Probate Lawyer Skokie, IL
If someone close to you has recently died and you’re trying to figure out what comes next, the answer depends on things most families don’t know offhand: what the decedent owned, how those assets were titled, whether a valid will exists, and whether anyone is likely to dispute the outcome.
Our Skokie, IL probate attorney at Kravets Law Group represents individuals, executors, administrators, heirs, and beneficiaries through every stage of the Illinois probate process. Founding attorney Daniel Kravets has been practicing since 2016, opened the firm in 2020, and handles all probate matters personally. We work with estates of all sizes throughout Skokie and the broader Cook County area, from routine administrations to contested wills. Free consultations are available.
Why Choose Kravets Law Group for Probate in Skokie, IL?
Familiarity With Cook County Probate Practice
Cook County probate is not the same as probate in a smaller Illinois county. The Circuit Court of Cook County has its own local rules, specific filing requirements, and procedural expectations that shape how every administration moves forward in practice. Executors who approach it without that context often run into avoidable delays and errors that extend an already lengthy process.
Daniel Kravets has administered estates in Cook County and surrounding counties throughout his career, including contested matters involving disputed distributions and challenged estate documents. He understands how Cook County probate proceedings actually move, what the court expects at each stage, and how to keep an administration on track without unnecessary complications. As an estate planning lawyer in Skokie, IL, he also understands how planning decisions made before death shape what the administration requires after it.
Experience With Contested Matters
Most probate administrations are uncontested. Some are not. When an heir disputes a distribution, a creditor files an unexpected claim, or the validity of a will is put at issue, the matter changes considerably in both complexity and cost. We have represented executors defending the validity of estate documents and beneficiaries with legitimate grounds to challenge them. The objective in every contested matter is the same: resolve the dispute as efficiently as possible to preserve estate assets for the people entitled to receive them, rather than depleting those assets through prolonged proceedings.
Daniel earned his JD from Drexel University Law, holds membership in the Chicago Bar Association, and is admitted to practice in Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. He is completing a forthcoming estate planning book and speaks regularly at community and professional events throughout Chicago.
Step-by-Step Guidance
Probate administrations run for months, sometimes longer, and families frequently feel left without clear information about what’s happening or what comes next between filings. We provide plain-English explanations of what each stage requires, what the executor’s obligations are at each step, and what the realistic timeline looks like for the specific estate. Court costs and filing fees are explained upfront rather than arriving as surprises.
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“Daniel was extremely helpful in assisting with my estate planning and debt matters. He is very knowledgeable and responsive and I couldn’t have asked for better counsel. 10/10 would recommend” — Brian Drach
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Types of Probate Cases We Handle in Skokie
Illinois probate takes different forms depending on what the decedent owned, whether a valid will exists, and whether disputes emerge during the administration. These are the primary matters we handle for Skokie families and individuals throughout Cook County.
- Independent administration. The most common form of Illinois probate. The executor manages and closes the estate without seeking court approval at every step, filing required documents and accountings at defined statutory intervals. We handle all filings, the creditor notice period, estate inventories, and final distributions, keeping the administration moving efficiently to protect estate assets and reach beneficiaries sooner.
- Supervised administration. When an interested party objects or the court determines closer oversight is needed, the estate proceeds under supervised administration with judicial approval required for each major action. These matters move more slowly and cost more. We have handled proceedings under both standards and know what the additional requirements involve.
- Will contests and disputed estates. Illinois recognizes several grounds for challenging a will, including lack of testamentary capacity, undue influence, fraud, and improper execution. We represent both executors defending the estate and beneficiaries with valid grounds to contest it. Getting in front of these disputes early typically produces better outcomes than letting them develop into full litigation.
- Intestate estates. When someone dies without a valid will, Illinois intestacy law governs who inherits. In blended families or estates with significant assets, the default rules can produce real conflict among potential heirs. We work to establish heirship, manage the Cook County court filings, and move the estate toward distribution.
- Creditor claims. After published notice, creditors have a statutory window to file claims against the estate. Every claim requires review. We challenge those that are improperly documented or not legally valid, advise on priority of payment when assets are limited, and manage the response timeline to meet all applicable deadlines.
- Estate accountings. Executors carry a fiduciary obligation to formally account for all estate assets, income, and distributions. We prepare the required Cook County accountings and guide executors through that process correctly, protecting them from personal liability for errors in the administration.
Illinois Legal Requirements for Probate
Illinois probate is governed by the Probate Act of 1975, 755 ILCS 5, which sets the procedural framework every administration must follow. For Skokie families, estates are filed with the Circuit Court of Cook County, and that court’s local rules shape how each step actually moves forward in practice.
Creditor notice is among the most time-sensitive requirements. Once an estate is formally opened and notice to creditors is published, creditors have the later of six months from the date of death or three months from the date of published notice to file claims against the estate. These windows determine what debts the estate is responsible for and how quickly the administration can close. Missing them creates complications that are difficult to unwind.
Illinois provides a small estate affidavit procedure for qualifying estates with assets under $100,000, which can bypass formal court administration entirely. Whether an estate qualifies depends on how assets are titled, whether transfer-on-death designations are in place, and whether real property is involved. Families who worked with a Skokie estate planning attorney and funded their trust properly often reach this stage with far fewer assets subject to probate in the first place.
The Illinois estate tax applies to estates over $4 million, administered by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. At the federal level, IRS estate and gift tax rules apply to larger estates, with separate filing deadlines running alongside the probate timeline. Both are worth identifying early in the administration rather than after filings are already underway.
Important Aspects of a Skokie Probate Case
Identifying the Actual Probate Assets
Not everything a decedent owned necessarily passes through probate. Assets held in a funded trust, accounts with transfer-on-death designations, jointly titled real estate, and life insurance with named beneficiaries all transfer outside of court regardless of what a will says. Determining which assets are actually subject to Cook County probate court jurisdiction is the first thing we establish in every Skokie engagement. Families who discover mid-administration that assets were incorrectly categorized face delays and additional cost that proper early analysis would have avoided.
The Executor’s Obligations Are Substantive
Serving as executor is a genuine legal responsibility, not a formality. The role requires locating and inventorying all probate assets, notifying agencies and creditors, paying valid claims in the correct statutory priority, filing required accountings with the Cook County court, and distributing what remains to beneficiaries according to the will or Illinois intestacy law. The fiduciary standard is strict, and errors, even well-intentioned ones, can result in personal liability. We walk executors through every obligation at each stage of the administration so nothing is missed and no step creates downstream problems.
Distributions to Beneficiaries on Government Benefits
Before making any distribution to a beneficiary receiving SSI or Medicaid, an executor needs to stop and identify whether that distribution could cause a disqualifying asset transfer. A direct inheritance can eliminate means-tested benefit eligibility that the family cannot replace out of pocket. Identifying this issue at the start of the administration and addressing it properly, which often involves coordinating with a special needs planning attorney before any funds move, is far less costly than trying to address a disqualifying transfer after the fact.
Cook County Probate Takes Time
An uncontested probate administration in Cook County typically takes between nine months and a year, and often longer depending on estate complexity, asset sales, required appraisals, and court scheduling. Contested matters extend that timeline further. For Skokie families who want to keep their own estates out of this process, avoiding probate through a properly funded revocable trust is the most reliable path. As recent high-profile estate situations have illustrated, even families who intended to avoid probate can end up in court when assets weren’t transferred into the trust during the grantor’s lifetime and funding was left incomplete.
Contact Kravets Law Group
Probate doesn’t have to become an indefinite burden on your family. We guide Skokie executors and families through every stage of the Cook County probate process, handle complications directly, and keep everyone informed throughout the administration. When you reach out, we’ll schedule a free consultation to review the estate, explain what the process looks like from here, and answer your questions before anything moves forward. Contact us to get started.