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 Orange County
Probate Court Record
Orange County Circuit Court
Orange County · Judicial District 24
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
1 Court Street, Paoli, IN 47454
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
How to file probate in Orange County →
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Orange County? →Settling an estate in Orange County →
Probate Firms Serving Orange County
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.
Madison firm (One W. 6th Street, Jefferson County), formerly Alcorn Sage Schwartz & Magrath, serving southeast Indiana and northern Kentucky since 1976. Estate work covers wills, trusts, healthcare directives, elder-care planning, probate planning and estate tax concerns. By-appointment offices in Columbus, Lawrenceburg and Louisville, Kentucky.
New Albany firm serving Floyd County and southern Indiana from offices in New Albany, Corydon, and Salem. Handles supervised and unsupervised estate administration, small-estate and intestate matters, creditor claims and asset distribution, and estate and trust litigation. Gary Banet also takes guardianships, elder law, and special-needs planning.
Bloomington firm guiding Monroe County and south-central Indiana families through Indiana's probate process. The team marshals and inventories assets, discharges debts, and distributes the estate to heirs, and also handles trust administration, guardianships, and will contest litigation. Partner James F. Bohrer is Board Certified as a Trust and Estate Lawyer by the Indiana State Bar Association.
Richmond practice in Wayne County, also taking cases in Union, Fayette, Rush, Henry, Delaware, Randolph, and Jay counties. Attorney Shane R. Edington handles probate for estates being managed or distributed, guiding personal representatives through court-supervised administration of estates with a will and intestate estates. More than 20 years in practice.
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.
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Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
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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.
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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.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
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. Attorney fees run 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 under a reasonable-compensation standard.
Calculate Costs
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Indiana: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 60 daysIC 29-1-12-1, IC 29-1-7.5-3.2Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 3 monthsIC 29-1-14-1, 29-1-7-7, 29-1-14-9, 29-1-14-10Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
See the Steps
How Much Can an Executor Charge?
Indiana pays executors reasonable compensationIC 29-1-10-13 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, typically 2.2%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.8%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate.
Calculate the Fee
Do I Need Probate?
In Indiana, estates valued at $100,000IC 29-1-8-1Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or less skip probate with the Small Estate AffidavitIC 29-1-8-1Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, 45 daysIC 29-1-8-1Verified Sep 8, 2026View source after death.
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What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?
In Indiana, creditors have 3 monthsIC 29-1-14-1Verified Sep 8, 2026View source from first publication of the creditor notice to present claims; late claims are barred.
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Can I Self-File Probate?
Indiana has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not availableIC 29-1-7-13(b) (court grants letters); IC 29-1-10-3 (clerk administers oath only)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
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