Noreen A. Costelloe, Attorney at Law
Knowledge, Experience & Creativity to Skillfully Guide You
Through Legal Transactions and Life Planning --
Protecting the People You Love, Your Property and Assets.
7420 County Line Road, Suite 5 Phone/Fax: 630.472.0616
Burr Ridge, IL 60527 Email: noreen@noreencostelloelaw.com
Probate and Estate Administration
When a Simple Will or a Will with a Testamentary Trust is used to designate an individual's beneficiaries and possibly name guardians for dependents, the will must be probated upon their death. This is a formal legal process required before the distribution of assets subject to probate; jointly-owned property and insurance policies with named beneficiaries are non-probate assets and not subject to probate.
Every will designates an Executor, who is responsible for probating of the will and distribution of the assets. If this is a family member or friend of the deceased (and not an attorney or professional experienced in these matters), the Executor usually hires an attorney to represent them as Executor, to make certain that everything is done properly.
Noreen Costelloe is well-versed in the probate process and experienced in guiding non-professional Executors through this unknown process at an emotionally difficult time. If the will creates one or more trusts, she will provide guidance there also as needed.
If a family member dies intestate or without a will, seeking professional advice is very important. While the state has objective guidelines on estate distribution, any party seeking beneficiary rights should retain counsel.
Please click on the "Contact Me" box to the right for a FREE 1/2 hour consultation and information on how Noreen can assist you with your Estate Planning Needs.
For a FREE, introductory
1/2 Hour Consultation on
Estate Planning or other Legal Service Practice Areas of Expertise.
