It's a new year! Time to review your estate planning documents.

It's a good idea to review your legal documents annually to make sure they are correct and up to date. It's important that you are still comfortable with the designations that you have made to your will, trust and powers of  attorney on a regular basis.

Think about the changes in your life since you last updated your documents and decide what needs to be revised. To help you get started, here's a few changes that may have taken place in your life. Have you had a child or adopted a child? Have you gotten married or divorced? Moved to a different state? Had a major financial event? Do you want a particular person to receive a specific item of property? Do you want to leave a family pet to a specific person with a fund to pay for the pet's care?

Bradford Miller Law has been helping clients with their estate planning for several years. If you need new documents drawn up or need to make changes to your existing legal documents we can help. Call us for your estate planning needs.

Posted by Bradford Miller Law, P.C.
134 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 1040
Chicago, Il 6062
312-238-9298

http://www.bradfordmillerlaw.com

Offering free legal representation to homeowners seeking a short sale

Key words: Chicago estate planning attorney, Chicago short sale attorney, Chicago residential real estate attorney, Chicago landlord tenant law attorney, Chicago eviction attorney, Chicago real estate attorney, Chicago real estate lawyer, Chicago real estate attorney fees. This is intended to be advertising. Please consult with an attorney before acting on any information given here.

What to think about before sitting down with an attorney to plan your estate

It is important to have a basic estate plan in place no matter what your net worth to ensure that your family and financial goals are met. Estate planning may include a will, a trust and various powers of attorney.

Taking inventory of your assets is a good place to start. Your assets may include your investments, retirement savings, insurance policies, and real estate or business interests.

Then ask yourself these questions:

• Who do you want to inherit your assets?
• Who do you want to name as guardians for your minor children?
• Who do you want to handle your financial affairs if you are unable?
• Who do you want to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to make them for yourself?

Bradford Miller Law has been helping clients with their Estate Plans for several years. Call us to help you plan your family and financial goals.

Posted by Bradford Miller Law, P.C.
134 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 1040
Chicago, Il 6062
312-238-9298

http://www.bradfordmillerlaw.com

Offering free legal representation to homeowners seeking a short sale

Key words: Chicago estate planning attorney, Chicago short sale attorney, Chicago residential real estate attorney, Chicago landlord tenant law attorney, Chicago eviction attorney, Chicago real estate attorney, Chicago real estate lawyer, Chicago real estate attorney fees. This is intended to be advertising. Please consult with an attorney before acting on any information given here.

Talking to your children about inheritance

Talking about how much money you have with your children can be a touchy subject. Many people consider it a private matter and, talking to your children about this can be difficult for many.
However, not letting your children know what they can expect may leave them unprepared and can hinder their ability to handle money and their inheritance wisely. Experts agree that it is important to talk to your children about money. You do not need to show them bank and financial statements, instead you can talk to them about your values, the opportunities money can provide and, what you may want them to accomplish with their inheritance.
The most effective way to teach your children about your views and values on money is by example. Let them see you using your money in ways that reinforce your own values. If your children see you being charitable, chances are they will also be charitable.  Many parents show how they value family relationships by going on family vacations or buying a second home for the family to enjoy together. If they see you looking for value on a purchase and comparison shopping, chances are they will not be wasteful with their own money or with their inheritance.

Posted by Bradford Miller Law, P.C.
134 N. LaSalle, Suite 1040
Chicago, Il 60602
312-238-9298

http://www.bradfordmillerlaw.com

Key words: Chicago short sale attorney, Chicago residential real estate attorney, Chicago eviction attorney, Chicago estate planning attorney, Chicago real estate attorney, Chicago real estate lawyer, Chicago building code violations, Chicago Real Estate Attorney fees. This is intended to be advertising. Please consult with an attorney before acting on any information given here.
 

How do you hold your property?

Joint tenancy, tenancy in common, and tenancy by the entirety are all ways to hold property in Illinois. When you hold property via tenancy in common with another person, upon the death of one of the co-owners, that share becomes part of the deceased coowner’s estate rather than passing to the other co-owners. That can make a BIG difference! In other words, a committed couple who own property together can run into problems when one of them passes away if the property is held via tenancy in common.

If you are interesting in an estate plan, contact Attorney Bradford Miller for a free consultation.

Posted by Bradford Miller Law, P.C.
Real Estate Law, Landlord Tenant Law, Estate Planning
134 N. LaSalle, Suite 1040
Chicago, IL 60602
312-238-9298
http://www.bradfordmillerlaw.com

Offering free legal representation to homeowners seeking a short sale

Key words: Chicago short sale attorney, Chicago landlord tenant law attorney, Chicago estate planning attorney, Chicago real estate attorney, Chicago real estate lawyer, Chicago building code violations, short sale attorney Chicago, Chicago Eviction Attorney. This is intended to be advertising. Please consult with an attorney before acting on any information given here.

What do I do with my mom's house?

I received a call the other day.  The son said his mother was going into a nursing home and they wanted to sell the house she was living in but she owed $120,000 on her mortgage and her house was only worth $95,000 at best.  They did not have the difference to make up the loss.

After a free phone consultation, we decided to do a short sale.  A short sale will allow someone to sell their house for less than what is owed if they qualify.  To qualify, a person needs a hardship.  For most people their hardship is a loss of income or increased expenses.

If you need to sell your home but owe more than it is worth, give my office a call to go over your options.  The call is free and if you end up doing a short sale our legal representation is free.

Posted by Bradford Miller Law, P.C.

A Law Firm Dedicated To Real Estate Law, Landlord Tenant Law, and Estate Planning

134 N. LaSalle, Suite 1040

Chicago, IL 60602

312-238-9298

http://www.bradfordmillerlaw.com

Offering free legal representation to homeowners seeking a short sale

Key words: Chicago short sale attorney, Chicago landlord tenant law attorney, Chicago estate planning attorney, Chicago real estate attorney, Chicago real estate lawyer, Chicago building code violations, short sale attorney Chicago. This is intended to be advertising.  Please consult with an attorney before acting on any information given here.