Finding an attorney who is a “real person” can be difficult. Many attorneys surround themselves almost exclusively with other attorneys and are accustomed to speaking in ivory tower legalese. You should be able to connect with your attorney on a personal level, and he or she should speak to you in plain language that you can understand. You will be working very closely with this person on issues that are very important to you. It is important that he or she be down-to-earth and someone that you connect with.
The most common complaint that clients have of their attorneys is that the attorney is unreachable, does not communicate with them regularly, or does not promptly return your calls. Your attorney should reach out to you about your case regularly and respond within 24 hours to calls and e-mails. An open line of communication between you and your attorney is essential to building trust.
Your attorney’s goal should not be to win at all costs. Rather, it should be to achieve a favorable outcome for you as efficiently as possible. It is important that your attorney set realistic expectations at the outset as to the costs you should expect, the concerns that the attorney has about the outcome of your case, and the length of time that you should expect your case to take.
Regardless of the nature of your case, we have an experienced attorney who will focus on your individual needs. Our team of attorneys works closely together, bringing each of their different fields of experience to bear in order to optimize our client care.
Kevin's firm handled setting up my will and trust recently. They took something that seemed intimidating and made it easy to understand. I've also referred a couple clients to Kevin - he's trustworthy, approachable and very fairly priced.
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If you or a loved one are receiving disability benefits, our Winnebago County special needs attorneys will ensure you can earn an income, receive gifts and inheritances, and accumulate assets without putting your benefits at risk. By helping you establish a Supplemental Needs Trust, we can help you and/or your loved one plan for your future comfort and support.
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The purpose of a consultation is to determine whether our firm is a good fit for your legal needs. Although we often discuss expected results and costs, our attorneys do not give legal advice unless and until you choose to retain us.
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Rockford, IL 61114
I am personally committed to ensuring that each one of our clients receives the highest level of client service from our team. Our mission is to provide excellent legal work in a cost-effective manner while maintaining open lines of communication between our clients and their attorneys. Many of our clients are going through difficult times in their lives when they reach out to us. They should feel comfortable leaning on the experience and knowledge of our attorneys as their counselors and advocates. We are here to help!
In this article, our Winnebago County special needs attorneys discuss how Special Needs Trusts are used in planning for the care of individuals with special needs.
Someone with a disability in Winnebago County is typically entitled to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) if they have less than $2,000 in assets and earns under the maximum amount as described by SSI guidelines. With the help of our Winnebago County special needs attorneys and the creation of a Special Needs Trust, your loved ones can ensure you gain assets and income without any reduction of benefits.
In this article, our Winnebago County special needs attorneys discuss the process of adding a home to a Special Needs Trust and the benefits from not counting it as an asset when calculating Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
We explain the types of items that Special Needs Trust are allowed to pay for and what isn't allowed under the rules. SSI can be used to pay for groceries, shelter, utilities and mortgage payments, so in effect, money from a trust cannot be used for these.
Our friendly Winnebago County special needs attorneys can work with you and your family to establish a Supplemental Needs Trust, also known as a Special Needs Trust, to allow you or a disabled loved one to accumulate assets, own property, earn an income, and receive gifts and inheritances without reducing or jeopardizing their government benefits.
In this article, we explain the primary differences between a First Party and Third Part Special Needs Trust. In short, while a first party trust is funded by assets owned by the beneficiary, a third party trust is created and funded by family members who leave property through their estate plan. We also explain factors you should consider under Illinois law for setting up a First Party or Third Party Special Needs Trust.