Indianapolis firm handling estate planning and probate administration for Marion County and central Indiana, alongside a plaintiff's civil litigation practice. Work includes wills, trusts, trust resolution, special needs trusts, and business succession, with each attorney carrying 25-plus years in estate and probate matters.
Estate Planning for Johnson County, Indiana Property Owners
For most Johnson County homeowners, the house is what drags an estate into probate. A transfer-on-death deed or a living trust keeps it out—here is how to set up either one and record it locally.
For a Johnson County property owner, the biggest probate risk is the home itself. Real estate is what forces most families into the Superior Court No. 2. The two tools that keep a Johnson County home out of probate are a transfer-on-death deed recorded with the County Recorder, and a revocable living trust that holds title to the property.
Skipping this planning step means the Superior Court No. 2 decides who receives the property: a simple Indiana probate takes 6+ months and opens with $177 in court filing fees. Indiana also lets owners name a transfer-on-death beneficiary on vehicle titles, which keeps cars out of the same process.
Record a Transfer-on-Death Deed in Johnson County
A transfer on death deed names a beneficiary who receives Johnson County property automatically at the owner's death, without probate. It is recorded with the County Recorder during the owner's lifetime and can be revoked at any time.
Before recording, an Indiana transfer on death deed is signed with notary acknowledgmentIC 32-17-14-1 to 32-17-14-32Verified Oct 18, 2026View source. The deed takes effect only if it is recorded before the owner's deathIC 32-17-14-1 to 32-17-14-32Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
Where to Record Property Documents
Deeds and other real property documents for Johnson County are recorded with the County Recorder at 86 West Court Street, Franklin, IN 46131. Phone: 1-317-346-4385. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM.
The County Recorder charges $25 flat, regardless of page count. A 2-page transfer on death deed costs $35 to record in Johnson County, which is $25 in recording fees plus the $10 County Auditor's real property endorsement (transfer). No transfer tax applies to a transfer on death deed.
Johnson County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Johnson County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
86 West Court Street, Franklin, IN 46131
Website
E-recording
Fees
Recording fees
| Flat fee (any length) | $25 |
| County Auditor's real property endorsement (transfer)Applies to a TOD deed | $10 |
| SDF-1 (State Form 46021) Sales Disclosure FormNot required for a TOD deed | $20 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | No transfer tax applies to TOD deeds |
IC 36-2-7-10(c)(1)
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Estate Planning Attorneys Serving Johnson County
Indianapolis estate and elder-law firm serving Marion County and surrounding central-Indiana communities (Carmel, Fishers, Greenwood, Plainfield) through the local probate process. Handles will filing, estate asset identification and valuation, debt and tax settlement, executor guidance, beneficiary disputes, and trust administration. Offers a free consultation.
Indianapolis firm guiding families through the Marion County probate process whether or not the decedent left a will. The firm's attorneys handle estate opening, administration, and asset distribution as part of a practice spanning family law and probate.
Columbus firm serving Bartholomew, Jackson, Jennings, Decatur, Johnson, and Brown counties with probate administration — filing wills with the court, securing a decedent's assets, locating beneficiaries, closing accounts, and transferring assets to heirs. Also handles estate administration and trust administration.
Anderson firm serving Madison County and central Indiana, with a second office on Crosspoint Blvd in Indianapolis. Attorney Thomas M. Beeman, a Board Certified Indiana Trust and Estate Lawyer, handles estate administration and estate litigation, representing parties in contested estate and trust disputes. Estate practice sits alongside the firm's criminal-defense and personal-injury work.
Central Indiana firm established in 1880, with a Tipton office and six more in Noblesville, Fishers, Westfield, Zionsville, Crown Point, and Fort Wayne. Its Trust and Probate Administration group sees estates through the court process, pays taxes and debts, and navigates Indiana intestate succession where there is no valid will. Sarah J. Randall and Jack G. Hittle lead the estate work.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Legal Sources
(2)·
Data sourced from Indiana statutes and official state code. How we research.
Forms for Planning Your Estate in Indiana
Free forms for planning your estate in Indiana: will, living trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney and TOD deed. Prepare each form for Indiana.
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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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Codicil to a Will
In Indiana, a codicil is signed before 2IC 29-1-5-2; IC 29-1-5-3Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, like a will, and the self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyIC 29-1-1-3(a)(38); IC 29-1-5-3.1Verified Oct 25, 2026View source.
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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.
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Free
HIPAA Release
In Indiana, a HIPAA release names who may receive your records and, as the state requires, names HIV/AIDS-related information and mental health recordsIC 16-41-8-1(b), (b)(2) (Ind. Code Title 16, Art. 41, Ch. 8); IC 16-39-2-3, IC 16-39-2-5, IC 16-39-2-9(a)(2) (Ind. Code Title 16, Art. 39, Ch. 2)Verified Jun 19, 2026View source expressly before a provider releases them.
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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.
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Transfer on Death Deed
In Indiana, a transfer on death deed is signed before a notaryIC 32-17-14-1 to 32-17-14-32Verified Oct 18, 2026View source, then recorded with the county before the owner's deathIC 32-17-14-1 to 32-17-14-32Verified Oct 18, 2026View source. Indiana does not recognize a Lady Bird deed.
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Vehicle Transfer on Death
Indiana allows a transfer-on-death beneficiary designation on a vehicle titleIC 9-17-3-9 (Transfer on death conveyance; requirements — vehicle-specific); IC 32-17-14 (Transfer on Death Property Act), applied to vehicles by IC 32-17-14-2(e) "Subject to IC 9-17-3-9(g)"Verified Oct 21, 2026View source, filed through the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV).
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Living Will
In Indiana, the living will is the Living Will DeclarationInd. Code ch. 16-36-4 (§§ 16-36-4-0.1 to 16-36-4-21)Verified Sep 27, 2026View source, a document of its own, apart from the healthcare power of attorney.
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Tools for Planning Your Estate in Indiana
Free tools for planning your estate in Indiana: will and trust costs, trust or TOD deed, and the signing rules. Run each tool for Indiana and read its answer.
How Do I Sign Estate Documents?
In Indiana, a will is signed before 2IC 29-1-5-2; IC 29-1-5-3Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and notarization is not requiredIC 29-1-5-2; IC 29-1-5-3Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
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Will My Estate Documents Transfer?
Indiana recognizes a will signed under the law of the place where it was signedIC 29-1-5-5Verified Oct 18, 2026View source; a will signed in Indiana itself needs 2IC 29-1-5-2; IC 29-1-5-3Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and notarization is not requiredIC 29-1-5-2; IC 29-1-5-3Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
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Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?
In Indiana, a will-based plan pays probate 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; a funded revocable trust keeps those assets out of probate and off that fee.
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How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?
An attorney-prepared revocable living 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 for an individual, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.
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How Much Does a Will Cost?
An attorney-prepared will in Indiana runs $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 $299 up front with an online service, and probate on a $500,000 estate adds about $24,871IC 29-1-10-13 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
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How Does SimplyTrust Compare to LegalZoom, Trust & Will, and Other Services?
Compare what it costs to make a trust official across SimplyTrust, LegalZoom, Trust & Will, Rocket Lawyer, and Quicken WillMaker.
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How Do I Name a Guardian for My Minor Children?
In Indiana, a parent names a guardian for a minor child in a will or a separate signed writingInd. Code §§ 29-3-5-4(a)(2)–(a)(4), 29-3-5-5(a)(2), (a)(6); 29-3-3-7; 30-5-3-4(b)Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, and the nomination covers the child until the age of majority, 18Ind. Code § 1-1-4-5(a)(1), (a)(8)Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
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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.
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Indiana Estate Planning Articles
Estate planning articles for Indiana.
