Have you attended an estate planning seminar or read promotional materials that claim you must have a living trust to avoid probate? Has a salesperson come to your home with frightening information about probate? What is probate, and how can it be avoided?Probate is the administration of a person’s estate though the courts. Probate can […]
Sarah Delano Pavlik
Sarah Delano Pavlik is an attorney with Delano Law Offices LLC in Springfield.
Sarah is admitted to practice law in Illinois and Texas and is an Illinois registered Certified Public Accountant. She is board certified in estate planning and probate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Sarah began her practice at the preeminent Texas law firm Baker & Botts.
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The Big Beautiful Bill
Politicians have some significant differences, but they all seem to have one thing in common – most of what they say isn’t true, or isn’t quite true. What you think “no taxes on tips,” “no taxes on Social Security benefits” and “no taxes on overtime” mean might not be what those things mean in the […]
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Evicting a tenant
Evicting a tenant is a legal process that can be complex and emotionally charged for both landlords and tenants. In Illinois, eviction laws are governed by state statutes, local ordinances and court procedures. For landlords, understanding the correct steps is essential to ensure compliance with legal requirements and to avoid potential financial or legal repercussions. […]
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Plan for a successful succession plan
Every business needs a succession plan. If you are a business owner, you will cease to own and control your business at some point, due to death, disability, sale, gift or liability reasons. If you plan in advance, you may be able to control whether or not your departure is successful. Your succession plan may […]
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Be aware of these legal developments
Here are a few things happening in the legal world. Corporate Transparency Act The Corporate Transparency Act was enacted in 2021 with the stated purpose of helping to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, corruption and tax fraud. The original effective date was Jan. 1, 2023. The Corporate Transparency Act required small business entities to disclose […]
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Placing a value on pets
Historically, pets have been treated like any other personal property. Unless your pet was a prized purebred or a service animal, the law placed very little value on it. Pets had no rights, and the law did not take into account their best interests. But a lot of that has changed. If your pet was […]
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Scripting your funeral
Hunter S. Thompson’s ashes were shot out of a cannon. Luke Perry was buried in a mushroom death suit. Aretha Franklin had three viewings with a different wardrobe for each and another outfit change for her burial. Elizabeth Taylor left instructions that she arrive late for her own funeral. If you want something unusual for […]
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Real estate commissions have changed
Important changes to the way real estate agents are paid went into effect Aug. 17, but will buyers and sellers be affected significantly? In the past, the seller of a property has generally paid the entire commission, which is typically a percentage of the property’s sale price. The commission is then split between the seller’s […]
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Is a living trust better than a will?
Have you attended an estate planning seminar or read promotional materials that claim you must have a living trust to avoid estate taxes and probate? Has a salesperson come to your home with frightening information about probate? While a living trust is appropriate for some people, the cost of creating, funding and administering a living […]
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The tax rules of giving
People frequently ask me how much they can give to someone at any one time. The answer for most of us is any amount you want. The federal government imposes a transfer tax on all American citizens and residents, but there is an exemption of $13,610,000 per person as of Jan. 1, 2024. This amount […]
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Dealing with mine subsidence
You may have been shocked to hear that mine subsidence forced Lutheran High School to relocate in 2022. The idea of your place of business or residence being affected by a similar event might seem alarming at first. Springfield is known for the presence of underground mines, so this possibility might be more common than […]
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Mandatory retirement plans and more
The state of Illinois employs more than 76,000 people, the governor’s office has 157 staff members and every senator and representative has several staff members. I assume most of these people have no idea what it is like to run a small business, but they love to pile on the requirements for those of you […]