Are you looking for a wills lawyer in Joliet, IL?
At Kravets Law Group, we encourage you to contact our office for a confidential case review with a Joliet wills lawyer.
If you need to write your first will or update an existing one in Joliet, an attorney can make sure your wishes are documented clearly and are legally enforceable. Our Joliet, IL wills lawyer writes new wills, pour-over wills for trust-based plans, codicils to existing documents, and the probate filings needed after a death.
A single will and a combined will-and-trust package each carry a fixed price at Kravets Law Group. Every will matter is handled personally by our attorney, who has practiced law since 2016. Call our office to set a consultation date.
Wills Lawyer Joliet, IL
A wills attorney prepares the document that directs how your property is distributed after death, names an executor to handle the estate, and designates guardians for minor children. The attorney also supervises the signing so the will satisfies Illinois execution requirements and can be admitted to probate.
Persons under 18 make up 24.4% of Joliet’s population, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. For parents, a will is the document that names the person who would raise their children if both parents died, a decision that would otherwise fall to a court.
Types of Wills Cases We Handle in Joliet
The provisions in a will depend on your family, your property, and the other estate planning documents in place. As wills attorneys serving Joliet, IL, we use plain-English explanations and a step-by-step review of each draft so clients understand exactly what their wills say.
- Last wills and testaments. Your will appoints an executor, sets out who inherits your property, and can direct particular items to particular people. We draft wills for both simple and more involved estates.
- Pour-over wills. A trust-based plan relies on a pour-over will to catch property that was never retitled and deliver it to the trust. We coordinate the language of both documents.
- Codicils. A codicil changes specific provisions of an existing will. When the revisions are substantial, preparing a new will is usually more practical.
- Guardian designations. Parents can name a guardian for minor children and a backup in case the first choice cannot serve. We also discuss how a guardian would access funds for the children, which is often handled through a trust.
- Wills for blended families. A current spouse, children from a prior marriage, and stepchildren may each have different expectations. Without clear provisions, those differences can lead to disputes among surviving family members. We draft language that reflects your intentions for each of them.
- Wills for multi-property owners. Owners of rental properties or several parcels often pair their wills with a companion trust to keep real estate out of probate. We review how each property is titled before recommending an approach.
- Trusts. A trust can hold assets outside of probate while the will handles guardianship and any remaining property. We explain when a trust makes sense alongside a will.
- Living trusts. A living trust is a common companion to a will. The living trust manages assets during life and distributes them privately after death.
- Probate. After a death, the will must be filed and admitted by the court. We assist executors with the related probate filings.
Why Choose Kravets Law Group as My Wills Lawyer in Joliet, IL?
Clear, Enforceable Wills From an Attorney Who Handles Every Matter
With a decade of legal experience, Daniel Kravets drafts every will at Kravets Law Group himself. He is the author of a forthcoming estate planning book, speaks frequently at community and professional events, and is a member of the Chicago Bar Association. His probate work in Cook County and the surrounding counties informs how he drafts wills that will later be presented to a court. He is a graduate of the Kline School of Law at Drexel University. Because a will is usually one part of a larger plan, clients benefit from working with an estate planning lawyer in Joliet, IL who can also prepare trusts, powers of attorney, and health care directives.
Will Planning Results
Past engagements for our wills lawyer in Joliet and across Illinois include:
- Uncomplicated wills as well as wills for estates with multiple asset types
- Provisions for blended families with children from different marriages
- Wills for owners of multiple properties
- Companion trusts that keep key assets out of probate
Standalone wills and bundled will-and-trust packages are offered at a flat rate, and we explain the price before drafting begins. Each provision is explained in plain English before you sign.
What Is Important To Understand About Wills Cases?
Key Estate Planning Documents and What They Do
A will is most effective when it is coordinated with the other documents in your plan.
- Last will and testament. Probate assets are distributed under this document, which also appoints the executor and any guardians.
- Pour-over will. It transfers assets left outside a trust into the trust after death.
- Revocable trust. A revocable trust keeps property under your control while you are alive and delivers it to heirs afterward without a court case.
- Codicil. It amends specific provisions of an existing will without replacing the entire document.
- Power of attorney for property. It allows an agent to manage your finances if you become incapacitated.
- Power of attorney for health care. Your chosen agent uses this document to make treatment decisions if you lose the capacity to decide.
What Are Important Aspects of a Wills Case?
Several issues determine whether a will carries out the testator’s wishes. A wills lawyer in Joliet should address each of them during planning.
- Execution formalities. A will that is not properly signed and witnessed may not be admitted to probate. Changes made by hand after signing can also raise questions about the document’s validity.
- Non-probate assets. Retirement accounts, life insurance, and jointly held property pass by beneficiary designation or title, not by the will. Coordinating wills and trusts with those designations prevents conflicting results.
- Probate after death. A will does not avoid probate on its own. Families who want to keep assets out of court often add a trust, one of several strategies for avoiding probate in Illinois.
- Will contests. Under the Illinois Probate Act, a petition to contest the validity of a will must generally be filed within six months after the will is admitted to probate. Understanding who can contest a will helps us draft provisions that reduce the risk of a challenge.
- Business interests. Business owners should coordinate their wills with business succession planning so ownership and management transfer as intended. A will can direct who inherits an ownership stake, but a buy-sell agreement often controls whether and how that stake can be transferred.
What Is the Wills Case Timeline?
Drafting a will typically moves faster than administering an estate. The process from planning through probate generally follows this sequence.
- Consultation. We discuss your family, property, and goals.
- Drafting. We prepare the will and any related documents.
- Review and revision. You review each draft, and we revise it until it reflects your wishes.
- Signing. You sign the will with the witnesses Illinois law requires.
- Probate. Following a death, the executor deposits the original will with the Will County Circuit Clerk and asks the court to admit it and issue letters of office. From there, the executor inventories the estate, settles valid claims, and makes distributions.
What Should You Bring to Your Wills Consultation?
Details about your family and assets allow us to recommend the right documents at the first meeting.
- A list of real estate, bank and investment accounts, and business interests
- Any existing will, codicil, trust, or power of attorney
- Current beneficiary forms for your 401(k), IRA, or life insurance policies
- Names of your preferred executor, guardians, and alternates
- Information about prior marriages and children from earlier relationships
At the consultation, our Joliet wills attorney reviews your situation, explains whether a standalone will or a will-and-trust package fits your needs, and provides the flat-rate price. If you have a will prepared elsewhere, bring it so we can review whether it still reflects your family and assets.
Will County Probate Court and Local Resources
Wills for Joliet residents who live in Will County are probated in the Circuit Court of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, which sits at the Will County Courthouse in downtown Joliet. After a death, the original will is filed with the Will County Circuit Clerk, whose office is in the same courthouse. Residents in the Kendall County portion of Joliet probate their estates in Kendall County instead.
Real estate records for Will County properties, including deeds that may need to be transferred after death, are maintained by the Will County Recorder of Deeds. Other county offices, including those that handle property tax records, are listed on the Will County website.
Reach Out to Kravets Law Group to Schedule a Consultation
Meeting with a wills attorney in Joliet, IL is the first step toward a will that holds up and a plan your family can follow. Our flat-rate pricing covers standalone wills and will-and-trust packages alike. We use the consultation to learn about your household and property, then recommend the documents that make sense. Contact us to arrange a time to discuss your needs.