Free Tools and Information
for Saint Clair County, IL Consumers

Illinois Inheritance Law & Probate Procedure

• Illinois PROBATE COURT FINDER:
  
  • Probate Court for Saint Clair County: Key information about your local probate court (Circuit Court in Illinois) for Saint Clair County.
• How Probate Works in Illinois: How to handle the probate of an inheritance at Saint Clair County's probate court.
  • Here are links to:
    • Illinois Probate Forms and the
    • Illinois State Probate Court Website.
• Small Estates Procedures in Illinois: Learn how to use Illinois's Small Estate procedures that can save you time and money.

  • You can use an Affidavit in Illinois for estates with less than $100,000, not counting liens or encumbrances (like a mortgage).

    755 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/25-1 and following.

    You can use a summary probate procedure for estates in which the value of the probate estate is less than $100,000. All heirs and benefiaries must consent in writing. 

    755 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/9-8 and following.

• Illinois Estate Taxes:

  • The state of Illinois imposes an estate tax on property owned in Illinois. If you are inheriting property from the state of Illinois, it may be subject to estate tax if the overall value of the estate is more than $4,000,000.

• Avoiding Probate in Illinois. Find out what property bypasses probate death and goes directly to beneficiaries. such as:
  • Transfer on Death Deeds (TODDs)

---

Bankruptcy & Debt

• MEANS TEST CALCULATOR
  • for Saint Clair County, Illinois (applies the state and county income and expense standards into your means test calculation. Updated with the latest median income and expense standards for May 15, 2024)
• Illinois BANKRUPTCY EXEMPTION FINDER: Search detailed listings of bankruptcy exemptions under Illinois law and Federal law, for use in filing out Schedule C, when you file for bankruptcy. 
  • Federal Exemptions available in Illinois?:  

    • No. 735 Ill. Comp. Stat. § 5/12-1201

  • Illinois Homestead Exemption

    • Real or personal property including a farm, lot, & buildings, condo, co-op, or mobile home to $15,000 (husband and wife may double); sale proceeds exempt for 1 year

  • Illinois Vehicle Exemption

    • $2,400

• Illinois BANKRUPTCY COURT ESSENTIAL INFO: Get information about using your local bankruptcy court.
• FREE BANKRUPTCY FORMS:
  We'll tell you which bankruptcy forms you need and where to find them.

---

Democracy In Illinois, Saint Clair County, Belleville 

• Elected Representatives: Find out the websites and phone numbers of those representing you at the Federal, State, County, and City levels of government.
• How to Vote: Learn how to register and where and when to vote in Saint Clair County, IL.
  • Key Links:
    • Check Your Illinois Voter Registration Status: https://ova.elections.il.gov/RegistrationLookup.aspx
• Gerrymandering in Illinois: Has your state been gerrymandered? Find out how to end gerrymandering and have voters pick politicians, not vice versa.
• Tracking Issues: Organizations that track legislation you care about 

 

Illinois Unemployment Benefits

• Benefit Amounts in Illinois: Learn how unemployment works, how much you'll get, and for how long.
  • Minimum: 
    • $51 per week
  • Maximum: 
    • $578 per week
  • Duration: 

    • In Illinois, you can receive unemployment benefits for a maximum of 26 weeks.

• Eligibility: >Whether you qualify for unemployment.
• How to Apply: How to apply for unemployment in Illinois.
  • Illinois Department of Employment Security 
    • 800-244-5631
• Unemployment Office Near Me? How to find your local unemployment office.
• COVID-19 Benefits: We tracked the rise and fall of COVID-19 unemployment benefit payments.

• Illinois Wage & Hour Law

  • Illinois Minimum Wage:  

    • The minimum wage in Illinois is $14 an hour. Because this is higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, employees in Illinois must be paid at least $14 an hour.  

      Saint Clair County Minimum Wage

      The minimum wage in Saint Clair County is currently $14 an hour, the state minimum wage. However, cities and counties in Illinois are free to adopt their own higher local minimum wage, and dozens of local governments across the country have done so. To find out whether Saint Clair County has passed its own minimum wage law since we last updated, visit the county’s website at https://www.co.st-clair.il.us/. 

  • Overtime Pay: Every state has rules about weekly maximum hours and overtime. Learn about the overtime laws in Illinois and whether they apply to you.
  • Wage Claims: If you're being unlawfully underpaid, you need to learn how to file a "Wage Claim" in Illinois. 
  • Tips : Every state has special pay rates for tipped workers. Find out the rules for tipped workers in Illinois.

    • In Illinois, your employer may pay you a minimum wage of no less than $8.40 an hour, as long as you earn enough in tips to bring your total hourly pay up to the full minimum wage, $14 an hour. If you don’t earn enough in tips to bring your compensation to the full minimum wage, your employer must make up the difference.

---

Find a Lawyer in Saint Clair County, IL

• Our Lawyers by Zipcode section allows users to find a local lawyer using the best online resources, including on topics we don't cover.
• DUI, Criminal Defense
• Auto Accidents & Personal Injury
• Immigration
• Legal Aid
  • Illinois Legal Aid Online 

---