Planning Through Grief: Frankfort Attorney's Book Helps Families Dealing With Loss

FRANKFORT, IL — Going through the loss of a loved one is hard, even when preparations are made beforehand, but it can be even more confusing and stressful when no plans are in place.

Frankfort attorney Allison Marketti has a goal of helping others plan after her own experience with loss.

Before she started her firm, Allison said she went through the loss of a loved one that changed the direction of her life.

"We lost a loved one without a clear plan in place," she said. "What should have been a time to just be together and grieve turned into confusion, stress, and decisions no one felt prepared to make. It was heartbreaking to watch, and it stuck with me."

To help with this planning process, Marketti has written a book, "The Illinois Wills & Trusts Handbook: A Plain-English Guide for Families."

"That moment [of loss] shaped how I run my local law firm today. Since then, I’ve seen that same stressful, public and expensive situation play out with families in our community," she said. "And I’ve also seen the opposite: families who had clear, thoughtful plans in place. There was still loss, but there wasn’t chaos. The difference isn’t luck. It’s preparation."

The book is available on Amazon, and even became an Amazon bestseller.

"What I hope the book provides is clarity and confidence for families here in Frankfort who want to protect what they’ve built and take care of the people they love," Marketti said.

Marketti said her book explains "in plain English" how estate planning works and what really matters.

"Because at the end of the day, most people aren’t worried about documents. They’re thinking about their taking care of their spouse, their kids and making sure they don’t leave a mess behind for the people they love," the Frankfort mom of three said.

She said her work is deeply persona, as she lives and works in Frankfort and cares about the families who live here.

"I see my clients at school events, in church and around town. Their kids grow up alongside mine," she said.

"I wrote this book because I wanted to reach Frankfort families before they’re ever in that hard and expensive situation," she added.

"And if it helps even one family here feel confident that they’ve taken care of those things, then it’s done exactly what I hoped it would."