Matters of money and family relationships are very personal. That’s why we take a confidential, careful approach to helping you protect your assets and your family members. Losing a loved one is difficult emotionally and financially. We feel privileged to help clients through the unfamiliar and often confusing situations that arise during these times. Everything begins with a personal relationship and ends with effective, straightforward solutions.
At Beckman Lawson, you receive personal counsel tailored to your specific situation, your goals, and your comfort level. You’ll always know what to expect and won’t be surprised by hidden fees or extra costs. Whether we are helping create an estate plan or providing guidance after a loved one is gone, our fee is based only on the time we spend, instead of a percentage of the estate. We believe this gives you the best value for legal services. We are also willing to work on a fixed-fee basis if you prefer.
We regularly provide the following services to help clients protect themselves and their loved ones:
Estate Planning
- Wills
- Powers of attorney
- Appointing a health care representative
- Living wills
- Trusts – included but not limited to, a disabled child, spouse, children, grandchildren, or charity
Life Insurance Planning and Long Term Care
- Evaluate life insurance as an option to provide liquidity for heirs on a tax-free basis
- Terminate a life insurance trust that has lost its purpose or funding
- Sell a cost-prohibitive life insurance policy
- Analyze the pros and cons of long-term care insurance
- Understand options like the Indiana Partnership Program
- Evaluate long-term care needs and how to fund them
Estate & Trust Administration
- Opening an estate
- Probating a will
- Contesting a will
- Administering a trust
- Preparing death tax and fiduciary income tax returns
- Helping heirs obtain an inheritance
- Assisting with administration of an estate
- Docketing a trust to have it amended or reformed to correct a mistake, or address a matter not considered when the trust was created
Guardianship
- Preparing guardianship petitions and accountings for court filing
- Representing parties in contested and uncontested guardianship proceedings
- Serving as a guardian ad litem
- Representing those who want to serve as guardians for minor children or incapacitated adults
