Given the highly personal and important nature of estate planning, the prospect of choosing an attorney to assist you with your plan may be a bit daunting. After all, the attorney you select will have a direct impact on both the estate planning process itself and the success of the finished plan. At the Geneseo, Illinois estate planning firm of Nash Bean Ford & Brown, LLP we understand your desire to protect yourself, your assets, and your loved ones. Our team of competent, committed, and caring attorneys and staff is devoted to helping you do just that by creating a customized estate plan that integrates your needs, your wishes, and your legacy into one comprehensive plan. We have dedicated our practice to helping our Illinois friends and neighbors navigate the world of wills, trusts, and estates and we hope to count you among them.
The History of the Geneseo, Illinois Area
The town of Geneseo had a somewhat untraditional beginning. Unlike most “frontier” towns that sprouted up haphazardly as settlers moved westward, Geneseo was very much a planned venture. The town was originally settled in 1836 by seven families of the Congregationalist denomination from Geneseo and Bergen, New York. The intent was to create a “church in the wilderness.” Prior to deciding on the location, the families sent an exploratory committee to survey the 2,000 acre tract of land. Upon the receipt of a positive report, the land was purchased for $1.25 per acres, or $2,500, and the seven families took their arduous journey from New York to Geneseo. Once there, the land was divided into tracts for the families as well as for the new church, a school, and other needed structures. The original First Congregationalist Church was constructed the following year and was to become an important part of the town’s history, serving as a Court of Justice for settling community and family misunderstandings.
Like many similar towns, Geneseo remained a very small community until the railroad expansion caused a population explosion in the 1850s, growing from only 500 people to over 5,000 in a single decade. In the following century, however, Geneseo only added about another 1,000 residents, allowing it to retain its small town mid-western charm.
Geneseo Today
Located at the intersection of Interstate 80, U.S. Route 6 and Illinois Route 82, Geneseo is just 20 miles east of the Quad Cities of Iowa, and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline, Illinois. As of the 2010 Census, Geneseo had a population of just over 6,500 permanent residents. The town is well known for its Victorian style architecture, tree lined boulevards, and picturesque downtown. Geneseo is the definition of quaint, small town America – a place where shop owners still decorate their store windows with live displays during the annual “Christmas Walk” and welcome visitors with genuine smiles. In the summertime, civic groups sponsor ice cream socials in the city parks while local bands entertain residents and visitors alike.
Geneseo has also developed a reputation for having excellent high school sports and music programs that attract families who want their children to grow up in a place where life is not so hectic – somewhere where people actually know their neighbors and where the concept of community still means something.
Estate Planning Attorneys in the Geneseo Community
The residents of Geneseo, Illinois take pride in their community, as they should. In world where “bigger is better” has become the mantra, Geneseo stands opposed. For those of us who have made our lives in Geneseo, the benefits of small town living are apparent. We have chosen familiarity over anonymity and connections over convenience. The team at Nash Bean Ford & Brown, LLP is honored to be a part of a community that has made those decisions. Most of our attorneys and staff are lifelong Illinois residents, and all have chosen to raise their families in the Geneseo area. To us, our clients are more than just clients, they are neighbors and friends in the community we share and we have dedicated our law practice to helping them protect what is important to them through comprehensive and forward-thinking estate planning.
We understand that it can be difficult to divulge personal and financial information to a stranger, which is why we strive to create lifelong relationships with our clients. Your estate plan should not be something you create and never revisit. On the contrary, as you move through the various phases of your life, and important events mark those phases, your estate plan should be revised to reflect those events. When you experience the joy of parenthood for the first time, for example, we want to help you incorporate things such as incapacity planning and asset protection strategies into your estate plan. Likewise, when you near retirement age, we will make sure your estate plan includes Medicaid and retirement planning components to ensure that your Golden Years are what they should be.
Contact An Elder Law Attorney You Can Trust
At the law firm of Nash Bean Ford & Brown, LLP, our goal is to be with you every step of the way, providing competent and compassionate legal advice and guidance regarding the things that matter most to you – you, your assets, and your loved ones. If you would like to discuss your estate plan, contact the Geneseo, Illinois estate planning attorneys at Nash Bean Ford & Brown, LLP by calling 309-944-2188 to schedule your appointment today.
