What Are the Most Overlooked Steps in an Illinois Estate Plan? - Mary Liberty

From Illinois Estate Law – What Are the Most Overlooked Steps in an Illinois Estate Plan? reveals how small mistakes—like failing to fund a trust or update beneficiary designations—can turn a carefully drafted estate plan into a probate nightmare. This episode dives into often-missed essentials that impact thousands of families every year, especially in Chicago and across Illinois. Featuring insights from Chicago estate planning attorney Mary Liberty, listeners will learn how to turn an incomplete plan into a secure legacy.

You’ll explore why estate planning is more than just signing documents, and how the Illinois Probate Act and the Illinois Power of Attorney Act shape your legal responsibilities. Learn how institutions like Northwestern Memorial, Rush University Medical Center, and the Cook County Recorder of Deeds play a key role in executing estate plans. The episode explains the importance of trust funding, healthcare directives, digital asset inventories, and proof records—and how skipping any one of these can lead to costly delays at the Richard J. Daley Center's Probate Division.

We also examine the impact of outdated beneficiary designations, how major life events like marriage, divorce, and the birth of children can change everything, and why the Illinois estate tax threshold at $4 million catches many families off guard. From understanding special needs trusts to using credit shelter trusts and lifetime gifting, this episode gives you strategies to protect vulnerable beneficiaries and minimize tax burdens through thoughtful, legally compliant planning.

Whether you're starting from scratch or updating an existing plan, Mary Liberty and the team at Illinois Estate Law walk you through every step—from trust funding and digital asset planning to preparing a secure proof file for your executor. With Mary’s fully virtual, flat-fee legal services, estate planning becomes a manageable, stress-free process that helps Illinois families protect what matters most.

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