The Right Lawyer Changes Everything
Protect Your Assets, Future & Peace of Mind
Uncertain about your estate planning? We provide clear answers, cost transparency, and strategic legal solutions—so you don’t have to worry about what comes next.
Get a clear roadmap with results-driven approach.
Experts in Estate, Trusts, Wills & Probate
Servicing Cook, Lake, & Dupage County
Trusted by Families & Business Professionals Across Chicagoland
Estate Planning Services
Tailored To What You Need
At Zeidman & Carpenter, we understand that estate planning can be a complex and emotional process. That’s why we offer personalized attention and guidance every step of the way, to ensure that your estate plan reflects your wishes and protects your loved ones.
At Zeidman & Carpenter, we specialize in drafting comprehensive wills and trusts to ensure your assets are distributed according to your wishes. Our tailored solutions help you protect your legacy, minimize tax burdens, and provide clarity and peace of mind for your loved ones.
Navigating the probate process can be complex and overwhelming. Our team provides expert guidance in estate administration, ensuring compliance with legal requirements while easing the burden on executors and beneficiaries. We streamline the process, so you can focus on what matters most.
Your hard-earned assets deserve robust protection. At Zeidman & Carpenter, we craft personalized strategies to safeguard your wealth from unforeseen risks, creditors, and legal challenges. Our goal is to help you secure your financial future while maintaining flexibility and control.
Effective tax planning is crucial to preserving your wealth. Our attorneys work closely with you to develop strategies that minimize estate, gift, and income tax liabilities. With Zeidman & Carpenter, you can feel confident that your plan is both legally sound and financially efficient.
Planning for the future of your business is critical for its continued success. We help you develop customized succession plans that address ownership transfer, tax considerations, and operational continuity. Whether transitioning to family members or selling to external parties, our solutions protect your business’s legacy.
Planning for the Future, Protecting What Matters
"I worked with Jade on preparing estate planning documents and Jade's services and approach exceeded my expectations. She is extremely knowledgable about estate planning, cares about understanding her clients' needs and is creative and flexible in navigating open questions to create best possible outcome. I found her easy to work with and she made the whole process smooth and efficient."
Estate Planning
With Clear Guidance
Watch Our Video: Discover how Zeidman and Carpenter helps clients secure their legacy through tailored estate planning, wills, and trusts—proactively protecting assets, ensuring family security, and providing clear, thoughtful legal guidance.
Your Questions, Answered
Answers to clarify cost, time, outcome and strategy to help you make the right decision for your situation.
Yes. Estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy—it ensures your wishes are honored, helps avoid legal complications, and allows you to designate who will make financial and medical decisions on your behalf if needed. Even if you have minimal assets, having a will, power of attorney, and healthcare directives is essential.
Your estate plan should be reviewed every 3-5 years or anytime a major life event occurs, such as marriage, divorce, the birth or adoption of a child, a significant change in assets, a move to another state, or a change in your executor, trustee, or beneficiaries.
A will is just one part of estate planning—it outlines who will inherit your assets but still requires probate. Estate planning includes a will but also trusts, power of attorney documents, and healthcare directives to protect you during your lifetime and streamline asset distribution. A full estate plan reduces legal delays, minimizes taxes, and ensures your wishes are carried out efficiently.
It depends. Family members may have personal insight into your wishes, but the role can be stressful, time-consuming, and lead to conflicts. A third-party executor, such as a professional fiduciary, attorney, or trust company, provides neutrality and experience, ensuring your estate is managed properly. We can help you determine the best choice based on your situation.
If you pass away without a will or trust, Illinois intestacy laws decide how your assets are distributed. This means the court will determine who inherits your estate, which can lead to delays, higher costs, and potential disputes among family members. Without a power of attorney or healthcare directive, the court may also appoint someone to make financial and medical decisions on your behalf.
Minimizing estate taxes can be done through trusts, gifting assets to heirs during your lifetime, maximizing tax-free inheritance options like life insurance, and structuring your estate to take advantage of federal and Illinois estate tax exemptions. Our team can help you navigate these options to protect more of your wealth for future generations.
If you are unable to make decisions due to illness or injury and don’t have an estate plan in place, a court may appoint a guardian or conservator to manage your finances and medical care. This process can be costly, time-consuming, and may result in decisions that do not align with your wishes. A power of attorney and healthcare directive prevent this by ensuring a trusted individual handles these responsibilities.
Yes, but challenges are rare if your estate plan is properly structured. Common reasons for contests include claims of undue influence, lack of capacity, or unclear documents. To minimize disputes, keep your estate plan updated, work with an experienced estate attorney, use trusts to provide more control over asset distribution, and communicate your wishes to family members in advance. We ensure your estate plan is legally sound to reduce the risk of challenges and protect your legacy.
Case Study:
Protecting a Family’s Legacy in Skokie, IL
A Skokie-based family needed a comprehensive estate plan to safeguard their assets and ensure a smooth transfer to their children. They owned multiple properties, retirement accounts, and investment assets but lacked a structured plan.
Despite concerns about avoiding probate, reducing estate taxes, and securing guardianship for their children, they had no formal legal documents in place.
Our Estate Law Process:
From Start to Winning Outcomes
Estate planning can feel overwhelming, but our process makes it simple. From wills to trusts and probate, we guide you every step to protect your assets and wishes.
- Initial Consultation & Case Assessment
- Document Drafting
- Review & Client Approval
- Execution & Legal Filing
- Ongoing Support
At Zeidman & Carpenter, we begin with a comprehensive consultation to understand your needs. Whether you’re drafting a will, setting up a trust, or navigating probate, we assess your financial and family situation to create a customized plan. We discuss Illinois estate laws, your goals, and any concerns about asset protection, guardianship, or tax implications. This step ensures we lay the foundation for a secure and legally sound estate plan.
Once we understand your objectives, our legal team drafts the necessary documents, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives. We ensure these documents comply with Illinois estate laws and align with your specific wishes. If probate is involved, we prepare court petitions and legal filings to streamline the process. Every document is crafted with precision to minimize disputes and maximize protection for your beneficiaries.
We take the time to review each document with you in detail, ensuring clarity and accuracy. Our attorneys answer any questions, make necessary revisions, and provide guidance on funding your trust or updating beneficiary designations. We ensure that you fully understand your estate plan and that it reflects your intentions before finalization.
Estate planning documents must be executed correctly to be legally valid. At our Skokie office, we facilitate the signing process with proper witnesses and notarization. For probate cases, we handle court filings and representation, ensuring a smooth legal process. We also assist in updating property titles, financial accounts, and other legal requirements to put your plan into effect.
Estate planning isn’t a one-time event. As laws change and your life evolves, we offer ongoing legal support to update your documents. Whether you experience major life events—such as marriage, the birth of a child, or acquiring new assets—we ensure your estate plan stays current and effective. Our team remains available to assist with probate administration and provide trusted guidance for your family’s future.
Our Free Consultations Include:
Clear Roadmap Guarantee
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Honest Advice with No Pressue
Proactive Problem Prevention
Complex Legal Terms Explained In Plain English
Contact us
We offer two ways to get started:
1. Quick Contact Form (Right →) : If you have a general inquiry or need a brief consultation, fill out the simple form to connect with us.
2. Detailed Intake Form (Below ↓) : If you’re ready to take the next step, our intake forms help us gather key details upfront—saving you time and allowing our attorneys to quickly determine how we can assist you. These forms help qualify cases and ensure we provide the most relevant guidance.