Public Act 098-1093
 
SB1048 EnrolledLRB098 05314 HEP 35348 b

    AN ACT concerning civil law.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Probate Act of 1975 is amended by by adding
Article IVa as follows:
 
    (755 ILCS 5/Art. IVa heading new)
ARTICLE IVa
PRESUMPTIVELY VOID TRANSFERS

 
    (755 ILCS 5/4a-5 new)
    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, 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, 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.
 
    (755 ILCS 5/4a-10 new)
    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.
 
    (755 ILCS 5/4a-15 new)
    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.
 
    (755 ILCS 5/4a-20 new)
    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.
 
    (755 ILCS 5/4a-25 new)
    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.
 
    (755 ILCS 5/4a-30 new)
    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.
 
    (755 ILCS 5/4a-35 new)
    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.

Effective Date: 1/1/2015