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Most people know about wills and their basic purpose – to ensure that one’s hard earned assets go to the right beneficiaries when an individual passes away. However, wills can be used for a lot more than simply dictating who gets a person’s antique lamp collection. Here’s a list of some of...

Many people have preconceived notions about trusts and believe that they are only for multi-millionaires who wish to leave large trust funds to their children. However, this is far from the truth; trusts can be invaluable tools in the estate plans of millions of individuals.

Trusts are simply an arrangement where one party...

Nontraditional families take many forms – a grandmother raising a grandchild via an informal custodial arrangement, an unmarried couple with children and perhaps stepchildren, a couple in a same-sex marriage. In June 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution guarantees the right to same-sex marriage which affords them most of...

While nobody wants to think about death or disability, establishing an estate plan is one of the most important steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones.  Proper estate planning not only puts you in charge of your finances, it can also spare your loved ones of the expense,...

At Douglas Boodt Attorney at Law, we believe informed clients make the best decisions about their estate plans. That's why we want to break down complex terms and clarify confusing principles so that you make the right choices for your estate. Contact our office either online, by email at douglas@boodtlaw.com or at 269.929.7206 to schedule...

It is reassuring when you can plan for the future and ensure the security of your loved ones, especially in the event something happens to you. This is what we call estate planning, and it isn't something that a select few do, but something we should all do because it's about our...

A DNR order, or a do-not-resuscitate order, is a pre-written healthcare directive made by a patient concerning life-saving medical interventions. As the name implies, DNRs in Illinois tell doctors not to resuscitate the patient in certain circumstances – usually if the heart stops. Figuring out if you want a DNR...

What are blended families?  Blended families can take several forms: Married couples in which one or both spouses have children from a previous relationship;
Married couples who have children from their relationship and also have children from previous...

Your estate plan in Illinois can include several documents, many of which may require beneficiaries, like any trusts you may have set up or intend to set up and non-probate assets like 401(k), IRA accounts, life insurance policies, and pensions. Assets from these accounts will go to the beneficiaries upon your death....

An accident or sudden illness can leave you incapacitated. What happens when there's a question about the medical treatment needed to keep you alive? People have strong feelings about these things, like life support, pain management, and organ donation. You may want one thing while family members want another thing. Without a...