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The organs, tissues or parts of a decedent's body may be donated to hospitals, doctors, schools, organ banks or storage facilities, organ procurement agencies or individuals for research, therapy or transplantation. The gift may be made by the decedent while alive or by certain persons in the order designated by statute in the case of someone who has died. The persons who may make the gift in the order they may act are:

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What if you forget minor items of property or it is not convenient to transfer all your property such as your checking account or car? $100,000 or less of personal property can be transferred to your heirs or the beneficiaries of your will without probate by means of a small estate affidavit.

This is an affidavit by a survivor which states what property is in your estate (outside the trust or without beneficiary designation), what debts still must be paid, and who is entitled to the property. This authorizes banks and others to release the property to the persons indicated in the affidavit without court intervention.

Contact Don Thompson for all you Chicago Estate Planning Needs. Call 312-782-0844 today.

These do not dispose of property. Instead they tell your doctor or hospital not to keep you alive artificially. They must be signed with witnesses and all the formality of wills. To be effective you must give them to your doctor and to whoever will have charge of your care.

Do you have a will prepared? If not, add it to your to-do list!

Don Thompson is an expert in the field of Estate Planning and Probate. Don can be reached at 312-782-0844.

Sometimes it is possible to shift income within a family from someone in a higher tax bracket to someone in a lower bracket. This is difficult with children under 14 since their unearned income (except for the first $1600) is taxed at their parent’s tax rates. However, not all children are under 14.

Basically income is split by giving property to children.

Thereafter the income from it belongs to the children. Interests in family businesses or farms are ideal. Gifts of cash work too if available. Employing your children also is a good way to shift income to them. However, they must actually work and the pay cannot exceed a reasonable amount for what they do.

For Chicago Income Splitting contact an experienced will, trusts and estate planning lawyer, Don Thompson.

Visit Don’s Estate Planning Glossary to learn more.