Law Offices of Robert J. Ross

Attorneys Robert J. Ross and Lehn G. Shepherd
Reach us at (847) 358-5757 or info@robertjross.com

The Law Offices of Robert J. Ross provides personalized legal services to address needs and concerns of our clients. Robert Ross draws upon 30 years of legal experience and his team of legal professionals to counsel and draft documents designed to avoid future conflicts and minimize long-term costs for clients.

We serve clients in the following areas of law:

Estate Planning
We prepare enforceable, personalized wills, trusts and other documents to address each client’s personal situation, planning for a variety of scenarios.
More information on Estate Planning
Estate Administration
We represent trustees and executors to carry out the final wishes of the deceased, attempt to minimize the need for Probate Court, and avoid family conflicts regarding inheritances and other matters.
More information on Estate Administration
Business and Commercial Law
We counsel and represent clients establishing, running, buying and selling businesses. We work to protect client’s personal assets, when possible, counseling clients to maximize protections under the law.
More information Business and Commercial

Contact us for a no-obligation initial consultation.

Newsletters

Winter 2008/2009 Report from Counsel

November 06th, 2008 | Category: Estate Planning

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PERSONS DOMICILED IN ILLINOIS CONCERNING ILLINOIS ESTATE TAXES IMPOSED ON ESTATES OF PERSONS WHO DIE IN YEAR 2009:

Illinois is “decoupling” from the year 2009 federal estate tax exclusion amount of $3,500,000. This may result in substantial Illinois estate taxes if your estate for tax purposes exceeds $2,000,000. We suggest that you consider early in 2009, the interaction of federal and Illinois estate tax laws on your estate planning documents with us or with another lawyer of your choice who practices in the area of estate planning.

“Business Start-Up Checklist” discusses important questions would-be entrepreneurs should ask themselves prior to starting a new business (note: the idiom “carrying coals to Newcastle” means spending an inordinate amount of energy on something useless, fruitless, or redundant - Newcastle, England was a major coal exporter).
“Age Discrimination in Employment” reviews a recent decision by the Supreme Court that puts the onus on employers to prove its policies are based on reasonable factors other than age when defending age discrimination claims.
“All in the Family–Father Wins $4 Million from Daughter“concerns a recent court decision concerning a business dispute between family members.
“Generation-Skipping Trusts” reminds us that GSTs are not only for wealthy families, and discusses various advantages and disadvantages of GSTs as part of an estate plan.
“New Nonprofit Tax Forms” describes new instructions and filing requirements for Internal Revenue Service Form 990 for nonprofit organizations.
“Careful What You Click” describes potential legal hassles involved with online agreements.