Law LLC is very proud to partner with TPC Financial Coaching on a program designed specifically around the realities our first responder families face.

09/29/2026

Last night, Case Keenum led the Bears to a win over the Eagles. But the moment that stayed with me was seeing him embrace his children afterward. It was a reminder of who we do all this for. 🧡💙

Another chapter in Bears history offers a lesson about estate planning. When George “Mugs” Halas Jr. died in 1979, his estate included a nearly 20% interest in the team. Years later, his children and the estate’s executor were still in court over those shares. In 1988, a probate judge found that the estate needed to sell them to pay its obligations.

The Halas estate involved a football franchise, but the underlying concerns can touch any family.

Estate planning is for all of us, not just the rich, and the people we love.

The best day to plan was yesterday.

The next best time is today.

09/26/2026

Welcome to Crawford Law, LLC.

Crawford Law is focused on estate planning, asset protection, and probate, with a special commitment to serving first responders, public servants, and their families.

My goal is to make estate planning practical, understandable, and approachable. Our mission is to help individuals and families protect what they have worked hard to build and ensure the people they care about are protected for the future.

This page will be used to share educational information, estate-planning tips, upcoming seminars and training opportunities, community events, and updates from Crawford Law.

I look forward to connecting with you and serving the community in this new capacity. You can also learn more about Crawford Law at www.crawfordestatelaw.com

Planning Today. Protecting Tomorrow.

— Ted Crawford
Crawford Law, LLC

09/26/2026

We’re officially less than a week away from the IPPFA Mid American Pension Conference!

I’m looking forward to spending a few days with public safety professionals, pension trustees, municipal leaders, and others who dedicate their careers to serving their communities.

I’ll be speaking about estate planning, asset protection, and financial wellness. Having the right plan in place is such an important part of protecting everything you’ve worked hard to build.

I’ll also have a Crawford Law LLC vendor table throughout the conference on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, so if you’re attending, please stop by and say hello. I’d love the opportunity to connect, answer questions, and talk about how proper planning can help protect you and your family.

A big thank you to Illinois Public Pension Fund Association and Julie Guy for the opportunity. I’m excited for a great week in Schaumburg.

Planning Today. Protecting Tomorrow.