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Buying a Home: what to review in your estate plan
The way you take title decides who receives the home and whether it has to go through probate. It is much easier to choose on purpose at closing than to fix it later.
Worth reviewing
- How title is held: individually, jointly, in a trust, or with a transfer on death instrument
- What happens if one owner dies or becomes unable to manage the property
- Whether life or disability insurance covers the mortgage
- Whether your will or trust needs to be updated to reflect the new asset
Documents to look at first
For this life event, these are the documents most often affected. Your own list depends on your family and what you have already signed.
- How your home and accounts are titled
- Your will
- Revocable living trust
- Life and disability insurance
When to act
At closing.
Related life events
Not sure where your plan stands?
A consultation is the place to talk through what has changed and what to update first. Nothing is finalized until we have talked.
This page is general information about Illinois law and is not legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship. See the Disclaimer. Last updated October 2026.