Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Illinois

It may be better to post your question again with a little more clarity and detail, although a consultation will likely be necessary regardless the answers you get.

In any event, the life insurance should be paid to the named beneficiary. If there is not a named or valid beneficiary, then the default is usually the estate.

An estate without a will, assuming that your father was an Illinois resident, should go one-half to the spouse, one-half to be divided among the children (including descendants of any deceased child). If no spouse, all to the children (including descendants of any deceased child).

I am not exactly sure what you are saying about the farm machinery, but if you are saying he had inherited it in the past, then it is part of the estate to be administered now. Once he became entitled to the inheritance, the property became his and is included in his estate.