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11 Major Reasons to Update Your Estate Planning in Illinois
If you have an estate plan, you are already doing better than many. Creating an initial estate plan is certainly challenging, and it’s often an emotionally difficult process. It's understandable that you don't want to repeat the experience and update your plan. But as...
How Can Life Insurance Help with Estate Planning?
Life insurance can be a valuable tool in the estate planning process – providing protection and cash when your loved ones need it most. Many people ask us if life insurance should be a part of their estate planning. Our answer always depends on the individual...
How to Get Started Allowing Hunting on Private Property
Hunting has long been a cherished tradition and recreational activity for many individuals. Understanding the requirements and options for hunters is crucial, whether you're experienced or just starting out. In Illinois, prospective hunters need a hunting license,...
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Granny, Can I Borrow Your Flat Screen TV? Types of Elder Fraud to Watch Out For
In our last post we talked about how Elder Fraud is sadly on the rise. In this post we want to give you a heads up about specific types of fraud to look out for. Scams to watch out for from strangers: Fake prizes and sweepstakes Too good to be true investments...
What You Need to Know About Hospice
At Edwards Group we believe that education is foundational to navigating the issues of aging with as little stress as possible. And with all the misinformation out there about hospice, we thought it would be good to do an article on the topic. Elisa Cottrell, a former...
Granny Got Robbed: A Series on Elder Fraud
When you see an article in the paper about a senior being taken advantage of, it often involves a power of attorney. A power of attorney is a great legal tool that lets someone else help you pay your bills or manage finances and property. But, watch out! If you name...
Planning with Life Insurance
We often use life insurance as a tool in helping clients. Life insurance is important in many estate-planning situations, such as the following: Young families. Life insurance can help raise the kids and get them through college...
5 Reasons Not to DIY Your Will
I often hear people say, "I don't need an estate plan. I don't have an estate!" But that's not true. Virtually everyone can benefit from having a personalized estate plan, which is, at the very least, a will. Without one, the state of Illinois will decide what happens...
The Truth About Six Common Estate Planning Excuses
It was recently Estate Planning Awareness Week. This concept was developed because estate planning is an often-overlooked element of financial wellness. And it's one that is quite easy to put off thinking about. Here at Edwards Group, it's estate planning awareness...
Do You Have Trust Issues? One Family’s Cautionary Tale of Why You Need More Than a Will
When John Meier* died, he thought he had taken care of everything. He even left a will expressing his wish for his two children to share the lakefront property he had owned for over 50 years. Unfortunately, sometimes, wishes don't come true. The traditional will his...
12 Questions to Ask an Estate Planning Attorney BEFORE Working With Them
I often get asked, "How much does it cost to do an estate plan?" It's difficult to answer that question without understanding more about your family, your situation, and explaining more about our process. If you called a contractor and said, "I want to build a house....
9 Communication Strategies for Dealing With Aging Parents
"Old age ain't no place for sissies." ~Bette Davis I'm sure nearly all of us can conjure up a difficult or frustrating conversation that we've had with aging parents or grandparents. It can be challenging even on a good day, but throw in medical decisions,...
Estate Planning is Like… Backing Into a Parking Place
Do you back into your parking spots or just pull in? How you pull into parking spots may determine what kind of estate planner you are. Read on to find out where you fall. At Ritz's Diner one morning there was a whole row of trucks that were backed into their parking...