(755 ILCS 5/4a-5)

Sec. 4a-5. Definitions. As used in this Article:

(1) "Caregiver" means a person who voluntarily, or in exchange for compensation, has assumed responsibility for all or a portion of the care of another person who needs assistance with activities of daily living. "Caregiver" includes a caregiver's spouse, cohabitant, child, or employee. "Caregiver" does not include a family member of the person receiving assistance.

(2) "Family member" means a spouse, civil union partner, child, grandchild, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, first cousin, or parent of the person receiving assistance.

(3) "Transfer instrument" means the legal document intended to effectuate a transfer effective on or after the transferor's death and includes, without limitation, a will, trust, transfer on death instrument, deed, form designated as payable on death, contract, or other beneficiary designation form.

(4) "Transferee" means a legatee, a beneficiary of a trust, a grantee of a deed, or any other person designated in a transfer instrument to receive a nonprobate transfer.

(5) "Transferor" means a testator, settlor, grantor of a deed, or a decedent whose interest is transferred pursuant to a nonprobate transfer.

(Source: P.A. 100-1059, eff. 8-24-18.)

(755 ILCS 5/4a-10)

Sec. 4a-10. Presumption of void transfer.

(a) In any civil action in which a transfer instrument is being challenged, there is a rebuttable presumption, except as provided in Section 4a-15, that the transfer instrument is void if the transferee is a caregiver and the fair market value of the transferred property exceeds $20,000.

(b) Unless a shorter limitations period is required by Section 8-1 or 18-12 of this Act, any action under this Section shall be filed within 2 years of the date of death of the transferor.

(c) If the property in question is an interest in real property, a bona fide purchaser or mortgagee for value shall take the subject property free and clear of the action challenging the transfer instrument if the transfer to the bona fide purchaser or mortgagee for value occurs prior to the recordation of a lis pendens for an action under this Section.

(d) If the holder of property subject to this Article is a financial institution, trust company, trustee, or similar entity or person, including a subsidiary or affiliate thereof, it is not liable for distributing or releasing the property to the transferee, if:

(1) in the case of funds in an account maintained by the holder, the distribution or release occurs prior to the date the holder imposes a prompt administrative freeze of the account after the holder's registered agent for service of process has first received actual written notice that a complaint has been filed challenging the transfer instrument, which notice must include a copy of the complaint; or

(2) in the case of any other property, the distribution or release occurs prior to the date the holder's registered agent for service of process receives actual written notice that a complaint has been filed challenging the transfer instrument, which notice must include a copy of the complaint with sufficient time for the holder to act upon the notice.

(e) The administrative freeze of an account described in paragraph (1) of subsection (d) shall be implemented promptly. In determining whether the administrative freeze was implemented promptly, the court shall take into consideration the manner, time, and place of service and other factors reasonably affecting the financial institution's ability to promptly freeze the account.

(Source: P.A. 100-1059, eff. 8-24-18.)

(755 ILCS 5/4a-15)

Sec. 4a-15. Exceptions. The rebuttable presumption established by Section 4a-10 can be overcome if the transferee proves to the court either:

(1) by a preponderance of evidence that the transferee's share under the transfer instrument is not greater than the share the transferee was entitled to under the transferor's transfer instrument in effect prior to the transferee becoming a caregiver; or

(2) by clear and convincing evidence that the transfer was not the product of fraud, duress, or undue influence.

(Source: P.A. 98-1093, eff. 1-1-15.)

(755 ILCS 5/4a-20)

Sec. 4a-20. Common law. The provisions of this Article do not abrogate or limit any principle or rule of the common law, unless the common law principle or rule is inconsistent with the provisions of this Article. Notwithstanding the limited definition of "caregiver" in Section 4a-5 of this Article, nothing in this Article precludes any action against any individual under the common law, or any other applicable law, regardless of the individual's familial relationship with the person receiving assistance. The provisions of this Article are in addition to any other principle or rule of law.

(Source: P.A. 98-1093, eff. 1-1-15.)

(755 ILCS 5/4a-25)

Sec. 4a-25. Attorney's fees and costs. If the caregiver attempts and fails to overcome the presumption under Section 4a-15, the caregiver shall bear the costs of the proceedings, including, without limitation, reasonable attorney's fees.

(Source: P.A. 98-1093, eff. 1-1-15.)

(755 ILCS 5/4a-30)

Sec. 4a-30. No independent duty. The rebuttable presumption set forth in Section 4a-10 of this Article applies only in a civil action in which a transfer instrument is being challenged, and does not create or impose an independent duty on any financial institution, trust company, trustee, or similar entity or person related to any transfer instrument.

(Source: P.A. 98-1093, eff. 1-1-15.)

(755 ILCS 5/4a-35)

Sec. 4a-35. Applicability. This Article applies only to transfer instruments executed after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly.

(Source: P.A. 98-1093, eff. 1-1-15.)

(755 ILCS 5/Art. V heading) ARTICLE V PLACE OF PROBATE OF WILL OR OF ADMINISTRATION

(755 ILCS 5/5-1) (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 5-1)

Sec. 5-1. Place of probate of will or of administration of estate.) When the will of a testator is probated or when the estate of a decedent or missing person is administered in this State, the probate or the administration shall be in the court of the county determined as follows:

(a) In the county where he has a known place of residence;

(b) If he has no known place of residence in this State, in the county in which the greater part of his real estate is located at the time of his death; or

(c) If he has no known place of residence and no real estate in this State, in the county where the greater part of his personal estate is located at the time of his death.

(Source: P.A. 85-692.)

(755 ILCS 5/5-2) (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 5-2)

Sec. 5-2. Situs of personal estate of nonresident decedent or missing person.) For the purpose of granting administration of both testate and intestate estates of nonresident decedents or estates of nonresident missing persons, the situs of tangible personal estate is where it is located and the situs of intangible personal estate is where the instrument evidencing a share, interest, debt, obligation, stock or chose in action is located or where the debtor resides if there is no instrument evidencing the share, interest, debt, obligation, stock or chose in action in this State.

(Source: P.A. 79-328.)

(755 ILCS 5/5-3) (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 5-3)

Sec. 5-3. Power to ascertain and declare heirship - evidence.) (a) The court may ascertain and declare the heirship of any decedent to be entered of record in the court at any time during the administration of the estate without further notice or, if there is no grant of administration, upon such notice and in such manner as the court directs.

(b) The ascertainment of heirship may be made from (1) an affidavit of any person stating the facts from which the heirship of the decedent can be ascertained, which affidavit shall be signed and sworn to or affirmed before any notary public or judge of any court of record in the United States or any of its possessions or territories and certified by the clerk thereof, or before any United States consul, vice-consul, consular agent, secretary of legation or commissioned officer in active service of the United States, within or without the United States, or (2) from evidence either in narrative form or by questions and answers which are reduced to writing and certified by the court declaring the heirship. The seal of office of any notary public, United States consul, vice-consul, consular agent or secretary of legation and the designation of the name, rank and branch of service of any commissioned officer in active service of the armed forces of the United States shall be sufficient evidence of his identity and official character. The affidavit or transcript of evidence shall be filed by the clerk of the court declaring the heirship and remain as a part of the files in the cause.

(c) An order of the court declaring heirship is prima facie evidence of the heirship, but any other legal method of proving heirship may be resorted to by any party interested therein in any place or court where the question may arise.

(d) For purposes of this section the court may presume, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, that the decedent and any person through whom heirship is traced was not the mother or father of any child born out of wedlock and, if the decedent or the person was a male, that no child born out of wedlock was filiated to or acknowledged or legitimated by the decedent or the person.

(Source: P.A. 81-598.)