Estate Planning and Probate Lawyer in Joliet, Illinois

Joliet is a different kind of town

Census data show a 73.7% owner occupied housing rate in Joliet for 2020 to 2024, the lowest of the nine towns on this site. The median value of an owner occupied home is $265,800. The city has an estimated 152,241 people and 11.5% are 65 or older. See Census QuickFacts.

About 1 in 4 Joliet homes is not owner occupied. A plan for a renter has less to do with deeds and more to do with bank accounts, vehicles, insurance and the choice of an agent.

A plan without a house

If you rent, your estate still includes bank accounts, a car, life insurance and belongings. A will still names who gets them and who is in charge. A power of attorney for property and a health care power of attorney protect you during illness. Jeff keeps the plan short when there is no house.

The small estate affidavit

When a Joliet resident dies with only personal property, the family may not need a full probate case. Illinois allows a small estate affidavit if no letters of office are outstanding and the personal estate is limited to $150,000, not counting registered motor vehicles (755 ILCS 5/25-1). Real estate is not covered. Review the small estate affidavit page before you decide.

When probate is needed

Joliet is where Will County probate happens. The Circuit Clerk of Will County is at the Will County Court House, 100 W. Jefferson Street, Joliet. Jeff already works at that courthouse. A part of Joliet lies in Kendall County, though, so he checks the address first. Walk through the Will County probate process and the probate cost page for what changes the price.

Families who pass things down informally

Many Joliet families rely on a handshake about who gets a car or a savings account. If that person later cannot be found or the account holder has no paperwork, the family may face a dispute. A short written will and clear beneficiary forms head that off. If no will exists, read what happens without a will.

Who acts if you cannot

For renters, the power of attorney is the most useful paper in the plan. If you were hurt, a landlord, a bank and a hospital would each ask who has the authority to act. A signed power of attorney for property and a health care power of attorney give them an answer. Without them, the family may need to ask a court for a guardian.

What changes the cost of probate

Probate cost depends on the size of the estate, whether there is real estate to sell, how many heirs there are, whether anyone disagrees and how long the case runs. Jeff explains how this applies to your situation on the first call, and you can read the general factors on the probate cost page.

Hospital and landlord questions

With a larger share of renters, many Joliet households have no deed to lean on. Families often learn the hard way that a spouse or adult child may not be able to sign for a patient without a document. A health care power of attorney fixes that in advance. If you rent, a copy kept with your agent also helps in a sudden move.

Reviewed by Jeff McCarthy, Attorney, Inspired Law Group, 136 E 9th St, Lockport, IL 60441.