Author Archives: Site Administrator
Are All Your Children Covered Under Your Illinois Estate Plan?
When people talk about their children, it’s usually pretty clear to whom they are referring. However, when second marriages are commonplace and when assisted reproductive technologies allow many different types of couples to create children by various means, is the line always so clear? For estate planning purposes, parents must ensure all their children… Read More »
Wish to Leave Money to a Caregiver in a Will?
The Illinois legislature has updated its probate law that will affect a caregiver in a will and people who wish to leave gifts of money over $20,000 to a caregiver at the time of death. The probate code has a list of “Presumptively Void Transfers,” which are transfers of money or property at the… Read More »
How Can An Estate Planning Attorney Help With Collectibles?
Collectors can spend a lifetime amassing things like comic books, baseball cards, and artwork. However, collectors often don’t pay enough attention as to what will happen to their possessions when they die. They may hope their children will find a passion for their stuff, or they may figure another collector will pay their heirs… Read More »
How Companies Are Using Social Media to Fire Employees
Social media has changed the world, connecting millions of people through websites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. For some managers, social media activity has become a factor when deciding to fire employees. Political and religious posts, photos of parties and other activities employers frown upon can sometimes cost workers their jobs. In other cases,… Read More »
Does the Americans with Disabilities Act Work in Illinois?
Twenty five years after the Americans with Disabilities Act, a landmark federal law outlawing hiring discrimination, people with disabilities in Illinois are still having difficulty getting hired. The ADA has created access in many ways. It has led to many improvements, such as the creation of wheelchair lifts and curbs, technology that assists the… Read More »
Attorney Service on Church Boards: Do’s and Don’ts
BY JAMES H. PLUYMERT Attorneys are often asked to serve on their church’s Board of Directors. This can be a wonderful opportunity to serve in a high-impact role for the Kingdom. There will be challenges and a wide variety of expectations about the attorney’s skills, expertise, and ability to contribute meaningfully. There will likely… Read More »
Are Unpaid Internships Legal?
Many college students who are on the verge of graduation will take unpaid internships to prepare for their careers. It is usual for employers to desire prepared employees, so many universities around the country have built internship requirements into the curriculum. Recent grads accept such positions typically to gain experience and a foothold in… Read More »
Planned Giving
Let’s face it, we all want to make a difference. And as uncomfortable as we may be with the thought, our time to make a difference is finite. Many of us are creating a legacy for future generations, either by giving to our favorite charity or by operating a not for profit organization. Planned… Read More »
What are Common Mistakes in Estate Planning?
For every American that has a will or trust, there are many more that have never thought about estate planning at all. For many of the people that have yet to work out the details of their estate, the task may seem daunting or scary, but actually, it’s quite painless. Once you’ve met with… Read More »
Estate Planning Tips for Women
Planning an estate can be a uniquely challenging task and most people are fairly unaware of the avenues and options available to them when doing so. Women are more likely to have to deal with the pressure of making plans for their estate. The reason being, women statistically have longer life expectancy than men,… Read More »