Estate Planning
in Wilmette, IL.
Make sure the people you love get what you've built.
Estate planning isn't just for the wealthy, it's for anyone who wants to make sure their family is taken care of. Without a plan, Illinois probate courts decide who gets your assets, who takes care of your children, and how your life's work is distributed.
At our firm, we work with families across Chicago's Northern Suburbs to create estate plans that protect your legacy, minimize taxes, avoid probate, and ensure your wishes are honored.
What this looks like in Wilmette.
Many Wilmette families have estates that cross the Illinois $4 million threshold when combining a home valued at $600,000-$900,000, retirement accounts, and taxable investments, yet remain well below the federal estate tax threshold. This Illinois-specific exposure makes bypass trust planning and lifetime gifting strategies essential components of a Wilmette estate plan, and we coordinate this work closely with North Shore estate attorneys who practice in Cook County probate court.
The county details.
Illinois's $4 million estate tax exemption is the defining issue in Cook County estate planning, and it catches more families than expect it. A primary residence worth $1.2 million, a $1.5 million investment portfolio, and $500,000 in life insurance already totals $3.2 million, before accounting for retirement accounts. Without specific trust planning, both the federal and Illinois estate tax exemptions may not be fully utilized at the first spouse's death. An AB trust or disclaimer trust design ensures both spouses' Illinois exemptions are captured, potentially protecting up to $8 million from Illinois estate tax.
Why Wilmette.
Many Wilmette residents are long-tenured professionals in downtown Chicago who commuted via Metra for decades. As they retire, they want to maintain their lifestyle in the community they love, which requires careful planning given Wilmette's higher cost of living.
Things Wilmette families ask.
Down the shore.
Talk to a Wilmette
advisor.
One free conversation about estate planning, at your kitchen table, our Evanston office, or a video call.