Put the right people in place, protect what you’ve built, and create order before life—or circumstance—forces decisions without you.
Estate planning is the legal structure that allows your affairs to be handled clearly, privately, and according to your intentions.
This is where you decide who gets what and who is responsible for carrying it out.
If you don’t make that decision, the state will—and it may not align with what you actually want.
This is how you keep your family out of court.
A properly structured trust allows your assets to pass privately, efficiently, and without the delays and costs of probate.
This is what allows someone you trust to step in if you can’t act for yourself.
Without this, your family may have to go to court just to help you manage basic decisions.
This is where everything comes together.
Your assets, your family, your intentions—aligned into a plan that actually works when it needs to, not just something that sits on a shelf.
This is for individuals and families who want clarity, control, and the right people in place before life forces decisions without them.
Start with the structure you need today. Build from there as your life and assets grow.
Clear, essential documents to put your affairs in order.
Structured transfer, privacy, and probate avoidance.
Integrated planning for complex assets and long-term strategy.
Start with the level of structure that matches your assets, your people, and the degree of coordination your plan requires.
| Feature | Life Plan |
Legacy Plan
Most Chosen
|
Elevated Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Fee | $2,000 Individual $3,000 Collective |
$4,500 Individual $6,000 Collective |
$8,500 Individual $11,500 Collective |
| Higher Law Strategy Session | $500 value | $750 value | $1,000 value |
| Will / Pour-Over Will | Last Will & Testament | Pour-Over Will | Trust-based will structure |
| Financial Power of Attorney | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Healthcare Power of Attorney | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| HIPAA Authorization | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Guardianship Nominations | If applicable | — | — |
| TODI / Deed Work | TODI for one property, if applicable | One deed preparation, if applicable | Two deed preparations, if applicable |
| Revocable Living Trust | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Funding / Alignment Support | Asset & beneficiary alignment guidance | Trust funding roadmap | Asset alignment session |
| Business Integration Review | — | — | If applicable |
| Multi-Asset Coordination | — | — | ✓ |
| Execution Session | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lifetime Program | — | Standard Tier | Priority Tier |
| Review Structure | — | 3-Year Mini Review | Annual review (first year included) |
| Printed Binder | Available for additional fee | One included | Two included |
| Secure Client Portal | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Every engagement includes direct access to an attorney—guidance, structure, and execution from start to finish.
A structured intake and initial point of contact to understand your family, your assets, and what is actually at stake before planning begins.
A direct session with counsel to map your plan, identify risk, and align the legal structure with your priorities, values, and long-term goals.
Your plan is built from that strategy—intentionally structured around your assets, your people, and how you want things carried forward.
The documents are prepared, reviewed with you, and formally executed through a guided signing session with the precision this work requires.
We move beyond signatures into trust funding, beneficiary alignment, and next-step coordination—then remain available as your life, family, and business evolve.
Clear answers to the questions most people ask before getting started. If you don’t see yours here, we’ll walk through it during your Higher Law Strategy Session.
No. Estate planning is for anyone who wants clarity and control over what happens if they die or become incapacitated.
It is not just about wealth. It is about who makes decisions for you, who receives what you leave behind, how your affairs are handled, and whether your family is left with order or confusion.
A will is important, but a will alone usually does not avoid probate.
A trust can provide more privacy, more control, and a more efficient transfer of assets, especially if you own real estate, have children, or want to keep your affairs out of court.
Probate is the court process used to transfer assets after death.
In Illinois, probate can mean delay, public filings, court oversight, and additional cost. For many families, avoiding probate through trust-based planning is a major reason to put a real plan in place.
This is done by preparing and recording a deed that transfers ownership from you individually to your trust.
The transfer has to be done correctly and in coordination with your overall plan, title, and ownership structure. This is one of the places where strategy matters.
Usually, yes.
Most residential loans allow transfer into a revocable living trust without triggering the due-on-sale clause, but the transfer should still be reviewed and handled correctly.
That depends on the level of planning, but a complete plan may include a will or trust, financial power of attorney, healthcare power of attorney, living will, HIPAA authorization, guardianship nominations, and deed or funding documents.
Illinois law decides who receives your assets, who handles your estate, and sometimes who is responsible for your children.
That usually means less control, more court involvement, and a higher risk of confusion or conflict.
At The Higher Law Firm™, planning typically ranges from $2,000 to $11,500 depending on complexity and structure.
We use clear tiers so clients understand what level of planning fits their situation.
Most plans are completed within 30 to 45 days.
Higher Law Strategy Sessions™ are typically scheduled within 1 to 2 weeks, with additional time built in when matters are more complex.
Yes. Estate planning is not just about what you own. It is also about incapacity, medical decisions, guardianship, and making life easier for the people who may need to step in for you.
Trust funding means aligning your assets with your trust.
If assets are never transferred or coordinated properly, the trust may not work the way it was intended to work.
Yes.
Business ownership often needs to be coordinated with the estate plan so succession, control, and long-term planning all work together.
Still have questions? Your Higher Law Strategy Session is where we walk through your situation clearly and map the right structure.
However you enter, the goal is the same: clear structure, direct counsel, and the right next step.