Helping You Reach Your Goals Through Effective Estate Planning
Having a comprehensive estate plan in place may be one of the greatest gifts you can leave for your family after you pass away. A thorough, well-executed estate plan allows you to make your wishes known with regard to how you want your property distributed after your death. It also allows you to designate who has the authority to make decisions on your behalf should you become incapable of making decisions for yourself.
At the law firm of Dugan, Repay & Rybicki, P.C., we represent clients in all areas of estate planning, probate and estate administration. Our lead Northwest Indiana estate planning attorney, Laura Rybicki, offers clients more than 10 years of experience in the practice of estate planning and probate law. She has written about and presented lectures on these topics and is an active member of the Probate, Trust & Real Property Section of the Indiana State Bar Association.
Helping You Build a Plan Focused On Reaching Your Goals
Our firm assists clients in Lake County, Porter County and all of Northwest Indiana in building customized estate plans designed specifically to address their unique needs and goals. We take the time to fully understand what you hope to accomplish and explain your available options. Our Merrillville estate planning attorneys have built plans focused on avoiding taxes, protecting assets and other considerations.
We provide comprehensive estate planning and probate services, including the following:
- Wills and trusts: These are the cornerstones of any estate plan. Both wills and trusts give you the ability to document your wishes, and serve many useful purposes, including avoidance of excessive estate taxes.
- Powers of attorney: You can establish powers of attorney for a variety of purposes, most commonly to allow a specific person to make decisions regarding health care and financial matters when you are not able to do so.
- Advance health care directive: Also referred to as a living will, you can clearly document your wishes with regard to how you want your health care handled should you become terminally ill.
- Transfer on death deeds: A transfer on death deed can greatly simplify the process of transferring your real estate after you pass away.
- Probate and estate administration: We represent executors and trustees in all aspects of the probate process. We help you ensure that all responsibilities are carried out in accordance with the law. We also represent family members who feel that an executor or trustee is not properly handling the responsibilities of that position.
- Small estates: It is possible for some estates with a total value of less than $50,000 to be settled with a small estate affidavit and avoid the time and expense of probate.
- Guardianships: We can help you through the process of becoming the legal guardian of a family member's child or an impaired adult relative.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a Merrillville Attorney
To learn more about how our Merrillville estate planning lawyers can help you or to schedule a free initial estate planning consultation, please call 219-227-4266 or send us an e-mail by completing our online contact form.
