Retiring in Indiana can leave you several good memories with family and friends. If you'd like to extend your legacy to the next generation by leaving them an inheritance, you'll have a few choices. Doing so before you retire requires you to calculate the money you'll...
estate administration & probate
Are you familiar with the duties of an executor of an estate?
After passing away in Indiana, you'll likely have belongings to distribute. Before that happens, choosing an executor to help handle your possessions, financial assets and paperwork is essential. This personal representative will carry out your final wishes after you...
Speaking to your parents about estate planning in Indiana
It's never easy talking to your parents about sensitive subjects like estate planning, but it's something you should do. By having a conversation with your parents about their wishes for the future, you can help ensure that things concerning their estate go smoothly...
Estate planning tools in Indiana
No Indiana resident wants to think about what will happen when they die, but estate planning is a necessary part of getting older. Estate planning also ensures that your children are taken care of after you're gone and won't have to spend months sorting through your...
What is a transfer-on-death deed?
For many people in Indiana, real estate is the most valuable asset they own. If you own real estate, it may be smart to consider adding a transfer-on-death (TOD) deed to your estate plan. This document can allow your real estate to pass directly to your beneficiaries...
Can Medicaid garnish your estate?
If you aren’t aware of the Medicaid Estate Recovery Program (MERP), it might help to speak with a lawyer. The Medicaid you receive can be garnished from your estate upon your death. Estate owners need to protect their assets from creditors, tax collectors and fraud....
The importance of having a will in Indiana
Though wills are not legally required, lacking a will means that the state will determine how to distribute your assets after your death. These results often differ from the wishes of the deceased. Therefore, creating a will is essential to ensuring that your property...
What does a probate judge do?
When entering an Indiana probate court, the beneficiaries and the executor might not know what to expect. Probating a will involves distributing assets and paying creditors, among other matters. A probate judge oversees the proceedings, but not everyone may understand...
What duties does an executor perform?
When someone passes away, the individual's will, if there is one, enters probate. The Indiana probate court judge reviews the will to determine who was named in the document as the executor of the estate. An executor serves as the personal representative for the...
When a beneficiary is different from the terms of the will
Many individuals name a beneficiary on their life insurance policies and retirement accounts at a different time than when they draw up their will. Because of this, it's not uncommon for a named beneficiary to be different from the terms of the will. This is what...