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Champaign County Probate and Estate Administration Attorneys

Trust our experienced Champaign County Probate and Estate attorneys to assist you in drafting and implementing you or your loved one's legal documents.
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Smiling womanAttorney Kevin O'Flaherty

"Kevin was extremely professional, responsive and knowledgeable when I came to him for help. I would definitely recommend O'Flaherty Law!"

How can our Champaign County Probate and Estate Attorneys help you?

Top 3 Qualities to look for in Your Attorney

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We believe your attorney should not speak in legalese

Finding an attorney who is a “real person” can be difficult. Many attorneys surround themselves almost exclusively with other attorneys and are accustomed to speaking in ivory tower legalese.  You should be able to connect with your attorney on a personal level, and he or she should speak to you in plain language that you can understand.  You will be working very closely with this person on issues that are very important to you. It is important that he or she be down-to-earth and someone that you connect with.

We believe your attorney should be accessible

The most common complaint that clients have of their attorneys is that the attorney is unreachable, does not communicate with them regularly, or does not promptly return your calls.  Your attorney should reach out to you about your case regularly and respond within 24 hours to calls and e-mails.  An open line of communication between you and your attorney is essential to building trust.

Learn how we service your area through our Remote Location Approach.

We believe your attorney should be realistic with you about costs and outcomes

Your attorney’s goal should not be to win at all costs.  Rather, it should be to achieve a favorable outcome for you as efficiently as possible.  It is important that your attorney set realistic expectations at the outset as to the costs you should expect, the concerns that the attorney has about the outcome of your case, and the length of time that you should expect your case to take.

Regardless of the nature of your case, we have an experienced attorney who will focus on your individual needs. Our team of attorneys works closely together, bringing each of their different fields of experience to bear in order to optimize our client care.

Client Testimonials

Christi M.

Kevin's firm handled setting up my will and trust recently. They took something that seemed intimidating and made it easy to understand. I've also referred a couple clients to Kevin - he's trustworthy, approachable and very fairly priced.

Marvin

"I've used Kevin and his firm's services since 2011. He gave undivided attention to my cases, advised me on different options and..."

Rachel B.

"Kevin was extremely professional, responsive and knowledgeable when I came to him for help. I would definitely recommend O'Flaherty Law!"

About Champaign County Probate and Estate Attorneys:

We Are Cost Effective!  We understand that the last thing you and your family need at this difficult time is expensive legal fees.  Our experienced Champaign County attorneys will handle your probate matter efficiently and effectively.  We are proud of our affordable rates! 

We Go Above And Beyond For You And Your Family!  At O'Flaherty Law, we have a singular focus on providing experienced legal work and excellent service to our clients.  Many of our clients have taken the time to write us glowing testimonials after being assisted by our Champaign County probate attorneys.  In 2016 we were the recipient of the Avvo Client's Choice Award.  Kevin O'Flaherty was honored to receive the Best Under 40 Award from Suburban Life Magazine in 2015.  We have built a reputation for making every client's experience with our firm a positive one, despite the difficult times that we are helping them navigate. 

We Are Comprehensive! Probate cases often intersect with other areas of law that other probate attorneys are not capable of handling. Our team of Champaign County attorneys collectively have experience in nearly every area of law, and we take a collaborative approach to ensure that the best legal mind is focused on whatever issue may arise in your probate matter. Whether your probate case requires experience in real estate, family law, business law, or litigation, we have the resources to handle the issue in house to make sure you are getting the best representation possible.

Expertise Best Child Support Lawyers in Chicago 201710 Best 2016 Client Satisfaction American Institute of Family Law AttorneysAvvo Clients' Choice 2016 DivorceRising Stars Kevin P. O'Flaherty SuperLawyers.com10 Best Law Firms 2018 Client Satisfaction American Institute of Family Legal Counsel Attorneys Estate Planning Law40 under forty

What to Expect From a Legal Consultation

The purpose of a consultation is to determine whether our firm is a good fit for your legal needs. Although we often discuss expected results and costs, our attorneys do not give legal advice unless and until you choose to retain us.

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Hours of Operation

Monday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Tuesday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Wednesday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Thursday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Friday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed

Attorneys

Meet the Owner

I am personally committed to ensuring that each one of our clients receives the highest level of client service from our team.  Our mission is to provide excellent legal work in a cost-effective manner while maintaining open lines of communication between our clients and their attorneys.  Many of our clients are going through difficult times in their lives when they reach out to us.  They should feel comfortable leaning on the experience and knowledge of our attorneys as their counselors and advocates.  We are here to help!

- Attorney Kevin O'Flaherty, Owner

Check Out Articles and Videos from our Champaign County Probate and Estate Attorneys

Illinois Probate and Estate Law 2020

In this article, we explain Illinois Probate and Estate Law 2020 as well as recent changes to Illinois Estate and Probate Law. Probate is a court case that oversees the process of collecting and disbursing the assets of an individual’s estate once he or she has passed away. Not all estates need to go through probate.  Generally, probate is required if the decedent:

  • Owned assets outside of a trust or “payable on death” account in excess of $100,000; or
  • Owned any real estate that was not held jointly with another person with a right of survivorship.

The probate process varies slightly depending on whether or not the decedent had a will in place at the time of death.  If there is a will in place, the estate is referred to as a testate estate.  If the decedent did not have a will in place, the term intestate estate is applied. The most notable change to probate law is the addition of the Illinois Trust Code (ITC).  The ITC is based off of a unified standard called the Uniform Trust Code (UTC), which has been implemented in 33 states.  Most of the changes outlined in the ITC are optional and can be waived by the creator (known as the settlor) of the trust, but other statutes, such as the information an executor must provide to each beneficiary, must be followed under any circumstances.

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What is an Estate Accounting in Illinois Probate?

Our Champaign County probate and estate attorneys provide a description of how An estateaccounting is a document​ made by an executor​ or administrator of an estate which contains all of a decedent​’s assets​ and instructions for how those assets have been or will be distributed. An executor is typically named in the decedent’s will and approved by the court, as long as the representative is fit to serve as executor. In the absence of a will or nomination of an unfit candidate, the court will assign a representative to act as administrator for the case.

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When to Pay Estate Tax

In this video, our Champaign County estate tax attorneys takes the time to explain when to pay estate taxes on: inheritance taxes, state and federal estate taxes, and inherited retirement accounts. An inheritance tax is an amount of money due from a beneficiary who receives money or property from the estate of a deceased person. Inheritance taxes are due prior to receiving the inheritance check, so the amount received will already be reduced by the taxes owed. Federal tax exemption for a decedent’s estate depends on the exemption amount for the year of death. When it comes to state tax exemption, only a few states collect them, including Illinois. Similar to federal tax exemption, state tax exemption also depends on the exemption amount for the year of death. If an individual inherits a traditional IRA or 401k, he or she will have to include all distributions taken out in his or her ordinary federal income, and possibly state income, of that year. Inherited retirement assets are not taxable until they are distributed.


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