Estate Planning

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It’s Halloween—a season of ghosts, goblins, and spooky surprises. But one of the scariest things you can leave behind for your family isn’t a haunted house. It’s your digital ghosts—unprotected online accounts, lost passwords, and forgotten assets that come back to haunt your loved ones.

What Are Digital Ghosts?

  • A Facebook account that can’t be closed or memorialized.
  • A crypto wallet that disappears without the key.
  • Online bills or subscriptions no one knows about.
  • Photos, music, or videos locked

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Continue Reading The Digital Ghosts You Leave Behind

Imagine this: your family tries to log into your email or PayPal account after you pass away, but they’re blocked. Without proper planning, your digital assets could be locked forever, no matter how valuable they are.
That’s why legal tools matter.

The Problem with “Just Sharing Passwords”
Handing over a password list may sound easy, but it’s not legally recognized. In fact, it could violate privacy laws or user agreements. To ensure your digital assets are handled properly, you

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Continue Reading Avoiding Digital Nightmares: Legal Tools for Digital Estate Planning

Estate planning isn’t just about houses, cars, and savings accounts anymore. In today’s digital world, many families have valuable property online—cryptocurrency, NFTs, digital businesses, even social media accounts that bring in advertising income. But here’s the catch: if you don’t plan ahead, your loved ones may never be able to access or inherit these assets.

What Happens to Crypto and NFTs?
Cryptocurrency and NFTs are unique because they don’t exist in a physical form. Without access to your private

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Continue Reading Who Inherits Your Crypto, NFTs, and Online Accounts?

Divorce marks the closing of one chapter, and the beginning of another. Amid the legal paperwork, emotional transitions, and shifting routines, updating your estate plan may not be on your priority list. But that’s exactly why it deserves your attention now, because it’s a chance to take control and build clarity into your new life.

In Wisconsin, the law provides some built-in protections. Once a divorce (or annulment) becomes final, many references to an ex-spouse in wills, trusts, or…
Continue Reading Starting Fresh: Turning Post-Divorce Estate Planning into Peace of Mind

When most people think about estate planning, they picture bank accounts, real estate, investments, or family heirlooms. But in today’s world, an equally important part of your legacy lives online: your digital assets.
From photos stored in the cloud to cryptocurrency wallets, your digital life carries value—both sentimental and financial. Ignoring these assets could leave your family frustrated, locked out, or even vulnerable to fraud.

What Are Digital Assets?
Digital assets include more than just your social media pages.

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Continue Reading Why Digital Assets Belong in Your Estate Plan

When a loved one passes away in Illinois, their estate often needs to go through a legal process called probate. Probate ensures that debts are paid, taxes are filed, and assets are distributed according to the person’s will or, if there is no will, under Illinois intestacy laws. At the center of this process is the executor—sometimes called a “personal representative.”
But what exactly does an executor do? Let’s break down their responsibilities.

Who Can Be an Executor in

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Continue Reading What Is the Role of an Executor in Illinois Probate?

When it comes to estate planning, many people believe that if they don’t write a will, everything will “just work out.” Unfortunately, that’s not how it works in Illinois—or anywhere else. Dying without a will (also called dying intestate) can leave your loved ones with legal headaches, financial burdens, and even family conflict.

To help clear things up, let’s bust three common myths about what happens if you pass away without a will.
Myth #1: “My spouse will

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Continue Reading 3 Myths About Dying Without a Will

Most families hope that love will keep them united after a loved one passes. Unfortunately, probate courts in Illinois tell a different story. Disputes over estates are surprisingly common, and once they begin, they can drag on for years—costing families both money and relationships.
The good news? Most estate battles start for the same reasons, and with the right planning, they can often be avoided.

1. Unclear or Outdated Documents
One of the fastest ways to create family conflict

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Continue Reading The Top 3 Causes of Estate Battles (and How to Avoid Them)

I retired from the full-time practice of law on July 1, 2019. I first wrote about what I have been doing since then in the December 2020 Elder Law and Special Needs Section Blog. It is sometimes hard for me to believe that five years have passed since then. Here is a summary of some of my activities during this time.
Paul A. Sturgul Paul Sturgul,
U.W. 1973, is of counsel with Sturgul & Long, S.C., in Hurley, and though

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Continue Reading Contested Guardianships, Advocacy, and a Podcast: A Lawyer’s Unexpected Retirement Journey

No one likes to imagine their family fighting after they’re gone. Yet, probate courts in Illinois see it all the time—siblings stop speaking, step-families split apart, and inheritances vanish in legal fees. The sad truth? Most of these conflicts could have been avoided with a thoughtful estate plan.

Why Family Drama Happens After a Death
Even in the closest families, grief can magnify small tensions. Add money, property, or unclear instructions, and things can spiral quickly. Some of the

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Continue Reading How to Prevent Family Drama Over Your Estate

As the summer winds down and the school year begins, parents everywhere are checking supply lists, packing lunches, and signing permission slips. But there’s one important checklist that often gets overlooked: estate planning and emergency preparedness.
While it’s not as fun as picking out new backpacks, taking time to put your legal and financial affairs in order can protect your family if the unexpected happens. Whether you have a kindergartner starting their first day or a young adult heading

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Continue Reading Back to School Planning: The Perfect Time for a Plan Update

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It is the initial consultation: A daughter and a son come in. Dad passed away nine years ago, and their mom just recently passed. They brought in the binder with the estate planning documents. There was a will for mom and dad. (Dad’s original will had not been filed at the courthouse). The revocable trust was 20 years old. They brought in the deed for the house, showing that mom and dad owned the real estate as joint tenants.

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Continue Reading Why Estate Plans Fail – and How Attorneys Can Prevent It

If you’re considering divorce, your estate plan probably isn’t the first thing on your mind—but it should be. In Illinois, having a will in place before you begin the divorce process can make a major difference in how your assets are handled, who makes decisions for you, and what happens if something unexpected occurs before the divorce is finalized.
Here’s why creating or updating your will before a divorce is one of the smartest legal moves you can make.

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Continue Reading Thinking About Divorce? Don’t Forget Your Will

On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” into law.  H.R. 1, 119th Cong. (2025), Pub. L. No. 119-21 (the “Act”).  The Act makes significant changes to the tax code that will impact individuals and businesses.  Below are five beautiful bullet points you should know about the Big Beautiful Bill.

  • SALT Deduction Increase:  The Act increased the maximum State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction from $10,000 to $40,000 for the next five years. Then,

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Continue Reading Big Beautiful Bullet Points on the Big Beautiful Bill

word TAXES written on wooden cube block stack on black background, business concept
word TAXES is written on wooden cubes standing on a black background

The U.S. tax code just underwent its most significant overhaul since 2017. On July 4, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) into law, a far-reaching tax reform law that touches nearly every corner of the tax system, including estate and gift taxes, business deductions, international provisions, and individual income tax rules.

Some provisions apply as early as tax year 2025, while others begin in 2026 or later, making it important to understand the…
Continue Reading One Big Beautiful Bill Becomes Law: What the Sweeping Tax Reform Means for You and Your Business

When estate and gift tax exemptions are high, clients may feel it’s time to take their foot off the gas when it comes to their estate planning. In fact, these are perfect times to turn your attention to the non-tax portions of your planning to ensure that special assets and unique family circumstances are planned for properly. Business interests, family cabins or farms are just a few of the assets that require specific planning. It’s also important for clients…
Continue Reading Time to Turn Off the Cruise Control: Advanced Planning Considerations When Exemptions Are High