Highwood, Illinois · Estate Planning
Highwood Estate Planning Attorney — From $500
Lysinski & Associates P.C. helps Highwood families who are raising children and helping aging parents at the same time, and Adam Lysinski often prepares two coordinated plans at once — guardianship for the kids, authority documents for the parents. Plans start at $500.
Many Highwood households are squarely in the sandwich generation. The planning here is less about estate tax and more about being ready: naming who would raise minor children, and getting a parent's documents signed while that parent still has capacity, before a medical event forces an emergency court guardianship.
A first real plan for a Highwood family
- For the children. A clear guardian designation, a will, and a simple trust or beneficiary plan so a modest condo or home does not have to pass through probate.
- For the parents. Durable powers of attorney for property and healthcare, plus a HIPAA authorization, signed while capacity is intact, so a trusted family member can act without a courtroom.
- Capacity, not crisis. Acting early avoids emergency guardianship; the documents are explained so the whole family knows who can act and when.
- Beneficiary review. Retirement accounts and life insurance pass by designation, so those are reviewed against the new plan.
Why Highwood families plan with Adam
You get an attorney who explains each document in plain language and builds a plan a young, busy family can actually keep current. Adam can meet you in Highwood, by phone, or by email at info@lysinski.com.
Highwood Estate Planning Questions.
My parent is starting to decline. What do we need first?
Powers of attorney for property and healthcare, signed while your parent still has capacity. Adam prepares these first so a family member can manage care and finances without going to court.
We just want guardianship for our kids handled. Is that enough?
It is the most important piece, paired with a will and powers of attorney. A simple trust or beneficiary plan can also keep your home out of probate.
Does a small condo really need planning?
If it is titled only in one name, it can still trigger probate. A short trust or proper beneficiary designation usually avoids that cost and delay.
We're new parents in Highwood. What single estate document is most urgent right now?
A will that names a guardian, and a backup, for your child. Without it, the probate court decides who raises your child based on family petitions, and the result may not match your wishes. Adam pairs it with a testamentary trust so assets for your child are managed by a trustee you choose rather than handed to an 18-year-old, plus powers of attorney so one parent can act if the other is incapacitated.
We're raising kids and helping aging parents at the same time. Can one plan cover both?
Yes, Adam often prepares two coordinated sets at once: guardianship, a will, and powers of attorney for your household, and durable powers of attorney plus HIPAA authorizations for your parents, signed while they still have capacity. Acting early avoids an emergency court guardianship when a medical event hits.
Estate plan pricing
Estate plans from $500. Filing and recording costs and unusually complex matters are separate from the plan fee.
Call (773) 777-9888 to set up guardianship, powers of attorney, and a first plan for your Highwood family.
Estate planning in nearby communities: Bannockburn, Harwood Heights, Long Grove, Lincolnshire, Glencoe, Riverwoods, Winnetka, Norridge, Vernon Hills, Highland Park, Deerfield, Lake Zurich, Wilmette, Niles.