Belvidere solo practice serving Winnebago, Boone, DeKalb, Stephenson, and McHenry counties from a Rockford-area base. Assists executors and trustees with probate administration, trust administration, and probate litigation, and prepares wills, powers of attorney, guardianships, and elder care plans. Attorney Mark Brynteson has practiced for over 35 years.
Probate in McHenry County
Probate Court Record
McHenry County Circuit Court
McHenry County · 22nd Judicial Circuit
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
2200 North Seminary Avenue, Room 136, Woodstock, IL 60098
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in McHenry County →
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in McHenry County? →Settling an estate in McHenry County →
Guardianship Firms Serving McHenry County
La Salle firm serving the Illinois Valley, traced to a sole practice James Eugene Malone opened in La Salle circa 1909 and formerly Herbolsheimer, Duncan, Eiten & Hintz. Handles probate administration, will and trust contests, and guardianships. John S. Duncan counsels on advanced estate tax planning, marital and bypass trusts, and estate tax return preparation.
North Michigan Avenue practice in Chicago, with suburban appointments in Oakbrook Terrace. Handles Illinois probate and trust administration after a death — inventorying and appraising property, paying debts and estate taxes, and retitling trust assets to beneficiaries — plus adult guardianship and conservatorship. Attorney Jacklyn Truppa bills flat fees agreed in advance rather than hourly.
Southwest Side Chicago firm on 63rd Street in Cook County, with a second office in West Chicago. Guides families through Cook County probate court — executor appointment, proving the will, paying debts, and distributing assets — and prepares wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and guardianships alongside a real-estate practice.
Chicago Loop firm with offices in Northbrook, Oak Brook, and Lake Forest, covering Cook, DuPage, and Lake counties. Litigates will contests, breaches of fiduciary duty, citations to recover estate assets, and removal of executors and trustees, and administers estates, trusts, and guardianships alongside elder law and estate planning.
La Grange firm serving Cook, DuPage, and Lake counties, with a second office in Deerfield. Helps the person settling an estate secure property, send required notices, respond to creditor claims, prepare accountings, and communicate with beneficiaries, and represents beneficiaries and expected heirs. Also handles guardianship, Medicaid asset protection, and special needs planning. Founded in 1983.
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in Illinois
Free Illinois forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for Illinois.
Free
Last Will and Testament
In Illinois, a will is signed before 2755 ILCS 5/4-3Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and the witnesses sign an affidavit at probate instead of a self-proving affidavit755 ILCS 5/4-3Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
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Free
Healthcare Power of Attorney
Illinois requires 1755 ILCS 45/4-10Verified Oct 15, 2026View source witness for a healthcare power of attorney; notarization is not required755 ILCS 45/4-10Verified Oct 15, 2026View source.
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Free
Financial Power of Attorney
Illinois treats a power of attorney as durable by default755 ILCS 45/2-3, 45/2-5, 45/2-8, 45/2-10.6, 45/3-3, 45/3-3.6, 45/3-4; 765 ILCS 5/28; 755 ILCS 5/11-1Verified Sep 18, 2026View source, and it is signed before 1755 ILCS 45/2-3, 45/2-5, 45/2-8, 45/2-10.6, 45/3-3, 45/3-3.6, 45/3-4; 765 ILCS 5/28; 755 ILCS 5/11-1Verified Sep 18, 2026View source witness and a notary.
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Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Illinois
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in Illinois: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for Illinois.
How Much Life Insurance Do I Need?
In Illinois, four years at a public university cost about $108,856NCES Digest of Education Statistics 2023, Table 330.20, public 4-year in-state tuition, fees, room and board, academic year 2022-23Verified Oct 17, 2026View source and the cost of living is near the U.S. averageBEA Regional Price Parities, all items, by state, 2024Verified Oct 17, 2026View source; the state levies an estate tax35 ILCS 405/2Verified Sep 15, 2026View source above $4,000,00035 ILCS 405/2Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
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What Does Estate Planning Actually Cost?
An attorney-prepared revocable trust in Illinois runs $3,680Estimate: 10 hours at $368, Clio's Illinois Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $5,520Estimate: 15 hours at $368, Clio's Illinois Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source and a simple will $1,002Estimate: 3 hours at $334, Clio's Illinois Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $2,004Estimate: 6 hours at $334, Clio's Illinois Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.
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Who Inherits Without a Will?
Without a will in Illinois, a surviving spouse takes half of the estate755 ILCS 5/2-1Verified Oct 21, 2026View source when a child or other descendant survives, and descendants divide what passes to them per stirpes755 ILCS 5/2-1Verified Oct 21, 2026View source.
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