Greater Chicago Probate Attorneys
It’s always difficult to lose a loved one, and the last thing you need to deal with during the time after a loss is probate. Family disputes, harassing creditors, funeral costs, and delayed medical bills all add to the stress of the probate process. Fortunately, there is help available.
Experienced Probate Lawyers in Chicago
At Cross Town Legal, our Illinois probate practice is designed to ease this burden. Our experienced Chicago probate and estate distribution attorneys can protect you from creditor harassment, inventory your loved one’s estate, negotiate financial settlements, pay creditors, and manage asset distribution. If necessary, we can file a petition in probate court and request judicial intervention to give your family peace of mind. Turn the reins over to the compassionate, client-oriented probate attorneys at Cross Town Legal.
Understanding Probate in Illinois
“Probate” is a legal term used to describe the process by which an “estate,” i.e., the totality of a deceased person’s property, is distributed. Unfortunately, the process is more complex than simply reading a will, if applicable, and handing over a check.
Probate is the sale, settlement, and distribution process itself, but Illinois “probate courts” exist to handle distribution disputes or monitor the settlement of an estate with more than $100,000 in assets. Settlement refers to the sale of assets to pay creditors, if necessary, and the distribution of the remaining assets in accordance with a will or Illinois inheritance laws. Assets don’t have to be liquidated, to qualify for distribution. The decedent’s assets may include:
- Equity in real estate
- Investments and Bonds
- Jewelry
- Vehicles
- Intellectual Property, i.e., patents and trademarks
- Land and Mineral rights
- Furniture
Certain assets, such as bank accounts held jointly by spouses, pass directly to the surviving spouse without the need for probate. Small estates, i.e., estates without land and worth less than $100,000, may utilize Illinois small estate procedures. Heirs and administrators may also select between limited and full supervision of their probate case, but certain estates require lengthy and complex distribution disputes. Let our client-oriented probate attorneys with over 35 years of combined experience practicing probate law guide and relieve you throughout the stressful probate process.
Probate Services We Provide
Illinois statutes govern certain areas of asset distribution, and creditor priority is often contested in complex probate proceedings. These are matters best left in skillful hands of the Chicago probate attorneys at Cross Town Legal. Our experienced Illinois estate lawyers can address your every probate need. The following are some of the professional Illinois probate services we provide:
- Inventory of assets
- Liquidation & settlement
- Negotiation with creditors
- Filing probate cases and petitions
- Representation during probate disputes
- Estate and trust management
- Handing disputed assets
- Sending and publishing creditor notices
- Readings of wills and estate closings
The probate attorneys at Cross Town Legal pride themselves on providing top-tier client services through thorough, timely, and efficient legal practice coupled with direct client communication and follow up.
No estate is too small for the compassionate probate lawyers at Cross Town Legal. Whether you don’t know where to start or have a specific probate need, we’re here to make the probate process smooth. Contact us 24/7 for your free Illinois probate consultation at 708-478-9700 or through the form below. We proudly provide military, medical professional, and public service discounts.