Choosing an estate planning attorney to assist you with your estate planning needs is one of the most important decisions you will ever make, given the importance of your estate plan. The estate planning attorneys at Nash Bean Ford & Brown, LLP are committed to helping their friends and neighbors in the Rock Island County, Illinois community with all their estate planning needs. We would be honored to help you create an estate plan than protects you, your assets, and your loved ones.
The History of Rock Island County, Illinois
Various Native American tribes occupied the area we now know as Rock Island County for thousands of years before the area was settled by Europeans. By the early nineteenth century, it was occupied chiefly by the historic Sauk tribe. Their major village of Saukenuk was established around 1720 along the Rock River not far from its confluence with the Mississippi. Saukenuk was the birthplace of the Sauk war chief Black Hawk, for whom the Black Hawk War was named. Rock Island County was formed in 1831 out of Jo Daviess County. It was named for Rock Island, an island in the Mississippi River now known as Arsenal Island. In 1832 Chief Black Hawk declared war on the United States, initiating the Black Hawk War. When the war ended later that year, Black Hawk and his people were forced to leave the area and go north. After that, more European-American settlers began to move into the Mississippi Valley. Throughout the remainder of the 19th century, the growth of the railroads brought more and more settlers, predominantly Swedish, Belgian, and German the area. The cities of Moline and Rock Island both continued to grow as well during the late 1800s; however, while Rock Island was populated by predominantly southerners who were sympathetic to the Confederate cause, its sister city of Moline was populated by Republicans whose political leanings favored the Union cause.
Rock Island County, Illinois Today
Covering just over 450 square miles, Rock Island County is located in northeastern Illinois along the border with Iowa. The Mississippi River separates Rock Island County with neighboring Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the county had approximately 150,000 residents. The city of Rock Island is the county seat; however, the city of Moline is the county’s most populous city with almost 45,000 residents. Rock Island County is one of the four counties that make up the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Visitors and residents alike can enjoy all that Rock Island County has to offer. Art and history lovers may wish to visit the county’s many museums, including Rock Island Arsenal Museum and Hauberg Indian Museum or see a performance at the Alder Theatre or the John Deere Pavilion. Backwater Gamblers offers water ski shows along the Mississippi River in the summer while SnowStar winter park offers snow skiing and other winter sports. The Nabi Zoo is a favorite of children and adults alike and the entire family will want to visit the Black Hawk State Historic Site, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The site includes much of the site of the original village of Saukenuk. The park includes a museum and a number of hiking trails along the Rock River and in surrounding woods.
Nash Bean Ford & Brown, LLP in the Rock Island County Community
At Nash Bean Ford & Brown, LLP, we understand how important your estate plan is to you and to those you love. Knowing that, we have devoted our practice to helping people just like you to create an estate plan that achieves all of your estate planning goals. Because your estate planning needs will change over the course of your lifetime, we strive to create lifelong relationship with our friends and neighbors in the Rock Island County, Illinois community.
Estate planning is not something that is every truly finished. On the contrary, a successful estate plan is something that grows with you and that changes with you as you move through the various stages of your life. Initially, a simple Last Will and Testament may be sufficient to prevent the state from dictating who will receive your estate assets in the event of your death. If you marry and/or become a parent, however, you will want to include incapacity planning in your estate plan and blend your retirement plans with your overall estate plan to ensure that they work in harmony with each other. Tax and probate avoidance may need to be incorporated into your estate plan as well as your estate grows. As you move toward your retirement years, Medicaid planning may be necessary to ensure that your assets are not lost to the high cost of long-term care. Finally, if you have strong beliefs with regard to end of life medical care and/or funeral and burial customs, you will want to incorporate those beliefs into your estate plan as well to ensure that your wishes are honored at the end of your life. Our goal at Nash Bean Ford & Brown, LLP is to be with you throughout your life’s journey and help ensure that the people and things that are important to you are protected at all times.
Contact Us
If you have questions relating to estate planning in the State of Illinois, or wish to get started on your estate plan, contact the experienced Illinois estate planning attorneys at Nash Bean Ford & Brown, LLP by calling 309-944-2188 to schedule your free consultation.
