Blooma Stark focuses her practice on estate planning and probate with particular emphasis in the areas of tax planning, asset protection planning and elder care planning.
Valued by clients for her ability to express complex concepts in clear, understandable language, she helps clients meet their goals with respect to their estates and providing for their families in the most tax efficient way. Clients enjoy working with her because she can explain difficult concepts to them in plain language and they know she will get their work done efficiently and effectively.
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
-
Effecting sales to intentionally defective grantor trusts
-
Establishing and operating private foundations
-
Establishing and operating charitable remainder annuity trusts and unitrusts
-
Effecting sales in exchange for a private annuity
-
Establishing and operating family limited partnerships
-
Creating asset protection strategies
-
Administering estates of all sizes including those in excess of $100 million
SPEECHES AND PUBLICATIONS
An experienced speaker on the subjects of estate and trust administration, estate planning, elder law and Medicaid planning, asset protection planning and other estate planning topics, Blooma has been invited to present before many organizations. These include the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE), Illinois CPA Society and Foundation, American Bankers Association, Attorney Alliance, Financial Planning Association, ISMIE Mutual Insurance Company, several Estate Planning Councils (Chicago, DuPage County, Northwest Suburban and Lake County), and numerous community groups. A sampling of her presentations includes:
-
“Life Cycle of Trust,” at the CPA/JD Practitioners’ Breakfast hosted by the Fox Valley Chapter of the Illinois CPA Society, Lisle, Ill., Dec. 2017
-
"Skipping Transfer Tax Planning Options," at the Explore Genworth Financial Annual Convention, Chicago, May 2011
-
"Drafting Third-Party and Self-Settled Special Needs Trusts," at the IICLE Annual Special Needs Planning Program, Chicago, June 2010
-
"Irrevocable Trusts and Testamentary Special Needs Trusts," at the IICLE 5th Annual Elder Law Short Course, Lisle, Ill., Dec. 2009
-
"Estate Planning in an Unsteady Environment, " Genworth Financial Convention, Orlando, May 2009
-
"Important Considerations Regarding Eligibility for Medicaid," Illinois CPA Society's Estate and Gift Tax Conference, May 2009
-
"Irrevocable Trusts," at the IICLE Practice Guidance Session, Dec. 2008
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
Blooma joined Aronberg Goldgehn in August 2001. She has achieved an AV® Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, which is a testament to the fact that her peers rank her at the highest level of excellence. In 2018, she was named by Crain’s Custom Media as a “Notable Woman Lawyer in Chicago.”
Also among her accolades, since 2006, she has been recognized annually as a Leading Lawyer in Trust, Will & Estate Planning Law by the Leading Lawyers Network. She has been named to the Illinois Super Lawyer Estate Planning & Probate Law list annually since 2005 as well as honored on the Best Lawyers in America list for her work in Trusts and Estates since 2024. Blooma was recently recognized by Marquis Who’s Who as an Honored Listee.
In addition to her law degree, Blooma holds a degree in accounting from Northern Illinois University where she graduated summa cum laude and was awarded an outstanding student award by Arthur Young & Co. (predecessor firm of Ernst & Young).
Blooma has been a member of the Trust Law Committee of Chicago Bar Association for many years and chaired that Committee in the 1990s. Additionally, she has been an Adjunct Faculty member of The John Marshall Law School, teaching a class in Estates and Trusts.
In her free time, Blooma enjoys reading, traveling, going to the movies and the theater as well as spending time with her family and six grandchildren.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- Temple B'Nai Israel (Board of Directors and Finance Committee Member)
RELATED NEWS
-
Final Regulations Issued by Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on the SECURE Act
-
Aronberg Goldgehn Celebrates Ten Attorneys Honored on Best Lawyers 2025 List in Eight Practice Areas
-
Legal Documents: The Item Missing From Your College Packing List!
-
Aronberg Goldgehn Wins Big with 11 Attorneys Honored on Best Lawyers 2024 List in Six Practice Areas
-
Why You Should Consider Having Your Child Sign a Power of Attorney Before They Leave for College
-
35 Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Honored as Leading and Emerging Lawyers in 2021 Lists
-
Eighteen Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named 2021 Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
-
Twenty-Nine Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named Illinois Leading Lawyers
-
Aronberg Goldgehn's Women's Initiative Honors WINGS CEO Rebecca Darr With Its 2019 Inspiration Award
-
Aronberg Goldgehn's Women Attorneys Volunteer at Sarah's Circle
-
Twenty-Three Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named Leading Lawyers in Illinois
-
Aronberg Goldgehn's Women's Initiative Honors Sarah Alter With Its 2018 Inspiration Award
-
Twenty Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named Leading Lawyers By Illinois Leading Lawyers
-
What You Should Know About the Final Version of The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
-
Blooma Stark Presenting "Life Cycle of a Trust" at An Illinois CPA Society Breakfast Meeting
-
Eighteen Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named Leading Lawyers By Illinois Leading Lawyers
-
Aronberg Goldgehn's Women's Initiative Hosts Its Inaugural Inspiration Award Luncheon
-
Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named 2015 Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars in Illinois
-
First Business News Talks With Blooma Stark About Digital Asset Planning
-
Blooma Stark Featured in Leading Lawyers Network Magazine - Women's Edition For 2012
-
Seven Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named 2013 Illinois ‘Super Lawyers' and ‘Rising Stars' in Illinois
-
Seven Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named 2012 Illinois ‘Super Lawyers' and ‘Rising Stars' in Illinois
-
Blooma Stark Presenting on Skipping Transfer Tax Planning Options
-
Estate Planning Alert - Changes in Estate Taxes Effective for 2011
-
Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Selected as 2010 Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
-
Stark Presenting on Irrevocable Trusts and Testamentary Special Needs Trusts
-
Blooma Stark Presented at the 2009 Genworth Financial Convention
-
Blooma Stark to Present at the Illinois CPA Society's Estate and Gift Tax Conference
-
Eleven Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Selected as Leading Lawyers for 2008
-
Aronberg Goldgehn Members Attend 2008 Genworth Financial Convention
Northwestern University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1981
Northern Illinois University, B.S. Accounting, summa cum laude, 1978
BAR AND COURT ADMISSIONS
- Illinois
MEMBERSHIPS
- Chicago Bar Association, past Chair of Trust Law Committee
- Chicago Estate Planning Council
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- Illinois Super Lawyer in Estate Planning & Probate Law (since 2005)
- llinois Leading Lawyer in Trust, Will & Estate Planning Law (since 2006)
- Crain’s Chicago Business's Notable Woman Lawyer in Chicago (2018)
- AV® Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell
PERSONAL
What is your favorite thing about working at Aronberg Goldgehn? I love the relationships with other lawyers in the firm.
What is one item on your bucket list? Learning to speak French fluently.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a lawyer? I think if I weren’t a lawyer, I’d probably be an accountant.
What is your favorite place in Chicago? The Lakefront
What is the best vacation you’ve ever been on? A trip we took to India.
What is your favorite restaurant? I like all of the Francesca restaurants.
What is something most people don’t know about you? I grew up in Montreal.