Who Pays College Tuition After Divorce in Illinois? What Parents Need to Know Before Move-In Day is a question that often becomes urgent in late summer. Tuition statements arrive, housing deposits are due, and parents may suddenly realize that their divorce judgment never clearly explained how college costs would be divided. In Illinois, contribution toward a child’s post-high-school education is …
Agricultural Law Updates for Illinois Farmers and Agribusinesses: July 2026 reviews several recent federal and state developments affecting producers, processors, rural communities, and agricultural businesses. In the July 2026 issue of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Agricultural Law newsletter, Rincker Law attorneys Sam Ellis and Cari Brett Rincker co-authored “Ag Law in the News: July 2026,” an overview of developments …
Rural Lawyer Shortages and Access to Justice: What Illinois Communities Can Learn From National Trends examines a growing challenge facing small towns and rural communities throughout Illinois and across the country. In the July 2026 issue of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Rural Practice newsletter, Rincker Law attorneys Cari Brett Rincker and Sam Ellis co-authored “Rural Law Practice in the …
Illinois HB 4462: Proposed Changes to Power of Attorney Acceptance Requirements addresses a practical problem that can arise when an agent attempts to use a valid power of attorney for property, but a bank, financial institution, title company, or other third party demands additional documentation before honoring it. The enrolled bill would amend Section 2-8 of the Illinois Power of …
7 Farm Succession Planning Mistakes That Can Tear a Family Apart addresses a problem many farm families quietly postpone. Parents, farming children, and off-farm siblings may each hold different expectations about what will happen. When those expectations are never discussed or documented, grief can quickly become conflict. Farm succession planning should coordinate land ownership, management, retirement, incapacity planning, equipment, leases, …
When an Aging Parent Can No Longer Make Decisions: 7 Signs It May Be Time to Consider Guardianship in Illinois is a difficult topic for many families. No one wants to take away a parent’s independence, and occasional forgetfulness does not automatically mean guardianship is necessary. However, when an older adult can no longer understand or communicate responsible decisions about …
Back-to-School Parenting Disputes: How to Resolve School, Activity, and Schedule Conflicts Early is an important topic for separated and divorced parents as summer winds down. By late July, many Illinois families are already thinking about school registration, supplies, transportation, extracurricular activities, and new routines. These decisions can become stressful when parents disagree or when the parenting plan does not clearly …
Before Harvest Begins: Family Farm Succession Planning Conversations to Have Now is a timely reminder for farm families in late July. Once harvest season begins, there may be little time for difficult conversations about ownership, management, retirement, family expectations, or what happens if a key decision-maker becomes unavailable. Farm succession planning is not just an estate-planning exercise. It is also …
In this installment of Ask Sam and Kendal, Rincker Law, PLLC associate attorneys Sam Ellis and Kendal A. Schoepfer explain the current status of FinCEN’s Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule and why its continuing legal uncertainty matters to farmers, landowners, estate-planning clients, attorneys, title professionals, and others involved in transferring real estate to a trust or business entity. The Financial …
In this installment of Ask Sam and Kendal, Rincker Law, PLLC associate attorneys Sam Ellis and Kendal A. Schoepfer explain why transferring a farm to an LLC or trust became an important legal question after the federal government’s Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule took effect on March 1, 2026. Below, we explore “Could Transferring a Farm to an LLC or …
How to Avoid Money Mistakes in Marriage was the focus of a recent episode of the Money Girl podcast featuring family law attorney Cari Rincker. As part of host Laura Adams’ wedding series, Cari joined the show to discuss an important part of marriage that can easily be overshadowed by venues, guest lists, flowers, and honeymoon plans: financial transparency. Marriage …
The Illinois Farmer’s Annual Legal Checklist: What to Review Each Season can help farm owners address legal and business issues before they become expensive problems. Farming rarely leaves much time for paperwork, but contracts, leases, insurance policies, employment records, succession plans, and business filings should not be ignored until a dispute or emergency occurs. Dividing these reviews by season can …