Put Your Home in a Trust to Avoid Probate
Heather A. McCollum • October 13, 2025
A crucial estate planning tool that many people in Illinois overlook is putting their home in a trust. Placing your house in a revocable trust offers multiple benefits: it avoids probate, which can save your family time and money after your death; it ensures a successor trustee can manage and maintain the property if you become incapacitated; and it allows you to control how the home is distributed, such as setting conditions for beneficiaries or protecting it for minor or special-needs children. Contact estate planning attorney Heather McCollum to learn more and to set up a free consultation. 847-705-7555 or hmccollum@lavellelaw.com
More News & Resources
Lavelle Law News and Events
In response to Executive Order 14247 requiring the Internal Revenue Service to eliminate the use of physical checks, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced that paper tax refund checks for individual taxpayers will be phased out.
The 2025 Lavelle Law Charities Food Drive benefiting the Schaumburg Township Food Pantry has begun! Join us in our efforts to bring food, dignity, and hope to residents in need who rely on the food pantry. The need is greater than ever this year, as the food pantry serves over 1,300 households each month!
Our experienced family law attorneys, Joe Olszowka, Annette Corrigan, and Kristina Buchthal Alkass, discussed three key areas of family law matters: prenuptial/postnuptial agreements, collaborative divorce, and child custody. This video is a recording of their presentation on September 17, 2025.
Lavelle Law's Dealership Law team saves client thousands for alleged advertising violations.
Taylor Swift’s engagement to Travis Kelce has made a big splash in the news. In this podcast, Lavelle Law family law attorneys Joe Olszowka and Kristina Buchthal Alkass discuss the importance of prenuptial agreements - and not just for the wealthy.
The U.S. Treasury Department issued a preliminary list of nearly 70 jobs that qualify for “no tax on tips.” The occupations include a wide range of services spanning from Rickshaw drivers to digital content creators.
On August 20, 2025, the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court decided Chicago Title Land Trust Co. v. Watkin, 2025 IL App (1st) 241354 (August 20, 2025). At issue in Watkin was whether the expiration of the statute of limitations barring enforcement of a mortgage also extinguishes the mortgage lien.
The Illinois General Assembly has updated the Probate Act of 1975 to improve the small estate affidavit process for settling estates without formal probate. Effective immediately, this amendment offers significant benefits for Illinois residents managing a loved one's estate.
A common consideration in a divorce case is who will get to keep the family pet. Illinois has a specific law that addresses this issue. In this video, divorce attorney Joe Olszowka explains the various factors the court considers when there is a pet involved in an Illinois family law case.
Lavelle Saves Homeowner from Real Estate Tax Bill Disaster - In the end, our client clawed back ownership of his family’s home and was made whole on the attorney fees he was forced to pay to rectify this unfortunate situation.
