Estate Planning
Last Will
& Testament
Decide who inherits, who's in charge, and — if you have children — who raises them. A will is the floor every estate plan should stand on.
- Guardianship for minor children
- Names your executor
- Coordinates with your plan
- Illinois & Missouri
The starting point
A will directs what a court eventually oversees.
A will directs who receives your property, names guardians for minor children, and appoints the executor who will carry out your wishes. For many families it works alongside a trust rather than instead of one.
On its own, a will generally does not avoid probate — the assets it governs still pass through court-supervised administration. That's why we design wills as part of a coordinated plan, not a single document in a drawer.
What a will does
Four decisions you don't want left to the state
Name guardians
Decide who raises your minor children — the single most important reason many parents finally make a will.
Direct who inherits
Say exactly who receives what, instead of leaving distribution to Illinois or Missouri intestacy law.
Appoint an executor
Choose the person you trust to settle your estate and carry out your instructions.
Coordinate the plan
A pour-over will catches anything not already titled in your trust, so nothing falls through the cracks.
What's at stake
With a will vs. without one
With a valid will
- You decide who inherits and who serves as executor
- You name guardians for minor children
- Clear instructions reduce family conflict
- Your wishes — not a statute — control
Dying intestate (no will)
- State law decides who inherits, in a fixed order
- A court decides who raises your children
- Unmarried partners and stepchildren may receive nothing
- More delay, cost, and uncertainty for your family
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a will if I have a living trust?
Yes — a 'pour-over' will works alongside your trust to catch any assets that weren't transferred into it during your lifetime, and it's where you name guardians for minor children. The two documents are designed to work together.
What happens if I die without a will in Illinois or Missouri?
Your estate passes by intestacy — a fixed statutory order that may not match your wishes. A surviving spouse and children typically split the estate, and unmarried partners, stepchildren, and friends generally inherit nothing unless named in a plan.
Can a will avoid probate?
Generally no. A will directs how probate assets are distributed, but those assets still pass through probate. If avoiding probate is a priority, a properly funded revocable living trust is the tool for that.
Put the basics in place — properly
A free 15-minute call to talk through your family, your wishes, and the right plan to protect them.