TL;DR:
A will is a legal document that lets you decide how your assets are distributed, name guardians for children, and appoint an executor after death. In Illinois, it must meet strict signing and witness requirements to be valid, or it will not be accepted in probate. Without a will, state law decides who inherits your property.
A will is the most fundamental document in any estate plan – and the absence of one is a decision by default, not by design. Without a valid will, Illinois law decides who receives your property, who raises your children, and who administers your estate. At Citizens Law Group, we draft wills and comprehensive estate plans for Illinois individuals and families at every stage of life, making sure your intentions are legally documented and enforceable.
Why Every Illinois Adult Needs a Will
A will – formally called a Last Will and Testament – is the legal document by which you direct the distribution of your assets, name a guardian for your minor children, and designate a trusted person (your executor) to carry out your wishes after your death. Without one, your estate passes under the Illinois intestacy statute (755 ILCS 5/2-1), which distributes assets according to a fixed priority schedule that may bear no resemblance to your actual intentions and will go through probate in Illinois courts. Your unmarried partner receives nothing under intestacy. Your stepchildren receive nothing. Your favorite charity receives nothing. A valid will puts you in control.
Requirements for a Valid Will in Illinois
Under the Illinois Probate Act (755 ILCS 5/4-1 et seq.), a valid will must meet all of the following requirements without exception: the testator – the person making the will – must be at least 18 years old and of sound mind and memory at the time of signing, meaning they understand the nature of making a will, the extent of their assets, and who their natural heirs are; the will must be in writing; it must be signed by the testator or by another person at the testator’s express direction and in their conscious presence; and it must be witnessed by at least two credible witnesses who sign the will in the presence of the testator and each other. Illinois does not recognize holographic (handwritten, unwitnessed) wills. A will that does not comply with every one of these execution requirements is invalid and will not be admitted to probate regardless of how clearly it expresses the testator’s wishes.
Important: Illinois does not recognize handwritten wills without witnesses. A will typed on a computer and signed without two witnesses present is invalid under Illinois law – regardless of how clearly it states your intentions. Online will templates frequently fail to satisfy Illinois’s execution requirements. We ensure your will is properly drafted and executed.
Key Components of a Comprehensive Illinois Estate Plan
Last Will and Testament
Your will directs the distribution of your probate assets, names your executor, and – critically – designates a guardian for any minor children. It can also create testamentary trusts for minor beneficiaries, establish conditions on gifts, and specify funeral and burial instructions. We draft wills that are clear, unambiguous, and structured to minimize the risk of a future will contest.
Durable Power of Attorney for Property (755 ILCS 45/2-1)
A durable power of attorney for property designates an agent to manage your financial affairs if you become incapacitated. In Illinois, the power of attorney must be signed, witnessed by one non-agent witness, and notarized to be valid. Without this document, your family may need to petition the circuit court for a guardianship order – a costly and time-consuming process – simply to pay your bills or manage your accounts during a period of incapacity.
Health Care Power of Attorney and Advance Directive (755 ILCS 45/4-1)
A health care power of attorney designates an agent to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to make them yourself. An advance directive – sometimes called a living will – documents your wishes regarding life-sustaining treatment. Together, these documents ensure that your medical care is directed by someone you trust and guided by your stated preferences, rather than leaving those decisions to medical providers or courts acting without your input.
Beneficiary Designations and Jointly Held Assets
Many significant assets – life insurance policies, retirement accounts (401(k), IRA), bank accounts with payable-on-death designations, and investment accounts – pass entirely outside of your will through beneficiary designations or joint ownership with right of survivorship. These designations override your will entirely and are not subject to the probate process. A comprehensive estate plan reviews all beneficiary designations to ensure they are current, consistent with your overall plan, and do not inadvertently leave assets to a former spouse, a deceased beneficiary, or a minor child without a trust or custodianship in place to manage the funds on their behalf. In many estate plans, families also use trusts in Illinois to avoid probate and provide greater control over how assets are managed and distributed.
Will Contests and Estate Disputes
A will contest is a legal challenge to the validity of a will filed in the probate proceeding. Under Illinois law (755 ILCS 5/8-1), a will may be contested on the grounds of: lack of testamentary capacity – meaning the testator did not understand the nature of the act, the extent of their assets, or who their natural heirs were at the time of signing; undue influence – meaning a person in a position of trust or power over the testator improperly overcame their independent judgment and substituted their own; fraud or forgery; or improper execution due to failure to satisfy Illinois’s witnessing requirements. Will contests must be filed within a strict statutory deadline following the admission of the will to probate. Delay can forfeit your right to challenge entirely. We represent both challengers and estate defenders in contested will proceedings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my will after it is signed?
Yes. A will can be amended at any time while you are alive and of sound mind. Minor changes are typically made through a codicil – a separately executed amendment that must meet the same signing and witnessing requirements as the original will under 755 ILCS 5/4-1. Significant changes usually warrant drafting an entirely new will that expressly revokes all prior wills and codicils. Marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, the death of a named beneficiary or executor, or a significant change in your assets are all common and important triggers for reviewing and updating your will. We recommend a comprehensive estate plan review every three to five years even absent major life events.
What happens to my will after I die?
After your death, your original will must be filed with the circuit court in the county where you resided. If a probate proceeding is opened, the will is submitted to the court for admission to probate and the appointment of your named executor. The will becomes a public record once filed. Assets that pass under the will are distributed by the executor after all debts, expenses, and any applicable taxes are paid – subject to court oversight in a supervised proceeding, or more independently in an independent administration under 755 ILCS 5/28-1 et seq.
Does a will avoid probate in Illinois?
No. A will directs how your probate assets are distributed – it does not avoid the probate process itself. Assets that pass through a will must still go through the Illinois probate court. To avoid probate entirely, assets must be structured to pass outside the probate estate – through a revocable living trust, joint tenancy with right of survivorship, payable-on-death or transfer-on-death designations, or named beneficiary designations. A comprehensive estate plan typically uses a combination of these tools alongside a will.
What if my spouse and I have different wishes?
Spouses frequently have different preferences about asset distribution, particularly in blended families with children from prior relationships. Illinois law gives a surviving spouse the right to elect against a deceased spouse’s will and claim a statutory share of the estate under 755 ILCS 5/2-8, regardless of what the will says. We help couples navigate these dynamics with estate plans that are legally sound, protect each spouse’s individual interests, and minimize the potential for conflict after death.
Let’s Build Your Estate Plan
A will is not just a legal document – it is the clearest statement you can make about what matters to you and who you trust. Citizens Law Group drafts wills and comprehensive estate plans that are clear, enforceable, and built around your specific family, assets, and intentions. Contact us for a free consultation and take control of what happens next.