Estate Planning and Probate

• Will and Trust Drafting
Assuring that your matters are in order may be a tender subject, but an important one to address. You are never too young or too old to have a will or trust prepared. Indiana Law provides that the State dictates how your assets are distributed should you pass away without a valid will and/or trust. It takes a knowledgeable attorney to determine what document will serve your wishes and your heirs best. Additionally, Indiana does not recognize hand written (holographic) or self-executed wills. We have learned through representation of non-will estates the terrible effects of intestate (non-will) deaths. Please be sure you are prepared and have a plan for your estate by speaking with an attorney.

• Advance Directives
Often called Living Wills, Advance Directives are important for everyone. These documents define what your wishes are, or what they are not, regarding life-saving methods should you become incapacitated.

• Guardianship
In Indiana, the term Guardianship can refer to the control of the care of either a child, an adult, or over certain property of an individual. Commonly a Guardianship requires identification of an “incapacitated individual.” This generally means a person who is unable to provide self-care or manage his or her property. This can be due to age, disability, illness, and more.

• Power of Attorney (P.O.A.)
Power of Attorney allows an individual to act on another’s behalf in regards to property and/or medical decision making.