The creation of a comprehensive estate plan should be one of the most important endeavors you undertake over the course of your lifetime. After all, a properly drafted estate plan can help protect and grow your assets while you are alive as well as ensure that those assets continue to provide for loved ones when you are gone. The Northbrook, Illinois estate planning attorneys at Hedeker Law, Ltd. understand the importance of your estate plan to you and your loved ones which is why we are committed to helping you create a plan that achieves all your estate planning goals, both now and in the future.
The History of Northbrook, Illinois
Like much of the Midwest, the earliest inhabitants of the area now known as Northbrook, Illinois were Native Americans. Specifically, the Potawatomi tribe lived in the area as late as the early 1800s. In 1833 the Potawatomi ceded their Illinois lands and moved to a place near Council Bluffs, Iowa. One of the first European settlors was a man named Joel Sterling Sherman and his family who purchased 159 acres of land in the northwest quarter where the Village of Northbrook’s downtown is now located. Not long thereafter, Frederick Schermer donated the land used for the first railroad station. As was often the custom at that time, the community’s original name — Shermerville – was in honor of Schermer’s financial contribution to the community. Shermerville remained a farming community throughout the 1800s and in 1901 the community was incorporated as the Village of Shermerville. At the time of incorporation it had 311 residents and 60 houses – and five saloons. Shermerville became notorious for the rowdy antics that occurred at its saloons, prompting the belief that the name “Shermerville” had acquired a negative reputation. The solution was to rename the village contest by sponsoring a renaming contest. The winner was a man named Edward Landwehr who offered the name “Northbrook”. Consequently, Schermerville became “Northbrook” in 1923 and boasted a population of 500 residents. It wasn’t until several decades later, at the end of World War II, that Northbrook’s population showed a marked increase, growing from 3,319 in 1950 to 30,735 in 1980.
Northbrook, Illinois Today
Located on the northern edge of Cook County, the Village of Northbrook takes up about 13 square miles along Chicago’s famous “North Shore.” As of the 2010 Census, Northbrook was home to approximately 34,000 residents; however, Cook County is the second largest county in the nation with over five million residents. Residents and visitors to Northbrook can enjoy the village’s numerous parks and biking/walking trails as well as the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan close by. The ethnic diversity of the county offers multi-cultural dining, entertainment, and shopping in Northbrook. In addition, downtown Chicago is just a short bur or car ride away for those who want to partake in the conveniences found in such a large city.
Hedeker Law Ltd. in the Northbrook, Illinois Community
At the Northbrook, Illinois law firm of Hedeker Law ltd., we understand how difficult it can be to share your personal needs and wishes with a stranger which is why we work hard to develop ongoing relationships with our clients. Our goal is to remain with you throughout your lifetime to ensure that your estate plan remains current and changes as your life changes.
Creating ongoing relationships with our clients is important because estate planning is not something that is accomplished in a single meeting. On the contrary, your estate plan should be reviewed and revised throughout your lifetime as events transpire that should warrant changes to your plan. We hope to be there with you for all those important events to help ensure that your estate plan accounts for those changes. Marriage and/or parenthood, for example, may bring with it the need to include a trust in your estate plan along with incapacity planning strategies and probate avoidance tools. As the value of your estate grows, you may need to consider adding asset protection strategies into your plan. Your retirement plan will also need to be merged with your estate plan to ensure that the two plans work in harmony with one another. Finally, as you look toward your “Golden Years,” the need to include Medicaid planning and funeral planning to your comprehensive estate plan should be discussed. The attorneys and staff at Hedeker Law Ltd. are proud to serve the Northbrook, Illinois community and hope to have the opportunity to help you create an estate plan that protects you, your assets, and your loved ones while you are here and even after you are gone.
Contact Us
If you have additional questions or concerns regarding estate planning, or you are ready to get started on your plan, contact the Illinois estate planning attorneys at Hedeker Law, Ltd. by calling (847) 913-5415 to schedule a consultation.
