INDIANAPOLIS ESTATE PLANNING ATTORNEY

Most of us would rather not think about our own death. If we’re young and healthy, we expect that our death will be years or decades from now, and that we’ll have plenty of time to make the appropriate arrangements as that time draws near. Unfortunately, we all know the truth that death may happen at any time.

Under Indiana law, if a person dies without a will (which is referred to as dying “intestate”), there are prescribed rules that govern exactly how the person’s estate will be divided. In many instances, the results of the division of property under these rules are not what the deceased would have wanted.

Creating an estate plan and/or will allows each individual to ensure that his or her estate is distributed as nearly as possible to his or her wishes. Thus if a person wishes for a friend or relative to have a specific item, or if a gift is to be made to a favorite charity, all of these matters can be provided for in the estate plan or will. Because specific items and gifts can be set forth in the estate plan or will, even those with modest estates can benefit from having an estate plan or will to ensure that their wishes are fulfilled.

For those with larger estates, estate planning also offers the ability to minimize the tax burden associated with an estate, so that more of the estate can be transferred to beneficiaries and less to the government. It also provides a way of holding assets in trust for the benefit of minors (such as grandchildren) so that they can be provided for while they are young, but also so that they cannot have access to certain assets until a specified age.

Estate plans can also have another significant benefit – avoiding conflict and in-fighting that can arise if there is no specified division of assets. After a death, conflicts can arise around items that have sentimental value, such as jewelry, family bibles and antiques, and items that may have been passed down from generation to generation. A clear estate plan and/or will can thus be used to specify how important and sentimental assets are to be divided, and thus spare the survivors from having to make these determinations.

Call me at 317-639-3315 so that we can plan your discuss your estate planning needs.

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What Clients Are Saying

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5 Stars Fair and good at what he does.

Kelly Perry

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5 Stars To begin with, I diligently did my homework on choosing an attorney to help me with an estate. I conducted numerous phone interviews with local attorneys. They all presented a rosy picture to me except for Mr. Matheny who told me some harsh truths. That won my trust and I went with him. Mr. Matheny was extremely patient with me as I took something that could have been done in several months and stretched it out to a year. With good communication he kept me on track and everything worked out fine. He was helpful on all of my many questions and was willing to not only work at my speed, but in my preferred method of communication. He was quick to reply and he was friendly. I've had other lawyers who may have gotten the job done, but they blatantly didn't care about me or try to be helpful. Like me, I'm sure many of you are very concerned about getting over-charged by lawyers. I got an estimate from Mr. Matheny at the beginning. It compared favorably with other estimates I'd received. After I dragged my feet all year, I was afraid of how much the bill would rise. As it ended up, my bill was at the low end of the estimate and I think that proves his honesty and fairness. I will use Mr. Matheny in the future and I recommend his services.

Dan Vielhaber

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5 Stars Marc Matheny knows his business in law an accounting,by the book no problems. I don't want to go through estate accounting again!! Big head ache with sibling greed. Mr Matheny made things better in accounting issues. Five star Lawyer.

Robert Moore

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5 Stars Marc defended my children in a probate case a few years back. He was great and worked with me as I had very little income at the time. Dedicated to his clients...

Amanda Lynn