Required for attorneysProbate filings are e-filed through eFileIL by attorneys and self-represented filers alike. An original will cannot be e-filed and is filed with the clerk on paper. A self-represented filer without home internet access, an email account, or a credit card or bank account can file on paper after filing the Certification for Exemption From E-filing. On paper: Original wills, which are filed with the clerk on paper (Ill. S. Ct. R. 9(c)(1)).
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Grundy County, probate runs through the Circuit Court at 111 East Washington Street, Room 30, Morris. The court sits in the 13th Judicial Circuit. Grundy County shares the 13th Judicial Circuit with Bureau and LaSalle.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Illinois intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Illinois estates take 9 months to 14 months to move through this process. Creditors have 6 months755 ILCS 5/18-3, 5/18-10, 5/18-11, 5/18-12Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Grundy County
What probate costs in Grundy County, Illinois comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Circuit Court at 111 East Washington Street, Room 30, Morris. The court is part of the 13th Judicial Circuit.
The Circuit Court charges $284705 ILCS 105/27.1b(a)(2) (Clerks of Courts Act, as last amended by P.A. 104-468, eff. 7-1-26); former 705 ILCS 105/27.3f repealed by P.A. 104-468, eff. 7-1-26Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open a probate case. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Illinois are negotiated, typically 1.9%Modeled estimate under 755 ILCS 5/27-2 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3%Modeled estimate under 755 ILCS 5/27-2 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Illinois allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules pay755 ILCS 5/27-1 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Illinois requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under 755 ILCS 5/12-2 (bond required), 5/12-4 (security excused by will)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Illinois typically runs 9 months to 14 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Circuit Court
Probate cases in Grundy County, Illinois are filed at the Circuit Court. The court sits in the 13th Judicial Circuit.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Civil and Probate, Criminal and Traffic, and Child Support, Jury and Wedding Scheduling.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
In Illinois, informal probate is not available755 ILCS 5/6-4, 5/9-4 (court admits the will and issues letters; no registrar/clerk informal appointment)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
The first inventory is due within 60 days after letters issue.
Each inventory, and any amended or supplemental inventory, is presented to the court for filing, the first within 60 days after letters issue (Thirteenth Circuit Rule 11.7(e)).
A handwritten or foreign-language will needs a typed copy or translation.
A handwritten will is filed with a typewritten copy and an affidavit that the copy is correct, and a will in another language with a typewritten copy and a qualified translator's certification (Thirteenth Circuit Rule 11.1).
An executor files an individual bond even when the will waives bond.
An individual bond of an executor is required even though the will waives bond or security, and a nonresident individual executor gives surety or deposits the personal assets with a trust company unless the judge excuses it (Thirteenth Circuit Rule 11.3).
A claimant mails the claim to the representative and files proof within 10 days.
A claimant mails or delivers the claim to the representative and the estate's attorney and files proof of mailing with the clerk within 10 days after filing the claim; the claim is set for hearing at least 35 days after the proof is filed, and an answer contesting it is due within 30 days (Thirteenth Circuit Rule 11.8).
Filed with the opening petition at the Circuit Court: Copy of the death certificate, which the Cook County Clerk asks for when the will is filed; the Probate Act and the court rules do not require one, and a plain copy serves; Original will and any codicils, filed with the clerk on paper (755 ILCS 5/6-1 "Immediately upon the death of the testator any person who has the testator's will in his possession shall file it with the clerk of the court of the proper county"; Ill. S. Ct. R. 9(c)(1) excepts original wills from e-filing entirely — they "may not be electronically filed")755 ILCS 5/6-2, 5/6-8 (admit will & issue letters testamentary); 755 ILCS 5/9-3, 5/9-4 (letters of administration & preference); 755 ILCS 5/12-2 to 12-5 (oath & bond); 755 ILCS 5/28-2 (independent administration); 755 ILCS 5/6-13, 5/9-1 (who may act)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Coroner in Grundy County
In Illinois a death is registered locally, and in Grundy County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Grundy County Clerk's Office as well as by Illinois Department of Public Health - Division of Vital Records.
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the County Clerk and Recorder.
Deeds and other real property documents for Grundy County are recorded with the County Clerk and Recorder at 111 East Washington Street, Rooms 10, 11, 12, Morris, IL 60450. Phone: 1-815-941-3224. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 675, Morris, IL 60450.
The County Clerk and Recorder charges $108 flat, regardless of page count.
Grundy County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, ePN, CSC, Indecomm and Hopdox.
Illinois allows independent administration755 ILCS 5/28-1, 5/28-2 (independent administration granted unless the will forbids it or an interested person objects)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so the personal representative manages, pays and distributes the estate without returning to the court for approval at each step. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.
Probate attorney fees in Illinois are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Grundy County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Circuit Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Joliet firm on N. Chicago Street, with a second office in Plainfield, serving Will, Grundy, and Kendall counties. Helps executors, administrators, heirs, and beneficiaries through Illinois probate — proving the will, getting a representative appointed, identifying estate property, addressing creditor claims, and distributing to heirs. Also prepares wills and trusts and practices real estate law.
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.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationTax Planningand 4 more
Pontiac firm on North Mill Street serving Livingston County and central Illinois, practicing in Pontiac for more than 60 years with a history reaching back into the 1800s. Handles probate administration, small estate affidavits, and gift and estate tax returns, and drafts wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. Pairs the estate work with farm and business succession planning.
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.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planningand 4 more
Office
875 N. Michigan Avenue, 31st FloorChicago, IL 60611
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.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateConservatorshipGuardianshipand 2 more
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.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 4 more
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Data sourced from Illinois statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in Illinois
Free tools for settling an estate in Illinois: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Illinois.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Illinois: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 60 days755 ILCS 5/14-1Verified Oct 10, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 6 months755 ILCS 5/18-3, 5/18-10, 5/18-11, 5/18-12Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Illinois happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust Code760 ILCS 3/101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 90 days760 ILCS 3/813.1Verified Oct 10, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
In Illinois, informal probate is not available755 ILCS 5/6-4, 5/9-4 (court admits the will and issues letters; no registrar/clerk informal appointment)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
Enter the estate value to see Illinois attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
Examples:
General information about probate costs, not legal or financial advice. Fee bases vary by state and may use gross estate, personal property, inventory value or net property after debts. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
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See whether you can file probate yourself
Enter the estate value to see whether Illinois lets a self-represented person open probate, what the court requires, and what each route costs.
General information about filing probate without a lawyer, not legal advice. Both routes are priced by the probate cost estimator on the same estate; the attorney fee is the one line that differs. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
