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Attorneys At Law

Attorneys practicing in and around the Chicagoland area. Experienced in the practice areas of Real Estate Law, Mortgage Foreclosure Defense Litigation, Business Law, & Estate Law.

Attorneys At Law - Attorneys practicing in and around the Chicagoland area. Experienced in the practice areas of Real Estate Law, Mortgage Foreclosure Defense Litigation, Business Law, & Estate Law.

Estate planning: end of life planning

Estate planning is important… if you don’t plan for what happens to your estate upon your death, the government and/or a judge will make those decisions for you. When you are ready to plan for end of life, here are some tips:

Seek professional help

It might seem outside of your comfort zone, but seeking the help of a mental health professional for guidance could be helpful to you. It could also help your family as well.

Get financial documents in a single place

Social Security Retirement Couple

It’s important to begin getting your financial documents together. We recommend you gather them all in a single place and put them together in an easy to get to a location such as a three-ring binder.

This will save your relatives the struggle of trying to find all the information they need.

Start by getting your will. If you don’t have one, make a list of your assets: financial accounts, real estate, and any retirement accounts.

A will is the best way to ensure your assets get distributed to the person you want them to. Without specifying your wishes, there can be family disputes and even court cases. Property distribution is best spelled out in a will

Choose your beneficiary

Loan Modifications and Workouts

One of your first tasks should be designating your beneficiaries on your financial accounts.

It may be basic but it is more powerful than a will. It can save time and money for your assets going through probate.

Your brokerage will let you attach transfer-on-death instructions to your non-retirement account. Transfer-on-death deeds can also be used in real estate in Illinois.

After you have designated beneficiaries, detail your liabilities, for example, mortgage, loans, credit card debt, and insurance policies for health, home, and vehicles.

Create a contact list of people your family can reach out to for help. This should include your lawyer, accountant, insurance agent and financial advisor. Write down the name and contact information of everyone who needs to be involved.


Even if you’ve already done estate planning , it is a good idea to consult with an attorney experienced in estate planning. In the time since you made your estate plan, laws may have changed or even your financial goals or beneficiaries.

Decrease the tax burden

Cook County Property Tax Assessments

There are ways that you can decrease the tax burden on your beneficiaries.

One way to leave money to heirs is through a Roth individual retirement account.

Another is a brokerage account because any capital gains tax will be wiped out due to the step-up in basis on the original price paid.

Here is how this works: If the owner sells a stock that has gained in value, they would have to pay capital gains based on that higher price. If the owner leaves that stock to an heir, the new owner receives the stock at the new price. They will only have to pay taxes on any gains in price after that point, not the original price.

If some asset has dipped significantly in value, though, you might consider selling the stock, mutual fund or ETF. As the original owner, you can deduct the losses by selling and deducting the loss. Your heirs are not able to take this step-down since they’d inherit the stock at a new, lower basis.

If you are older than 70½, take any required minimum distribution from your retirement accounts. Heirs may not know to do this, and there is a significant penalty for not taking it.

Another way to minimize taxes for your inheritors is through charitable donations. While your heirs would have to pay tax on the money in a retirement account, a charity would not.

Paying off a mortgage

Property Tax Assessment - Calculator

Many people consider paying off a home mortgage, but because individual circumstances vary greatly, this is not always the best course.

Consider the amount of funds available, the current tax bracket and the size of the mortgage balance. It would be a good idea to have a financial planner run several scenarios to see how you can minimize the tax hit from withdrawing a large sum from a traditional IRA or 401(k) plan – or if you should leave it as a loan to be transferred to your heirs.

Have a record of password for your heirs

Collect all of your passwords in your binder with your financial records. Include a copy of the previous year’s tax return. When a final tax return is prepared, there might be some carryover items, such as long-term alternative minimum tax or long-term gains buildup.

List all service agreements, such as landscaping, utilities, cleaning and insurance, and auto payments. Arrange for their continuation or cancellation.

Keep track of your pension and Social Security benefits, since there could be survivor benefits that flow from those.

Other areas to consider in your binder: arrangements for your pets and talking to the financial aid office if you have a child in college. You’ll want to inform them of your change in financial status.

Contact an Experienced Estate Planning Lawyer Today!

Advertising Material: To the extent that the information on this Facebook profile page is interpreted as attorney advertising in accordance with the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct or within the meaning of state bar rules from all other localities, this statement is made pursuant to those rules.

Specialties: Specialization claims are prohibited by Illinois Supreme Court Rules, and we do not claim to be specialists. The content of this e-mail is organized and presented for the sole purpose of general information. None of the included content should be construed as legal advice. Viewing this e-mail or e-mailing the account holder does not create an attorney-client relationship. NOTICE: This page may be considered advertising material. 

Estate planning in Illinois changed– for you

estate planning

Estate planning may seem daunting right now. You might be working from home with the only option of technology to provide workplace connection, you may be experiencing the stress of heading to the office in current times, you may not even have a job at all, or you may be witnessing those around you struggle. However, Illinois has passed a new law to allow virtual estate planning.

Executive Order 2020-14 is called “the Order” and allows notary public and remote witnessing of documents. According to an article in the Daily Herald, “New Illinois law allows virtual estate planning,” these are the highlights:

• Any witnessing required by Illinois law may be completed remotely via two-way audio video technology per the Order’s guidelines.

• The requirement that a person must “appear before” a notary public is satisfied if the notary public conducts the remote notarization via two-way audio video technology provided the notary public is located in Illinois while executing her notarial act.

•The witness and signatory must attest to be physically located in Illinois during the two-way audio-video communication.

•The two-way audio-video recording must be kept for three years by the person signing the document or someone the person signing the document appoints.

With a lot going on, this can hopefully be one way to ease a bit of your burdens. Link to full article below.

The Law Offices of Lora Fausett P.C. provides real estate law services including loan modificationsbuying and selling legal assistanceshort sales and deeds in lieumortgage foreclosure defense, and more.

Located in Glen Ellyn, Illinois and serving clients in DuPageCookKane, Will, and Kendall Counties.

For Information Call 630-858-0090

Full article

Advertising Material: To the extent that the information on this Facebook profile page is interpreted as attorney advertising in accordance with the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct or within the meaning of state bar rules from all other localities, this statement is made pursuant to those rules.

Specialties: Specialization claims are prohibited by Illinois Supreme Court Rules, and we do not claim to be specialists. The content of this e-mail is organized and presented for the sole purpose of general information. None of the included content should be construed as legal advice. Viewing this e-mail or e-mailing the account holder does not create an attorney-client relationship. NOTICE: This page may be considered advertising material. 

Estate Planning Tips – your choice

estate planning

Whether you own a home, have some savings, or own any goods such as a car, furniture, or other form of personal property, you have an estate. If you don’t take part in estate planning to choose what happens to your estate upon your death, the government and/or a judge will make those decisions for you. Here are some tips you can use.

Estate planning with an attorney

Speaking to an attorney regarding estate planning can help assure documents such as your will make sense for your situation and are legally executed. Planning with an attorney can help make sure your will is validly drawn, executed, and attested.

Create a will/living will

By creating a will, in essence, you tell the court in writing, with certain formalities, how you want your assets distributed and who will be responsible for the distribution. We help our clients draft their wills. Living wills and health care powers of attorney give instructions on issues such as life support and medical treatment. Through a Living Will you can communicate your choices regarding your end-of-life care even if you are incapacitated or facing life support.

Power of Attorney

We help you ensure that your wishes are known and that you have a legally binding power of attorney. A power of attorney is a means of choosing someone to manage your affairs or make decisions on your behalf or even transact business for you if you are unable to do so for yourself.

The Law Offices of Lora Fausett P.C. provides real estate law services including loan modificationsbuying and selling legal assistanceshort sales and deeds in lieumortgage foreclosure defense, and more.

Located in Glen Ellyn, Illinois and serving clients in DuPageCookKane, Will, and Kendall Counties.

For Information Call 630-858-0090

Advertising Material: To the extent that the information on this Facebook profile page is interpreted as attorney advertising in accordance with the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct or within the meaning of state bar rules from all other localities, this statement is made pursuant to those rules.
 
Specialties: Specialization claims are prohibited by Illinois Supreme Court Rules, and we do not claim to be specialists. The content of this e-mail is organized and presented for the sole purpose of general information. None of the included content should be construed as legal advice. Viewing this e-mail or e-mailing the account holder does not create an attorney-client relationship. NOTICE: This page may be considered advertising material. 

The Most Common Estate Planning Mistake

Estate Planning This Way

Estate Planning is an important step for planning how your assets are distributed to your heirs.

In the article below, we discuss how to avoid one of the most common estate planning mistake so your loved ones can avoid this costly headache.

 

This story originally ran in Forbes:

How To Avoid One Of The Most Common Estate Planning Mistakes

There’s a mistake families at every level of wealth often make when they go through their estate planning process, and decide how to allocate money to their heirs and to charity.

An extremely common practice is to list charities as part of a will, or revocable trust, and in many cases (perhaps most)—that’s a mistake.

Property tax bills Kane & DuPage CountyWhat you need to consider is the inherited value of the holdings after tax. Throughout their working lives, most people have some form of retirement account: an IRA, 401k, thrift savings plan (TSP), etc. Those assets usually don’t pass through a will or a trust but by beneficiary designation.

So let’s examine how most people have set up their plans, and look at an alternative tweak that can make sure as much of their assets as possible go where they intend.

Most people leave their IRA assets to their spouse and kids, and if they are charitably inclined they allocate some dollars to charity through their wills or trust.

Here’s how that looks:

 

Common Scenario

A couple has a $1 million home, $1 million in after-tax savings account, and $1 million in an IRA. And upon the second spouse to pass, the $1 million in an IRA and the house to go the kids. Of the after-tax savings, the estate donates $100,000 to charity, and the remainder ($900,000) goes to the kids.

The problem here is that as the children receive the IRA funds, and whether they take the IRA distributions immediately or over time, these funds are income-taxable to the kids. What if they handled this an alternative way?

 

Alternate Scenario

First Time Home Buyer Mortgage WorkshopSame couple – $1 million home, $1 million after-tax account, and $1 million IRA. The couple leaves $100,000 of the IRA to charity. The kids receive the $1 million in savings and the home and $900,000 of the IRA.

Why is this special or better? By donating to charity from the IRA, the couple is donating the least tax-efficient assets to charity. What most people don’t realize is that when a charity receives these dollars, they don’t pay any tax on the funds.

If this family makes this change, they accomplished the same result of the charity receiving 100K, but ensure that the kids will receive more on an after-tax basis.

Related post: Millennial Estate Planning – What You Should Know

Keep in mind there are two forms of coordinating this. The will or trust is typically drafted or amended by an estate planning attorney. The IRA beneficiary designation is a simple form filed with the brokerage firm or through their employers. It’s important to make sure you coordinate the two to prevent confusion and make your intentions clear.

Social Security Retirement CoupleOne important disclaimer—this change doesn’t make sense with a Roth IRA of a Roth 401(k). Since these distributions to the heirs will be free of income tax, it does not make sense to leave these funds to a charity.

 

The purpose of estate planning is making sure that your money flows where you intend. Usually the government is last on that list. By tweaking not who gets what, but who gets which, there’s a chance for more to pass to the people and organizations most important to you.

Related post: End of life planning essentials

 

This story originally ran in Forbes
Original unaltered sign image by Max Pixel


* Advertising Material: To the extent that the information in this post is interpreted as attorney advertising in accordance with the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct or within the meaning of state bar rules from all other localities, this statement is made pursuant to those rules.

Specialties: Specialization claims are prohibited by Illinois Supreme Court Rules and we do not claim to be specialists. The content of this e-mail is organized and presented for the sole purpose of general information. None of the included content should be construed as legal advice. Viewing this e-mail or e-mailing the account holder does not create an attorney-client relationship. NOTICE: This page may be considered advertising material.


 

The Law Offices of Lora Fausett P.C. provides estate law representation, including power of attorney, living wills, probate law services, trusts, wills, and more.

Located in Glen Ellyn, Illinois and serving clients in DuPageCookKane, Will, and Kendall Counties.

For Information Call 630-858-0090


End of Life Planning – The Essentials

End of Life Planning

An unexpected medical diagnosis can leave a person in shock.

It can also leave a person realizing that their end of life planning is not in order and they may not have as much time as they thought to complete it.

When that happens, here is what we recommend:

 

Seek professional help

It might seem outside of your comfort zone, but seeking the help of a mental health professional for guidance could be helpful to you. It could also help your family as well.

 

Get financial documents in a single place

Social Security Retirement CoupleIt’s important to begin getting your financial documents together. We recommend you gather them all in a single place and put them together in an easy to get to a location such as a three-ring binder.

This will save your relatives the struggle of trying to find all the information they need.

Start by getting your will. If you don’t have one, make a list of your assets: financial accounts, real estate, and any retirement accounts.

A will is the best way to ensure your assets get distributed to the person you want them to. Without specifying your wishes, there can be family disputes and even court cases. Property distribution is best spelled out in a will

 

Choose your beneficiary

Loan Modifications and WorkoutsOne of your first tasks should be designating your beneficiaries on your financial accounts.

It may be basic but it is more powerful than a will. It can save time and money for your assets going through probate.

Your brokerage will let you attach transfer-on-death instructions to your non-retirement account. Transfer-on-death deeds can also be used in real estate in Illinois.

After you have designated beneficiaries, detail your liabilities, for example, mortgage, loans, credit card debt, and insurance policies for health, home, and vehicles.

Create a contact list of people your family can reach out to for help. This should include your lawyer, accountant, insurance agent and financial advisor. Write down the name and contact information of everyone who needs to be involved.

Even if you already have an estate plan, it is a good idea to consult with an attorney experienced in estate planning. In the time since you made your estate plan, laws may have changed or even your financial goals or beneficiaries.

 

Decrease the tax burden

Cook County Property Tax AssessmentsThere are ways that you can decrease the tax burden on your beneficiaries.

One way to leave money to heirs is through a Roth individual retirement account.

Another is a brokerage account because any capital gains tax will be wiped out due to the step-up in basis on the original price paid.

Here is how this works: If the owner sells a stock that has gained in value, they would have to pay capital gains based on that higher price. If the owner leaves that stock to an heir, the new owner receives the stock at the new price. They will only have to pay taxes on any gains in price after that point, not the original price.

If some asset has dipped significantly in value, though, you might consider selling the stock, mutual fund or ETF. As the original owner, you can deduct the losses by selling and deducting the loss. Your heirs are not able to take this step-down since they’d inherit the stock at a new, lower basis.

If you are older than 70½, take any required minimum distribution from your retirement accounts. Heirs may not know to do this, and there is a significant penalty for not taking it.

Another way to minimize taxes for your inheritors is through charitable donations. While your heirs would have to pay tax on the money in a retirement account, a charity would not.

 

Paying off a mortgage

Property Tax Assessment - CalculatorMany people consider paying off a home mortgage, but because individual circumstances vary greatly, this is not always the best course.

Consider the amount of funds available, the current tax bracket and the size of the mortgage balance. It would be a good idea to have a financial planner run several scenarios to see how you can minimize the tax hit from withdrawing a large sum from a traditional IRA or 401(k) plan – or if you should leave it as a loan to be transferred to your heirs.

 

Have a record of password for your heirs

Collect all of your passwords in your binder with your financial records. Include a copy of the previous year’s tax return. When a final tax return is prepared, there might be some carryover items, such as long-term alternative minimum tax or long-term gains buildup.

List all service agreements, such as landscaping, utilities, cleaning and insurance, and auto payments. Arrange for their continuation or cancellation.

Keep track of your pension and Social Security benefits, since there could be survivor benefits that flow from those.

Other areas to consider in your binder: arrangements for your pets and talking to the financial aid office if you have a child in college. You’ll want to inform them of your change in financial status.

 

Source: When end-of-life planning is suddenly a lot closer than you thought by Jill Cornfield for CNBC

 


The Law Offices of Lora Fausett P.C. provides excellent legal counsel in the areas of estate law, including estate planning, living wills, living trust, probate, power of attorney, letters of office and more.

Located in Glen Ellyn, Illinois and serving clients in DuPage, Cook, Kane, Will, and Kendall Counties.

For Information Call 630-858-0090