New Albany elder law and probate firm led by Bruce Brightwell, serving Floyd, Clark, Harrison, Orange, Scott, and Washington counties. Handles estate opening, appointment of executors, payment of estate debts and taxes, asset distribution, and probate litigation over will disputes. Practising in Indiana since 1998.
Probate in Washington County
Probate Court Record
Washington County Circuit Court
Washington County · Judicial District 24
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
801 South Jackson Street, Suite 103, Salem, IN 47167
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
How to file probate in Washington County →
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Washington County? →Settling an estate in Washington County →
Elder Law Firms Serving Washington County
New Albany firm guiding families through probate in Floyd County and neighboring Southern Indiana counties (Clark, Harrison, Scott, Jefferson, Washington). Handles estate administration — filing the will, valuing assets, paying debts and taxes, distributing to beneficiaries — and will contests based on undue influence, lack of capacity, or fraud.
Century-old Seymour firm serving Jackson County and southern Indiana from a single office. Attorney Greg S. Morin handles estate administration and trusts alongside estate planning, and the firm's elder-law practice covers Medicaid and long-term-care planning, incapacity planning, and guardianships.
Jeffersonville firm in Clark County, grown from a practice commenced in 1905 and serving southern Indiana and the Louisville metro. Its probate work covers getting the personal representative appointed, accounting for and preserving estate assets, final tax filings, and distribution under the will or the intestacy statutes.
Bedford firm in Lawrence County, founded in 2022 by David A. and Patrick J. Smith. David handles probate and trust administration, elder law and long-term-care planning, special-needs and Miller trusts, and guardianships, and is also licensed in Florida for Indiana clients holding property there.
Brownsburg home office in Hendricks County, serving Avon, Danville, Plainfield, and central Indiana. Brian S. Gordon, an attorney and accountant, handles wills, trusts, and probate representation along with powers of attorney and estate tax return filing, preparing the returns in-house.
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in Indiana
Free Indiana forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for Indiana.
$12/month
Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
Get Started
Free
Healthcare Power of Attorney
Indiana allows a choice for a healthcare power of attorney: 2IC § 16-36-7-30 (sample forms; not mandatory)Verified Oct 15, 2026View source witnesses or a notary.
Get Started
Free
Financial Power of Attorney
Indiana treats a power of attorney as durable by defaultIC 30-5-2-2, IC 30-5-2-6, IC 30-5-3-2, IC 30-5-3-3, IC 30-5-3-6, IC 30-5-4-1, IC 30-5-4-1.3, IC 30-5-4-1.5, IC 30-5-4-1.7, IC 30-5-4-2, IC 30-5-5-14.5, IC 30-5-6-1, IC 30-5-8-2, IC 30-5-8-7, IC 30-5-8-8, IC 30-5-9-9, IC 30-5-10-3, IC 30-5-11-4, IC 30-5-11-4.5Verified Sep 18, 2026View source, and it is signed before 2IC 30-5-2-2, IC 30-5-2-6, IC 30-5-3-2, IC 30-5-3-3, IC 30-5-3-6, IC 30-5-4-1, IC 30-5-4-1.3, IC 30-5-4-1.5, IC 30-5-4-1.7, IC 30-5-4-2, IC 30-5-5-14.5, IC 30-5-6-1, IC 30-5-8-2, IC 30-5-8-7, IC 30-5-8-8, IC 30-5-9-9, IC 30-5-10-3, IC 30-5-11-4, IC 30-5-11-4.5Verified Sep 18, 2026View source witnesses or a notary.
Get Started
Free
Last Will and Testament
In Indiana, a will is signed before 2IC 29-1-5-2; IC 29-1-5-3Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyIC 29-1-5-2; IC 29-1-5-3Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
Get Started
Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Indiana
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in Indiana: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for Indiana.
What Does Estate Planning Actually Cost?
An attorney-prepared revocable trust in Indiana runs $2,720Estimate: 10 hours at $272, Clio's Indiana Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $4,080Estimate: 15 hours at $272, Clio's Indiana Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source and a simple will $945Estimate: 3 hours at $315, Clio's Indiana Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $1,890Estimate: 6 hours at $315, Clio's Indiana Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.
Calculate Costs
How Much Life Insurance Do I Need?
In Indiana, four years at a public university cost about $84,064NCES Digest of Education Statistics 2023, Table 330.20, public 4-year in-state tuition, fees, room and board, academic year 2022-23Verified Oct 17, 2026View source and the cost of living is 7% below the U.S. averageBEA Regional Price Parities, all items, by state, 2024Verified Oct 17, 2026View source; no state estate or inheritance tax appliesNo state estate, inheritance, or generation skipping tax. HEA 1001 (2013) (P.L.205-2013) repealed all three, eff. Jan. 1, 2013 (inheritance tax repeal applies to deaths after Dec. 31, 2012) — IC 6-4.1-12-0.5; IC 6-4.1-11 (estate tax) and IC 6-4.1-11.5 (GST) repealed; Ind. DOR Departmental Notice #44 (Sept. 2023)Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
Calculate the Amount
What Are the Estate Laws in My State?
Probate on a $500,000 estate in Indiana costs an estimated $24,871IC 29-1-10-13 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source and takes 6 months to 9 months for a simple estate, with attorney fees of typically 1.8%Modeled estimate under IC 29-1-10-13 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.8%Modeled estimate under IC 29-1-10-13 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate. Estates under $100,000IC 29-1-8-1Verified Sep 8, 2026View source can use a small-estate procedure instead.
Check the Rules
Do I Need a Revocable Trust?
Probate in Indiana takes 6 months to 9 months for a simple estate and charges attorney fees of typically 1.8%Modeled estimate under IC 29-1-10-13 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.8%Modeled estimate under IC 29-1-10-13 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate; assets held in a revocable trust skip both.
Get the Answer
Are My Beneficiary Designations Protected?
Indiana automatically revokes an ex-spouse as beneficiary at divorceIC 29-1-5-8; IC 30-4-2-15; IC 32-17-14-23; IC 32-17-14-2(c); IC 32-17-14-2.5Verified Sep 15, 2026View source; employer plans under ERISA follow federal rules either way, so a 401(k) beneficiary changes only by a new designation.
Get the Answer
