Estate Planning Resource Guide

Center for Disability & Elder Law (CEDL) – Provides free legal services to low-income seniors and people with disabilities who reside in Cook County, IL.  

Illinois Legal Aid Online – An online resource for Illinois residents to help resolve legal issues with online legal forms readily available on their website and free legal representation for Illinoisans in lower-income brackets. 

Legal Aid Chicago – Provides legal assistance to low-income residents of Cook County. 

Illinois Lawyer Finder – The Illinois State Bar Association Lawyer finder helps with finding an ISBA lawyer in your area.  

Justice Entrepreneur Project – The Chicago Bar Foundation Justice Entrepreneurs Project (JEP) is a network of independent lawyers who offer affordable services with set fees whom practice in Estate Planning (Wills, Trusts, Power of Attorney) and Probate (Small estate issues, Guardianship, Probate court). 

CARPLS – Legal aid nonprofit organization servicing the Chicago and Cook County area. CARPLS attorneys provide free legal advice regarding Probate/Estates issues. 

CFPB: How do I find an attorney in my state? – Important questions to ask an attorney before hiring them, ways to check if an attorney is in good standing, and where to look for an attorney with affordable fees. 

Legal Services Corporation: – A directory to Legal Aid organizations near you 

Prairie State Legal Services: – For residents in Northern Illinois located outside of Cook County 

Land of Lincoln Legal Aid – For residents located in Central and Southern Illinois  

The Chicago Bar Association – For help with finding a referral to lawyers to hire for Estate Planning that includes will drafting, trusts, probate, and will contests. 

The Illinois probate process from A to Z– Understanding Probate in Illinois 

CCCC: Probate Proceedings – Information on the Probate proceedings from the Circuit Court of Cook County 

Court forms for the Probate Division – Court Forms for the Circuit Court of Cook County Probate Division 

CVLS Decedent Estates Manual 2022 – An informative manual about the Independent Probate Administration in Cook County for Simple Estates 

FAQ’s for Cook County Probate Court – Wills, Estates, & Guardianships FAQ for the Cook County Probate Court 

Cook County Clerk – Probate Division – The Cook County Probate Division contact information and Claim Docket. 

State of Illinois: Probate Division – Webpage for the Probate Division for the Circuit Court of Cook County. 

The Probate Process – An explanation on the probate process from the American Bar Association 

Introduction to Wills – The American Bar Association provides an overview of a Will, what it does and does not do, and how to execute a will.

Wills and Estates – Access an array of guides, How-To’s, articles, and easy forms on Wills and Estates offered by ILAO.

Your Guide to Estate Planning – A detailed guide on Estate Planning from the Illinois State Bar Association.

A Guide to Family Estate Planning – A guide on how to have open dialogue with family members to help craft a thoughtful, detailed estate plan.

Estate Planning Strategies – Asset Protection Planners provides information on estate planning strategies to help protect your assets using asset protection vehicles.

ABA: Trusts & Estates – The ABA website provides access to articles and videos with the latest information on Trusts & Estates.

Your Guide to a Living Trust – A guide from the Illinois State Bar Association on the purpose, benefits, funding, and Illinois law for creating a Trust.

ABA Revocable Trusts – A detailed overview of what a Revocable Living Trust does and the benefits of having one.

Transfer on Death Instrument (TODI) Easy Form – The ILAO TODI Easy Form program prepares an Illinois Transfer on Death Instrument and Notice of Death Affidavit and Acceptance of Transfer on Death Instrument.

Giving Someone Your House When You Die – A guide for transferring real property at the time of death.

How to Revoke a Transfer on Death Instrument (TODI) – Illinois Legal Aid Online provides a downloadable sample form to revoke a Transfer on Death Instrument.

Small Estate Affidavit Form – Small Estate Affidavit form from the Illinois Secretary of State’s website.

Small Estate Affidavit Easy Form – The ILAO Small Estate Affidavit Easy Form guides you through a series of questions that are answered through the program’s interview process to create a fully completed small estate affidavit.

How-to-Guide: Using a Small Estate Affidavit – A four-step guide for using a small estate affidavit.

Power of Attorney for Property Easy Form – The ILAO Easy Form prepares an Illinois Statutory Short Form Power of Attorney for Property.

Legal Forms – Advance Directives – Legal forms for Advance Directives such as POAs for Property, POAs for Health Care, and Living Will Declaration Form.

Blue Notary – Understanding Power of Attorney – Understanding the Power of Attorney in Illinois: Types, Benefits, and Legal Insights.

Power of Attorney – The American Bar Association provides a detailed overview of lifetime planning and the power of attorney, including who to assign, what powers to give, and when the power of attorney expires.

Estate, Gifts, and GST Taxes – The American Bar Association provides an overview of federal taxes imposed on gratuitous transfers of property through an estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer, along with the maximum exemptions allowed.

CFPB: Managing Someone Else’s Money – Easy-to-understand guides to help financial caregivers manage money or property for a loved one who’s unable to pay bills or make financial decisions.

Personal and Family Information PDF, Consumer Reports – A 10-page PDF template for creating an “In-case of Emergency” document.

Estate Taxes: Who Pays, How Much, and When – A read on ways to reduce your tax liability and protect your hard-earned wealth for future generations.

Family Business Succession Planning Tips – Tips on transitioning your family business to the next generation without the risk of significant tax impacts.

Glossary – A glossary of terms used in Estate Planning.

How to Prepare Your Digital Estate Plan – Learn what’s included in a digital estate plan, how these assets are handled after you die, and how you can prepare your online accounts.

CR: Digital Estate Planning – The Consumer Reports Digital Estate Planning: 5 Things to Do Now to Make Things Easier in a Crisis.