Meet our newest Attorney, Jordan Ellis!

Our newest attorney specializes in Estate Planning.

We asked him some pressing questions to learn more about his expertise and personal pursuits. Jordan created his first Estate Plan at only 19 years old!

• Where are you from? Why did you decide to Move to Chicago?

  I am originally from LaSalle-Peru, IL and moved to Bloomington-Normal, IL when I was three years old where I attended Central Catholic High School. After I traveled around the U.S. to obtain my degrees, I spent two years in Houston, TX for my first job outside of law school when I realized being closer to family and friends was a vital part of my life. This realization led me to move back to Illinois and find a job in my dream city - Chicago. 

• How did you get into Estate Planning?

  My love for Estate Planning can be attributed almost entirely to my income tax professor at Creighton University School of Law, Victoria Haneman. She was an integral part, to not only introduce me to Estate Planning in our Wills and Trusts class, but to encourage me to attain my LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Florida and she made Estate Planning not only an attainable goal, but an interesting subject. 

• What's the craziest thing you ever saw someone put in their will?

  While none of these were clients of mine, one of the craziest things I saw in a Will is someone gave their entire Estate to an Elvis impersonator and cut out the rest of their family. No funny business, no affairs, the client just really liked the Elvis impersonator.

  I have also seen many provisions about limiting the amount of weight one's partner can gain to inherit from a Will or Trust; if the surviving partner gained too much weight, they would forfeit their portion of the inheritance. This was countered by attorneys during the initial weighing of the partner, instructing their clients to either gain weight before the weighing or hold change in their pockets during the weighing. These provisions are enforceable by courts, unbelievably. 

• What's a little known fact or secret everyone should know about estate planning?

  One thing I would love for everyone to know is your Last Will and Testament alone does not avoid Probate. This is a common misconception that I see when talking with clients. Only having a Last Will and Testament is a great first step, but if the goal is to avoid Probate or to make a passing easier for loved ones, this will not be attained. With some exceptions, this Last Will and Testament would have to go through Probate which is a major concern of my clients!

• What's the biggest danger of not having an estate plan?

  The biggest danger one can face not having an estate plan is actually a danger not focused on the one needing the estate plan; almost all issues that occur are for family members and friends who must handle an unplanned estate of a recently deceased. The number of times I have been contacted about an estate inquiry where all issues the clients are now facing, could have been avoided months in advance if they had taken the time to complete their comprehensive estate plan. Without an estate plan, your estate will almost always go to Probate, a process to validate and authenticate a deceased individual's estate. This process is not only substantially time consuming but is taxing on the loved one's emotions and finances. There is no scenario worse than family and friends grieving and having to deal with Probate.

• How long does it take to do an estate plan start to finish?

  Most estate plans will take around 4-6 weeks from start to finish. Our process entails working lockstep with our clients to make sure they are completely comfortable and knowledgeable of their plans. Unlike many areas of law, estate planning is one of the only practice areas that is not dictated by deadlines. That in mind, it takes a cooperative effort from the estate planning attorney and the clients to begin and complete an estate plan. The 4–6-week timeline for start to finish can be greatly altered if an estate planning attorney and clients are not working hand-in-hand. 

• What do you like most about Estate planning?

  My goal as an Estate Planner is give my clients a piece of mind they may not have ever considered. My clients have spent their entire lives building their Estate, let's spend a month together to secure their Estate and avoid any issues with Probate or Incapacitation. When I can see and feel the sigh of relief of my clients when everything has been finalized, it makes this entire job worth it. I have seen too many times the burden and stress a family may face when handling an unplanned Estate or going through Probate - my job is to eliminate as much of these burdens and stress as possible.

• What do you like to do in your free time?

  During my free time, you can catch me most often with family or friends enjoying the outdoors, weather permitting. I am an avid Chicago sports enthusiast (for better or worse) and a staunch supporter of the University of Illinois Fighting Illini. Card games are a pastime favorite, and I am currently trying to correct a nasty slice in my golf swing. 

• How old were you when you created your own estate plan?

  I was 19 years old when I created my first Last Will and Testament and 25 years old when I first made my comprehensive estate plan. It was perfect timing for a complete Plan as I was finally out of school and beginning my professional career. I would recommend getting your estate plan done as soon as possible or after any large life events!

Questions about Estate Planning?

Contact Attorney Jordan Ellis today!
jordan@frankesq.com