A Brief Overview of Probate in Illinois

Heidi Scott has owned and driven operations at Schuyler Brown Land Title in Mt. Sterling, Illinois, since 2008. Also a Certified Public Accountant and attorney, Heidi Scott has assisted clients throughout Illinois in matters ranging from tax law to estate planning.

In the event that an individual passes away without a proper estate plan in place, their estate will enter into a legal process known as probate. In some cases, even if a will has been left behind, probate processes may be utilized as a means of determining the validity of the will and addressing complex, high-value assets.

In Illinois, the deceased individual’s executor is responsible for leading probate processes. During probate, the executor must not only prove the validity of the will but provide an inventory of all assets, have the assets appraised, clear any debts and otherwise outstanding payments, and finally, distribute remaining assets as the will dictates.

In the case of a valid will, probate processes are typically straightforward. However, individuals who die without a will leave their loved ones with a variety of challenges to deal with. Most notably, assets will be distributed according to Illinois state law rather than the deceased person’s desires, regardless of how well known these desires may have been to friends and family.

As mentioned, probate processes are not always a requirement. If all assets are jointly owned and do not exceed a combined value of $100,000, for example, probate can be bypassed. Furthermore, certain assets may be exempt from probate, such as assets held in a living revocable trust or property governed by an Illinois transfer-on-death deed.

Regardless of an individual’s specific situation, it is always advisable to contact a knowledgeable professional and formulate an estate plan to ensure that assets are fairly distributed among family and friends.

An Introduction to Soccer Substitution Rules

Heidi Scott has spent more than 12 years as the owner of Schuyler Brown Land Title, a real estate title and document services provider based in Mt. Sterling, Illinois. Outside of work, Heidi Scott enjoys engaging with various community organizations, including spending time as an indoor soccer coach at K&L Arena in Quincy, Illinois.

Soccer coaches are tasked with managing a number of strategic objectives over the course of a game, including lineup management. Unlike many sports, such as basketball and football, soccer places strict limits on when and how often substitutions can be made.

At any given point in a game, soccer teams have seven players on the sidelines, waiting to act as substitutes for the 11 active players. However, teams can only make three total substitutions in a game. Furthermore, the active player that is substituted cannot return to action. These two rules force coaches to carefully consider which 11 players should start the game, which players should be substituted, and when they should be substituted.

Substitution rules become more important and complex when a player is ejected from the game, as teams are not afforded a free substitution to replace this player. If the goalkeeper, for example, is given a red card, coaches must decide between using a substitution to put a backup goalkeeper onto the field and playing at a significant defensive disadvantage.

It should be noted that there are various exceptions to standard substitution rules. For instance, exhibition and pre-season games often follow an unlimited substitution policy, allowing coaches to get a look at all of the players on their rosters. And recently, the COVID-19 pandemic led FIFA to temporarily amend substitution rules so that teams can make five total substitutions. Finally, youth and school soccer leagues typically allow for many more substitutions compared to professional leagues, often observing the unlimited substitution rule.