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Illinois Inheritance Law & Probate Procedure

Illinois PROBATE COURT FINDER:
- Probate Court for Cook County: Key information about your local probate court (Probate Court in Illinois) for Cook County.
How Probate Works in Illinois: How to handle the probate of an inheritance at Cook 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 New Mexico for estates with less than $50,000, not counting liens or encumbrances (like a mortgage). There is a 30-day waiting period.
  
  N.M. Stat. Ann 45-3-1201.
  
  You can also use an Affidavit for real estate if a married couple owns a principal residence, valued for property tax purposes at $500,000 or less, and holds it as community property. The surviving spouse can file an Affidavit with the county clerk if no other assets require probate. (If, for example, the other assets are bank accounts held in joint tenancy and retirement accounts or life insurance that pass by beneficiary designation.) There is a six month waiting period.
  
  N.M. Stat. Ann 45-3-1205.
  
  You can use a summary probate procedure for estates in which the value of the estate, less liens or encumbrances, doesn't exceed the homestead allowance, exempt property, family allowance, and costs of administration, funeral expenses, and last illness expenses.
  
  N.M. Stat. Ann. 45-3-1203 and following.
Illinois Estate Taxes:
- Illinois, like most states, does not impose an estate or inheritance tax. Only a few states do.
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 Cook 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?:
  - Yes. Federal exemptions are available.
- Illinois Homestead Exemption
  - $150,000 (joint owners may double)
- Illinois Vehicle Exemption
  - Motor vehicle to $10,000
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.

Illinois Unemployment Benefits

Benefit Amounts in Illinois: Learn how unemployment works, how much you'll get, and for how long.
- Minimum:
  - $101 per week
- Maximum:
  - $542 per week
- Duration:
  - In Illinois, you can receive unemployment benefits for a maximum of 26 weeks under state law.
Eligibility: >Whether you qualify for unemployment.
How to Apply: How to apply for unemployment in Illinois.
- New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions
  - 877-664-6984
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 New Mexico is $12 an hour. Because this is higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, employees in The Land of Enchantment must be paid at least $12 an hour. A handful of local governments in New Mexico have passed their own minimum wage ordinances.
    
    Cook County Minimum Wage
    
    In Cook County, the current minimum wage is $14.00 an hour.
    
    Chicago Minimum Wage
    
    The minimum wage in the city of Chicago is currently $15.80 if you work for an employer that has more than 20 employees, or $15 an hour if you work for an employer with four to 20 employees.
- 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 $3 an hour, as long as you earn enough in tips to bring your total hourly pay up to the full minimum wage, $12 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.