Estate Planning After Divorce: Getting Everything Updated
You worked hard to get through your divorce. You divided the retirement accounts, signed the settlement agreement, and started your next chapter. But there’s one more step most people put off too long: updating your estate plan to reflect your actual life now.
At The Law Offices Of Anne Schmidt, LLC, we offer flat-fee estate planning for individuals and couples who are done with their divorce — or close to it — and want to make sure their legal documents are current, their assets go to the right people, and their family doesn’t end up in probate court trying to figure it out.
Who This Is For
This service is designed for people we already know — clients we’ve worked with on QDROs, retirement asset division, or divorce mediation who don’t yet have an updated estate plan. You trust us with your retirement assets. Let us help you get the rest of your legal house in order too.
This is not a high-net-worth tax planning service. If your estate exceeds the federal exemption and you need sophisticated tax strategies, we can point you to the right people. Our estate planning work is for straightforward situations — the kind that don’t require a team of downtown tax attorneys, but do require someone who understands how your retirement accounts interact with your estate.
What’s Included
We offer a complete post-divorce estate planning package on a flat-fee basis. You know the cost before we start — no hourly billing surprises. A typical plan includes:
- Revocable living trust
- Last will and testament
- Durable power of attorney
- Health care power of attorney and living will (advance directive)
- Beneficiary designation review and updates for 401(k)s, IRAs, and life insurance
- Retitling guidance for real estate and financial accounts
- Coordination with any existing QDROs
- Guardian designations for minor children
One thing Anne does that most estate planning attorneys skip: she reviews your beneficiary designations and account titles carefully. A will does not control where your 401(k) or IRA goes — those assets pass by beneficiary designation, and outdated designations are one of the most common and costly mistakes people make after a divorce.
Transparent, Flat-Fee Pricing
Estate planning shouldn’t be a mystery. We charge a flat fee so you know exactly what you’re getting and what it costs. Pricing is available on request. To discuss whether our estate planning service is a good fit for your situation, call 847-926-7679 or schedule a phone consultation online.
Why Anne?
Most estate planning attorneys don’t know much about retirement accounts. Anne does — it’s the core of her practice. Her background at the U.S. Department of Labor and her LL.M. in Employee Benefits mean she’s not just filling in forms. She’s making sure your estate plan actually accounts for how your retirement assets are going to move.
What Happens If You Don’t Update Your Estate Plan After Divorce?
Illinois law revokes some beneficiary designations to a former spouse automatically upon divorce — but not all of them, and not for every type of account. Federal law governs employer-sponsored retirement plans like 401(k)s, and Illinois divorce law doesn’t override those designations. If you haven’t updated your beneficiary forms after your divorce, your ex-spouse may still be the beneficiary of your retirement account — regardless of what your divorce decree says.
Ready To Get This Done?
Call 847-926-7679 or schedule a consultation online. If you’re already working with us on a QDRO or divorce matter, just mention it — we can often coordinate the timing so everything updates together.