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McAfee reports that a global study asked consumers to assign values to digital assets such as photograph libraries, entertainment files and personal information which is stored on and/or readily accessible via computers, tablets and smartphones. According to the study, consumers placed an average value of over $37,000 on the digital assets they own. In the United States, people valued their digital assets at nearly $55,000. While digital assets can undoubtedly be valuable, utilizing estate planning to pass such assets on to one’s intended beneficiaries is a relatively new phenomenon. Illinois is one of the vast majority of states which has not enacted... Read More

Illinois passed a law last year that allowed for same-sex marriages within the state. While it had previously allowed for civil unions for these couples, the new law confers many more opportunities and benefits for couples who choose to marry. Some changes have already gone into effect and the remaining changes will go into effect on June 1, 2014. It is important that people understand what this means for their families. One of the key parts of the bill applies to those individuals in civil unions with their partners. Under the new law, these couples must apply to have their... Read More

Marriage is a legal arrangement as much as it is a social one. Ending a marriage through divorce can have a number of legal implications that might not even be on your radar screen. One of the most important considerations after divorce is how your estate plan will be affected. Understating the impact of divorce on your estate plan and the kind of updates you will need can help you avoid serious unintended results. Some legal instruments change automatically upon divorce, but still need to be updated Under Illinois law, upon divorce, any portions of your will that provide for... Read More

Victory! Civil Union Bill Passes the Illinois House & Senate On December 1, 2010, the Illinois Senate followed the lead of the Illinois House of Representatives in passing Senate Bill 1716, the Illinois Religious Freedom and Protection and Civil Union Act. The measure creates civil unions in Illinois, permitting couples – including same sex couples in our state – to enter into a relationship that provides all the basic legal state protections and responsibilities currently offered only to heterosexual couples who marry. This is an historic and proud event for Illinois. The Illinois General Assembly, in a step toward basic... Read More

On November 20, 2013, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed Senate Bill 10, allowing same-sex couples to marry, making Illinois the 16th state in the country to legalize same-sex marriage, according to the governor’s press release. The new law takes effect June 1, 2014. The law requires that all Illinois laws applicable to marriage apply “equally to marriages of same-sex and different-sex couples and their children” and gives them the “same benefits, protections, and responsibilities under law.” The law also provides for the voluntary conversion of a civil union to a marriage. These changes will affect estate planning for same-sex couples.Surviving spouses are accorded special rights under... Read More