Planning for Life
Illinois Power of Attorney
A power of attorney lets someone you trust act for you, and Illinois has one for property and one for health care, each with its own signing rules.
Clarity Is Power
Illinois Estate Planning Library
The Higher Law Firm’s Planning Library answers the estate planning questions Illinois families ask most, from powers of attorney and wills to probate, taxes, and passing on a business. These estate planning resources are written in plain language for parents, homeowners, business owners, and retirees, whether or not you ever work with us.
Clarity. Structure. Strategy. Freedom.
The Guides
Estate Planning Guides by Topic
Every estate planning guide opens with a direct answer, then explains the detail. The guides are organized around the three ideas behind a Higher Law plan.
The Guides
Guides by Topic
Every guide is organized around the three ideas behind a Higher Law plan.
Planning for Life
Living Wills in Illinois
A living will records your wishes about end-of-life medical treatment, and it works alongside a health care power of attorney.
Planning for Life
Naming a Guardian for Your Child
You can name who would raise your children in a will, and you can also arrange care for a limited time.
Planning for After Life
How to Avoid Probate in Illinois
You avoid probate by making sure property passes outside it, most often through a funded trust, beneficiary designations, or a transfer on death instrument
Planning for After Life
Illinois Probate Explained
Probate is the court process that settles an estate after death, and this guide explains how it works in Illinois and how long it can take.
Planning for After Life
Illinois Estate Tax
Illinois has an estate tax but no inheritance tax, and this guide explains who it affects and how families plan for it.
Planning for After Life
Transfer on Death Deeds in Illinois
A transfer on death instrument, called a TODI, passes real estate to a named person at death without probate, but it has limits compared with a trust.
Planning for After Life
How to Write a Will in Illinois
A valid Illinois will must be in writing, signed, and witnessed, and this guide walks through what a will should say.
Planning for After Life
Dying Without a Will in Illinois
If you die without a will, Illinois law decides who inherits, and this guide explains how.
Planning for Legacy
Family Business Succession Planning
Passing a family business to the next generation takes planning for ownership, leadership, and taxes, long before the handoff.
Planning for Legacy
Estate Planning for Business Owners
If you own a business, your estate plan has to answer who will own it, who will run it, and what happens if you can’t.
Planning for Legacy
Irrevocable Trusts in Illinois
An irrevocable trust generally can’t be changed once it is set up, and it serves different goals than a revocable living trust.
Your Situation
Find Guides for Your Situation
Not sure where to start with your estate planning questions? Choose the description closest to you. A guide can appear under more than one, and each keeps a single address.
Retirees
Illinois Power of Attorney
A power of attorney lets someone you trust act for you, and Illinois has one for property and one for health care, each with its own signing rules.
Retirees
Living Wills in Illinois
A living will records your wishes about end-of-life medical treatment, and it works alongside a health care power of attorney.
Parents
Naming a Guardian for Your Child
You can name who would raise your children in a will, and you can also arrange care for a limited time.
Parents · Homeowners
How to Avoid Probate in Illinois
You avoid probate by making sure property passes outside it, most often through a funded trust, beneficiary designations, or a transfer on death instrument
Homeowners
Illinois Probate Explained
Probate is the court process that settles an estate after death, and this guide explains how it works in Illinois and how long it can take.
Homeowners · Business owners · Retirees
Illinois Estate Tax
Illinois has an estate tax but no inheritance tax, and this guide explains who it affects and how families plan for it.
Homeowners · Retirees
Transfer on Death Deeds in Illinois
A transfer on death instrument, called a TODI, passes real estate to a named person at death without probate, but it has limits compared with a trust.
Parents
How to Write a Will in Illinois
A valid Illinois will must be in writing, signed, and witnessed, and this guide walks through what a will should say.
Parents
Dying Without a Will in Illinois
If you die without a will, Illinois law decides who inherits, and this guide explains how.
Business owners
Family Business Succession Planning
Passing a family business to the next generation takes planning for ownership, leadership, and taxes, long before the handoff.
Business owners
Estate Planning for Business Owners
If you own a business, your estate plan has to answer who will own it, who will run it, and what happens if you can’t.
Business owners · Retirees
Irrevocable Trusts in Illinois
An irrevocable trust generally can’t be changed once it is set up, and it serves different goals than a revocable living trust.
Why We Publish These
Understanding Is Where Agency Begins
These guides are general information about Illinois law, not legal advice. Reading them does not create an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your situation, speak with an attorney.
The Higher Law Firm believes clarity is power
people make better decisions when they understand the systems that shape their lives. These guides exist to give anyone that clarity in plain language, whether or not they ever become a client.
Beyond our client work, we care about access to justice. Learn about our Access to Justice work
Have a Question These Guides Don’t Answer?
Every family’s situation is different. If you’d like to talk through yours, start with a 15-minute introductory call or a 60-minute Higher Law Strategy Session™.
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