Indiana adopted a special trust form in 2019- the Legacy Trust. While this new trust form provides important asset protection benefits that did not previously exist under Indiana law, it has also caused some confusion. Many people mistakenly believe that Indiana’s Legacy Trust provides absolute and guaranteed protection of assets placed in the trust, while […]
The Basics of Trusts- VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
When it comes to estate planning trusts can be very useful tools. Many of us have heard of a trust and have a general idea of how they work. To understand them better we need to look at who the parties of a trust are. Who are the Parties to a trust? There are three […]
Can a Same-Sex couple own a home as an Estate by the Entireties?
This is an article that our law firm authored for the Indiana State Bar Association. The article was published in the March 2021 issue of Res Gestae magazine. Forms of Co-Ownership of Real Property Many married couples elect to hold title to real estate as an “Estate by the Entireties,” which is a form of […]
Your Estate Plan and The Effects of the New Tax Law
On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 was signed into law by President Trump. This new law has a number of implications for estate plans, but the most notable is the doubling of the Gift and Generation Skipping Transfer Tax (“GST”) Exemptions. Effective on January 1, 2018, the new law […]
Transfer on Death Deeds in Indiana
In 2009, Indiana passed the Transfer on Death Property Act, which gave Indiana real property owners the ability to designate (but not complete) the transfer of real property to a beneficiary upon the owner’s death without the need for the probate process. The owner retains absolute control of the property during his or her lifetime. […]
Our Virtual Law Office
Sometimes, you just need an Indiana legal form, without a lawyer’s help. IndianaVirtualLaw is the website name for the virtual law offices of Griffith Law Group LLC, an Indiana law firm. Through our Virtual Law Office, our law firm provides cost-effective and efficient, limited legal services pertaining to Indiana, Immigration, and federal Trademark Law. Limited […]
Supervised vs. Unsupervised Probate Administration
First, note that the probate process can apply whether or not the deceased left a will. (Dying without a will is known as “intestacy.) Probate is the process by which debts are paid and assets are divided after a person passes away. Generally, we think of the big board room where everyone intended to receive […]
Estate Planning Basics: Wills & Trusts
It is not uncommon for the attorneys at GRIFFITH LAW GROUP LLC to review an estate plan built by the client or an uninformed attorney using the wrong tools for that particular client. People are increasingly turning to pre-printed wills and trusts, or using self-service legal document websites to create estate plans. Unfortunately, those well-intended […]
Indiana Repeals Inheritance Tax Law
In May 2013, Governor Pence signed legislation that effectively repealed Indiana’s inheritance tax for the estates of individuals who pass away in 2013 and beyond. The repeal eliminates a complex form of estate planning, and provides a huge relief to Hoosier families grieving the loss of a loved one. What if someone passed away […]
Should Married Couples Own Property In a Trust
Trust-based planning became very popular in the 1980’s and 1990’s as estate planners- some being lawyers, some being insurance agents and some without any license at all- advertised trusts as the preferred way to plan an estate in order to avoid costly and frustrating probate court proceedings. You might have attended one of the 1,000’s […]