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Downers Grove Estate Planning Attorneys | Estate Administration Lawyers, Downers Grove IL

Our experienced Downers Grove estate planning and administration attorneys guide you through setting up your affordable will or trust, along with your powers of attorney and healthcare directives. At O'Flaherty Law, we work with trusted accountants and financial advisers to develop an overarching prudent plan to accomplish your family’s financial goals. We help to ensure your assets are distributed according to your wishes, name a guardian for your children, avoiding estate taxes and costly attorney fees and court costs upon your death and guardianship proceedings.
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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 Downers Grove Estate Planning Attorneys help you?

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 Downers Grove Estate Planning Attorneys:

  • We Are Affordable!  Our Downers Grove estate planning attorneys don't base our prices on what the market will bear.  Instead, we base them on how long it typically takes us to meet with a client and prepare documents (which is not terribly long).  If we are not the most cost-effective solution for your estate plan, we would like to hear about it.
  • We Go Above-And-Beyond!  Many estate planning attorneys will prepare cookie-cutter forms, fail to explain them to you properly and fail to assist you in properly funding the trust.   We take the time to fully educate you about estate planning, walk  you through your documents, cut through any red tape, and answer any questions you may have going forward.  
  • We Know Our Stuff!  Unlike many estate planning attorneys, we are experienced in cutting edge estate tax avoidance techniques, special needs trusts, creditor protection strategies, and other focused techniques to fit your situation.  We are not selling forms, but instead providing real customized experience.    
  • We are Comprehensive!  You need an estate plan today, but you may need help with a different legal issue tomorrow.  Wouldn't it be nice to work with the same trusted adviser for all of your legal solutions?  At O'Flaherty Law, our team approach provides you with experienced attorneys in nearly every area of law.  Regardless of your legal needs, you will get the same trusted quality of service and continuity of care.    
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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Location

Office Address

4949 Forest Ave., Ste. 1B

Downers Grove, IL 60515

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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 Downers Grove Estate Planning Attorneys

The 8 Goals Of A Good Downers Grove Estate Plan

In this article, our Downers Grove estate planning lawyers further discuss the 8 things you need in a good Illinois estate plan.

The four goals that apply to nearly every client and the tools that we use to accomplish them are:

1.  Appointment of fiduciaries and distribution of assets;

2.  Probate avoidance upon death;

3.  Guardianship avoidance upon mental incompetency;

4.  End of Life Instruction.

In addition to these four primary goals, clients in special circumstances may also seek to accomplish four particular goals that are specific to their circumstances. These four Focused Goals are:

5.  Estate tax avoidance;

6.  Ensuring that a loved one with special needs is provided for without preventing him or her from receiving social security payments;

7.  Protecting assets from creditors; and8.  Preventing assets from interfering with eligibility for Medicaid and transferring assets to loved ones at death free of Medicaid liens.

Read the entire article by our Downers Grove estate planning lawyers on the 8 goals of a good estate plan.

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Should I Have a Revocable Living Trust or a Will?

Our Downers Grove estate Planning attorneys explain why revocable living trusts are the most popular estate planning vehicle.

Revocable living trusts are used to ensure that your estate avoids probate. Probate is a year long court case that may be necessary to distribute your estate if you do not have a trust. If your estate goes through probate, your loved ones will not have access to your assets for at least a year, and will have to pay a significant amount in court costs and attorneys fees. Avoiding probate with a revocable living trust will save your family money, time, and unnecessary stress.

Read the full article by our Downers Grove estate planning lawyers on the benefits of revocable living trusts.

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Common Downers Grove Estate Plan Documents and FAQs

In this article, our Downers Grove estate planning team discusses the typical documents of an Illinois estate plan. These are:

1. Revocable Living Trust: Primary estate plan document, which sets forth inheritance wishes, provides for disability, and establishes successor trusts for children.

2. Pour-Over Will: Safety net document, which provides that any assets not transferred to trust during lifetime will be dealt with according to the terms of the trust; also provides for guardianship of minor children.

3. Healthcare Power of Attorney: Designates an individual to make medical decisions on your behalf in the event of incapacity.

4. Financial Power of Attorney: Allows your spouse (and successor agents) to execute financial transactions on your behalf.  

5. Living Will: States your wishes in the event that you are incapacitated and death is imminent except for delaying procedures.

Click each of the links above to more about each of these documents and how our Downers Grove estate planning attorneys can help you draft and enforce them.

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