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Planning for Your Family's Education Through Trusts and Savings Strategies

According to the College Board, the average tuition and fees for the 2025–2026 academic year are $11,950 for a four-year in-state public institution; $31,880 for a four-year out-of-state public institution; $45,000 for a four-year nonprofit private institution; and $4,150 for a two-year public institution. If postsecondary education is in your family’s future, the following tools can be excellent additions to your estate plan to help provide for education needs.
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6 Ways to Own Real Estate and What They Mean for Your Estate Plan

Real estate can be owned in several different ways, and the form of ownership you choose can have a significant impact on your estate plan. How your property is titled affects the amount of control you have over it during your lifetime, your exposure to creditor claims and lawsuits, and what happens to the property after your death. Understanding the different ways to own real estate can help ensure your assets pass according to your wishes and support your broader estate planning goals.
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3 Estate Planning Steps Every New Homeowner Should Take

Congratulations on your new home. Whether you are officially a first-time homeowner or are leveling up (or scaling back) to a space that better fits your life, buying property is a massive milestone and a good time to revisit your estate plan with experienced estate planning attorneys.
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Estate Planning for First-Time Homebuyers

Buying a home is exciting, whether it is your first time or your latest move. You have most likely worked with a realtor, a lender, a home inspector, and a title company, but there is one more important professional to consider: experienced estate planning attorneys. Ensuring that your new home is properly integrated into your estate plan can help protect your assets, clarify your wishes, and make life easier for your loved ones if something unexpected happens to you.
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What to Do After a Loved One Dies: Estate Checklist for Executors and Families

If you have been named the person responsible for settling a deceased loved one’s affairs, commonly called an executor or personal representative (if your loved one had no estate plan or had a will) or a successor trustee (if they had a trust), you may find yourself overwhelmed by grief and a growing list of responsibilities. As the person in charge of winding up your loved one’s affairs, you may find yourself juggling many tasks: planning the funeral, coordinating with relatives arriving from out of town, and meeting with an attorney to start the legal process of paying for final expenses and any outstanding debts so the money and property can be distributed to the appropriate recipients. First and foremost, be sure to take care of yourself during this emotional time.
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Whom Should I Tell About My Estate Plan?

Creating an estate plan is typically a private matter, not something you share in detail with everyone in your life. If you have questions about how to properly structure and communicate your plan, the team at Pavone Law Firm in Bloomingdale, IL, can help guide you through the process. After all, what you choose to do with your money and property is your business. Your partner might know what is in your plan, especially if you created it together. But beyond that, does anyone else really need to know?
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Trust Funding: Setting Your Trustee Up for Success

A revocable living trust can serve as a valuable estate planning tool to help ensure that your finances remain well-managed if you become incapacitated (unable to manage your affairs while you are alive) and to provide future financial security for your loved ones upon your passing. However, merely signing the trust agreement does not complete the estate planning process; to work properly, the trust must be funded.
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Estate Planning for Children: Fair Does Not Always Mean Equal

Estate planning for children is an important part of making sure your family is protected and your wishes are carried out. The attorneys at Pavone Law Group help families create estate plans that reflect their goals and their children’s individual needs.
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Retirement Planning for Business Owners

As a business owner, planning for retirement requires more effort, foresight, and strategy. In addition to navigating the wide range of retirement account options available to business owners, you must also ensure that your chosen strategy aligns with your overall estate plan.
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Why Every Business Owner Should Consider Incapacity Planning

As a business owner, you have likely considered establishing an estate plan to ensure your company’s continued success after your passing. However, comprehensive estate planning also addresses what will happen if you become mentally incapacitated (unable to manage your affairs) due to illness, injury, or cognitive decline, or if you need to be away from your business for an extended period.
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