My name is Tom Olofsson. I am a lawyer. I help families plan for the future.

My office phone is (773) 905-1193

For more info please visit my main site http://www.mytrustlawyer.com

My hope is that this site will make it easy for you to find out about estate planning and to see if you would like me to help you plan for your family’s future.

My goal is to help you decide which estate planning tools are best for you and your family. Before you go on please Bookmark this page so you can come back whenever you want.

The focus is on you.

The planning process begins with you and your wishes for your family. My first concern is you and your family. My job is to help make sure that your plans for your loved ones come true.

My practice is limited to helping individuals and families plan their estates. I do this by meeting with you to discuss your family situation and how best to pass your assets on to your loved ones.

Why I make house-calls.

I came from a large family. I remember how much work it was for my mom to load all of us into the station wagon when it was time to visit the doctor. I always thought it would have made more sense for the doctor to hop in his car and come to our house.

With this in mind, I meet with my clients in their homes. Many families have told me that my coming to them makes life easier particularly when a member of the family is elderly or has special needs. It is much easier and it makes more sense for me to hop in my car… well you get the idea.

My office is at the Southwest corner of Chicago in the Beverly area. I do not expect you to come here. I am available to meet with you in your home. I look forward to meeting you and I will be happy to talk with you about your particular situation.

Contact me.

You can contact me by e-mail at: tom@mytrustlawyer.com

My office phone is (773) 905-1193

My office is located at 9924 S. Walden Parkway, Chicago, Illinois 60643

The following pages will help you decide how to go ahead from here.

by Tom Olofsson, Attorney at Law, www.MyTrustLawyer.com (773) 905-1193

Power of Attorney describes a relationship between two people. The first person (we will call him “Tom”) thinks there may come a time when he will not be able to handle his own affairs. He may think that he will become ill or that he will be out of the country, such as while he is in military service, he may be on vacation for a period or time or he may simply have some things coming up which he would rather have someone else handle for him.

If Tom wants someone else to be ready to stand in his place and take care of important matters for him he may name a trusted friend, relative, or attorney to take care of business for him.

Tom has a friend who we will call her Sue. Tom can name Sue as his agent to take care of his business at the bank. When this is done Sue is said to have “power of attorney” for Tom. Sue is now authorized to act on the behalf of Tom. Sue will have papers with him to show that Tom has asked him to help.

These papers are known as a Power of Attorney. The papers are evidence that Tom trusts Sue to help him with his business matters.

Sue must be careful with the money and assets of Tom and Sue must never use Tom’s money for Sue’s benefit. Sue is a trusted person which is known as a fiduciary. As a fiduciary Sue must do only what is best for Tom.

Sue can get paid for being an agent. The fees must be reasonable but Sue can be paid for her efforts.

Powers of attorney differ in when the power starts. Sue can get her power right when the paper is signed or after Tom’s doctor says he is ill enough to need help.

Powers of attorney are also differ in when the power ends. the power of attorney papers show that the authority expires at a certain future date such as after Sue has finished selling Tom’s car.

The authority under some power of attorney papers can end when Tom becomes unable to speak for himself.

If a power of attorney grants authority which lasts beyond any disability Tom may have in the future is called a ‘durable’ power of attorney. It is said to be durable because it lasts through the disability.

In any case all powers of attorney end with the death of Tom. No authority lasts after Tom has died.