Geyer Legal Group, PCGeyer Legal Group, PC2026-08-14T20:35:32Zhttps://www.rgeyerlaw.com/feed/atom/WordPress/wp-content/uploads/sites/1100815/2026/04/cropped-Site-Icon-32x32.pngOn Behalf of Cara Chittenden<![CDATA[“Disarming” Taxes in Retirement and Estate Planning]]>https://www.rgeyerlaw.com/?p=561402026-08-14T20:35:32Z2026-08-12T11:00:11Z
"For decades, you've saved in tax-deferred retirement accounts, watching your balance compound untaxed. Then you turn 73, and the IRS comes calling, Jeff Judge, CFP® advises in a Kiplinger article about RMD "tax traps" to avoid.
While at Geyer Legal, our attorneys offer no direct tax advice, instead working in cooperation with our clients’ tax advisors to coordinate estate planning strategy with tax planning, one thing that is true is that tax law and estate planning overlap, and that is definitely true when it comes to IRA accounts and Mandatory Minimum Distributions.
What many retirees don't realize until it's too late, Judge points out, is that Required Minimum Distributions don't just create a tax bill; they trigger "a cascade of consequences, including:
raising Medicare premiums (a large RMD in one year can raise your Medicare premium two years later, because Medicare Parts B and D premiums are income-based)!
increasing the taxes you pay on Social Security benefits (up to 85% of your Social Security benefits can become taxable depending on your combined income, which includes adjusted gross income, tax-exempt interest, and half your benefits).
while RMDs don't count as "net investment income", if they push you over the NIT threshold ($200 for single taxpayers, $250,000 for joint taxpayers), you could face an extra 3.8% tax.
While, if you take the standard deduction, your charitable contributions provide zero tax benefit, Judge points out, a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) can lower taxable income. In fact, this is a topic we often discuss with our Indiana estate planning clients:
If this election is made, the funds go directly to charity and never become part of the participant’s gross income.
While it is still true that we offer no direct tax advice or calculations, taxes, we've learned, continue to represent a central topic in estate planning discussions.
In fact, proper planning protects wealth so that more of it can go to the people and the causes our Geyer Legal clients care most about.
- by Cara Chittenden, Attorney at Geyer Legal Group
While it is still true that we offer no direct tax advice or calculations, taxes, we've learned, continue to represent a central topic in estate planning discussions.
In fact, proper planning protects wealth so that more of it can go to the people and the causes our Geyer Legal clients care most about.
- by Cara Chittenden, Attorney at Geyer Legal Group]]>On Behalf of Nicole Eckert<![CDATA[Business Succession Planning is the First Order of Business]]>https://www.rgeyerlaw.com/?p=561362026-07-29T19:04:31Z2026-08-05T11:00:49Z
"When a small business owner dies with an active amortized loan, the debt does not vanish. The balance remains an obligation of the business entity and a valid claim against the owner's personal guarantee and estate", the Small Business Administration website explains. Even when a business has multiple owners, if just one of the guarantors dies, the bank could call the loan, as Evansville attorney Terry Farmer cautions.
At Geyer Law, we know it's literally never too soon to give thought to business success planning, anticipating, well in advance, the answer to the question of how the business will respond to the death or disability of one of the owners. As Attorney Cara Chittenden explained in an earlier post, " With planning, everyone has advance notice of what the plan is and what their role is likely to be.”
Thing is, even for the smallest of businesses, there are aspects of business law - and estate planning -- that need to be considered from the get-go, including thinking ahead to that someday in the future. That's because, as we explain to Geyer Law clients, your business is not only going to be about you; it's going to be about your employees, your customers, your family members. From Day 1, the possibility of any business partner or key employee leaving (to go elsewhere, or because of illness or death), must be considered.
Wisconsin attorneys Hollman DeJong & Laing sum the matter up nicely when they recommend that business owners create a buy-sell agreement as soon as the business is formed. 'It’s a lot easier to get an agreement in place when everyone’s in agreement.'"
At Geyer Legal, in addition to helping clients select the right business entity for their needs (sole proprietorship, LLC, corporation, or partnership), we help create buy-sell agreements and appropriate succession planning. We realize that business succession planning is the first order of business!.
- by Nicole Eckert , Attorney with Geyer Legal Group]]>by Katrin Hodson<![CDATA[Stand-By-Your-Spouse Estate Planning]]>https://www.rgeyerlaw.com/?p=561332026-07-22T13:13:39Z2026-07-29T11:00:24Z
"Before assets reach children or charities, they most often move to a surviving spouse," Erica Ellis, J.D. reminds financial advisors."Women will control a growing share of wealth in the coming decades, driven largely by longevity, Ellis reminds readers of Financial Advisor magazine, and in most marriages a wife will outlive her husband. The moment of transfer (when the widow has become the sole decision maker over assets), is not when she should be learning about an investment account for the first time.
Ellis is offering practical "coaching" to planners, helping them:
avoid loss of assets under their management
avoid being blamed by a surviving wife for being trapped in a difficult financial situation after her husband's death,
The article actually makes an important point about the importance of including both spouses in the estate planning process itself.
As Indiana estate planning attorneys, we must help couples "envision" possible outcomes of various choices they make. Not always is the husband the first to die, but depending on choices the couple makes now (and together), the survivor can be limited in the ability to access equity, sell property, or help children.
Engaging with everyone impacted by an estate plan, adult children included, builds transparency and trust, Ellis urges financial planners. Not only do these "talks" make wealth transfers smoother, the advisor’s relationship with their clients become more durable.
One of the guiding principles at Geyer Legal is communication. We encourage family conferences to help acquaint the younger generation with their parents’ estate plans and allow them to meet members of their parents’ advisory team. Not only will this make settling parents’ affairs much simpler later on, but, even more important, it allows parents to openly share with their loved ones the values and assumptions – along with the issues – that have gone into their estate planning choices.
- by Katrin Hodson, Attorney with Geyer Legal]]>by Ronnie<![CDATA[Before and During –Not After –Estate Planning Talk]]>https://www.rgeyerlaw.com/?p=561302026-07-22T13:07:42Z2026-07-22T11:00:09Z"When it's love vs. money, Americans prefer the hefty bank account," the results of a Northwestern Mutual survey of 4,375 U.S. adults revealed. A majority of couples in a serious relationship, the survey revealed, feel financial compatibility is more important than any of the following: emotional chemistry, physical attractiveness, intellectual connection, shared hobbies, or spiritual harmony.
Disagreements about money can put substantial strains on a couple; couples who share financial values and goals are better equipped to move forward together, Jeff Sippel, Northwestern Mutual's Chief Strategy Officer, said. "Many couples don't start on the same page financially -- but they get there by talking," Sippel added. “Money conversations don't just build wealth, they create stronger relationships."
At Geyer Legal Group, we couldn't agree more that agreement about money is an important element of stability in family relationships. As longtime Indiana estate planning attorneys, we’ve learned the value of facilitating family conferences, to give parents the chance to openly share the values and assumptions that have gone into their estate planning choices. While having properly-drafted documents and family conferences cannot ensure there will be no conflicts when an estate is being settled, we firmly believe that helping avoid family rifts is a core function of our work.
Since at Geyer Legal we assist not only with estate planning, but in creating prenuptial agreements, we were chagrined to read a recent report in the National Library of Medicine about the growing phenomenon of "gray divorce” – divorce that occurs among adults aged 50 and older. Not only must estate plans be overhauled as a result of the divorce, but the report also notes that many women experience as much as a 45% drop in their standard of living after the divorce.
Divorce or no, regularly reviewing and adapting your estate plan is crucial as individuals and couples move through the many changes in life -- either separately or together. In "The Psychology of Communication in Estate Planning", Bradley Klontz, Psy.D, CFP®,points out, "When we don't know a person's true intentions, we make up a story -- often not the one intended. This miscommunication can destroy relationships, dismantle families, and cause life-long emotional wounds." The job of advisors, Klontz so poignantly says, is to help clients accurately communicate their true intentions. As Indiana estate planning advisors, we emphatically agree!
- by Ronnie of the Geyer Legal Group blog team]]>On Behalf of Ronnie<![CDATA[What happens after you submit a Medicaid application?]]>https://www.rgeyerlaw.com/?p=561242026-07-16T16:10:19Z2026-07-16T16:10:19ZFSSA evaluates your application
After you submit your Medicaid application, the evaluation process begins. The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) reviews the information you provide to determine whether you meet the eligibility requirements, including income, assets and other applicable criteria.
The amount of time this takes varies. Some move through the process more quickly than others, especially if FSSA has all the information it needs.
You may need to provide more information
It is common for the agency to ask for more information before making a decision. A request does not necessarily mean there is a problem with your application. Instead, it often means FSSA needs clarification or additional records to complete its evaluation.
Responding as soon as possible can help avoid unnecessary delays. Keep copies of anything you submit so you have a clear record if questions come up later.
You receive a decision
Once the process is complete, you will receive written notice explaining whether FSSA approved or denied your application. If you qualify, the decision generally explains when your benefits begin and any other important details about your coverage.
If you did not qualify, it should explain the reason for the decision. Understanding why they reached that decision can help you determine what steps may be available next under Indiana's Medicaid process.
Keep your application on track
Staying organized throughout the process makes it easier to respond if additional action is needed. Save every letter or communication you receive and pay close attention to any deadlines FSSA provides.
If questions arise while your application is pending or after you receive a decision, seeking legal assistance can help you understand your options. Addressing concerns early may help you avoid common setbacks and stay prepared for what comes next.]]>On Behalf of Rebecca Geyer<![CDATA[On Charitable Terms]]>https://www.rgeyerlaw.com/?p=561272026-07-22T12:56:30Z2026-07-15T11:00:39ZPeople make split-interest charitable gifts to balance philanthropy with their personal financial needs. As Fidelity Charitable explains, clients can achieve several goals using split-interest charitable giving:
Generating lifetime income without triggering immediate capital gains tax on highly appreciated assets such as stocks or real estate.
Deferring or lowering capital gains tax, gift tax, and estate tax.
Supporting favorite charitable causes.
The "splitting" involves two entities - a charitable organization and a person or people. Some of the wealth transferred into a charitable trust will go (either now or later) to a charity; some will go (either now or later) to a person/people. The timing (when assets are distributed and to whom) determines taxability and tax deductions.
At Geyer Legal Group, we do not provide tax advice. Instead, we collaborate with our clients and their financial advisors to help them define their charitable giving goals and determine the most effective strategies for passing income and assets to future generations through thoughtful planning.
Two primary questions help guide decision-making:
What type of assets will the client donate?
Is the client seeking income during their own lifetime, or is the client primarily focused on preserving wealth for their heirs?
The Internal Revenue Service website sums up the two basic types of split-interest trusts:
Charitable Lead Trust (CLT) is an irrevocable trust where a designated charity receives a stream of payments for a specified term, after which the remaining assets are transferred to non-charitable beneficiaries, such as family members or heirs.
The donor receives a charitable deduction for the present value of the interest received by the charity, while the value passed to the non-charitable beneficiaries is considered a taxable gift by the grantor.
Charitable remainder unitrust (CRUT) is a trust where an amount is payable annually to a recipient (either the donor or other beneficiaries) for a term of years or for the life of the beneficiary(ies) which amount is a fixed percentage (not less than 5% but not more than 50%) of the net fair market value of the trust's assets, with the remainder passing to charity at the end of the term or at the end of the beneficiary’s life.
As Indiana estate planning attorneys, we have come to realize that so many aspects of the estate planning process are not about death at all, but about living, and we work to ensure that all components of our clients’ estate plans reflect their own values and beliefs.
- by Rebecca W. Geyer]]>On Behalf of Cara Chittenden<![CDATA[Think Twice Before Naming Children as Direct Beneficiaries]]>https://www.rgeyerlaw.com/?p=561222026-07-06T14:30:13Z2026-07-08T11:00:37Z
Thinking of naming minor children as beneficiaries of your life insurance policy, retirement account, or investment account? Think again. While minors can certainly inherit assets, they are still legally ineligible to manage those assets. If no trust or guardianship has been created, the court will appoint a guardian to oversee the child's "estate" until that child turns 18, requiring legal fees and ongoing reporting to the court.
"If a distribution may be made to minor children or disabled persons, a last will may be important to enable property to be properly held for minor children or disabled persons," Indiana University's Office of the Vice President & General Counsel explains.
Always alert to keeping both our Indiana estate planning clients and our blog readers informed about new developments in the law, we note the following legislative update, effective July 1 of this year (just a week ago!):
"Allows a person indebted to a minor or having possession of property belonging to a minor to pay the debt or deliver the property without a court order in an amount up to $25,000 and to pay the debt or deliver the property to a custodian under the Indiana Uniform Transfers to Minors Act." ,
In other words, a minor can now receive $25,000 (up from $10,000) without requiring that a guardianship be established. The law now "allows a person having the care and custody of a minor with whom the minor resides to petition a court to compromise a claim on behalf of the minor."
If naming minor children as direct beneficiaries is not the best course of action, what are better estate planning alternatives? American College of Trust and Estate Counsel lists three:
Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA)
529 accounts
Living Trust
At Geyer Legal Group, PC, our work is designed to help prepare our clients for all of life’s twists and turns. For parents of young children, knowing how to distribute assets for the benefit of minor children is of primary importance.
- by Cara Chittenden, Attorney with Geyer Legal Group]]>On Behalf of Nicole Eckert<![CDATA[Wine and Estate Planning — More Similar Than You Think]]>https://www.rgeyerlaw.com/?p=561192026-07-02T20:01:03Z2026-07-01T11:00:37Z
"Wine and investing are more similar than you think", Bryce Sanders tells financial advisors, suggesting they use wine-related analogies to create "aha" moments in conversations with their clients. Interestingly, several of the analogies Sanders mention apply to the estate planning conversations we have with our Indiana clients.
DiversificationThe red wines from Bordeaux are usually a blend of five grape types. If one type did not have a good year, the winemakers can increase the percentage of the other grape types and still produce good wine.Sanders' "lesson" as it applies to investing: A diversified large cap growth or value mutual fund has a lot of flexibility. If one sector isn't doing well, the managers can increase their weighting in other sectors.
Estate planning works in a similar way. "Diversification is a core estate planning strategy, extending into asset protection, tax management, and liquidity," Guardian Life explains. When it comes to establishing trusts, there are many different varieties, each serving a different estate planning goal, including irrevocable life insurance trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts, spousal lifetime access trusts, and generation transfer trusts.
Geyer Legal Group is a full-service firm with decades of experience representing the families and business owners of central Indiana.
Values abound, if you know where to lookWine is heavy and fragile, and a new vintage comes out every year. Wine producers, distributors, and wholesalers need to clear the shelves to make room for the latest vintage.
Sanders' takeaway: In the world of investing, some sectors are outperforming and others under-performing at any moment. A good advisor knows to look for opportunities.
From an estate planning perspective: “The legal framework governing estates, trusts, and wealth transfer continues to evolve, with significant changes taking effect in 2026 that will reshape how families approach their long-term financial security," waytolegal.com explains.
Changes in Indiana law inevitably affect our work with Geyer Legal Group’s estate planning clients, sometimes requiring an update to documents or even a shift in strategy.
Professional advice has value
When picking wine, they say "a little knowledge is dangerous." It makes sense to get help from someone who has made wine or wine investing their career. Regardless of whether the cost is built into the product or you are paying a fee, professional guidance has value.
The same is true for estate planning: Securing a trusted legal resource means finding an advocate for your personal and business interests who understands your unique situation and can tailor your estate plan for your specific goals.
Bryce Sanders tells financial advisors that wine and financial planning are more similar than they think. At Geyer Legal Group, we know that wine and estate planning are more similar than most clients think!- by Nicole Eckert, Attorney with the Geyer Legal Group]]>by Ronnie<![CDATA[Introducing Newest Member of Geyer Legal Group]]>https://www.rgeyerlaw.com/?p=561162026-06-27T19:00:24Z2026-06-27T19:00:24Z
Geyer Legal Group is pleased to introduce Katrin Hodson as our newest associate attorney. Katrin will focus her practice on helping clients with their estate planning and estate administration needs.
A Hoosier born and bred, Katrin grew up in Granger then Ft. Wayne. After graduating from Wittenberg University, she earned her J.D. from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law. Her early career centered on medical malpractice and civil rights defense. After two-and-a-half years, she sought to change practice areas, and her Estate Planning professor from Maurer recommended speaking with Rebecca Geyer.
Katrin enjoys painting, recently moving from watercolor to experimenting with oils, running, and reading. She and her partner, Raul, enjoy baking desserts together and playing euchre with friends.
- by Ronnie of the Geyer Legal Group blog team]]>On Behalf of Cara Chittenden<![CDATA[Ounces of Prevention Beat Pounds of Later Quarrels]]>https://www.rgeyerlaw.com/?p=561132026-06-27T18:45:29Z2026-06-17T11:00:20Z"My father passed away and left me a large sum of money", a reader related in a recent Dear Abby letter. After paying off debt, she decided to give each of her three adult children a Christmas gift:"from me and their grandfather". The letter-writer's husband of one year was not happy, feeling that his adult children should be given Christmas gifts as well. Abby's answer - "Your husbands' children are not entitled to a share of your inheritance."
Estate planning for second marriages (after divorce or death of a first spouse), especially when there are children from prior marriages, is a lot more difficult, and, at Geyer Law, our goal is to tailor-make a plan for each of our clients, especially those in second marriage situations. As Texas Probate Lawyer points out, the spouses will typically want to provide for their surviving partner, but they want to be sure the assets end up with their children (not the surviving spouse’s children)
In the Dear Abby scenario quoted above, it appears there was no prenuptial agreement addressing financial scenarios such as the receipt of an inheritance by either of the parties. Tellingly, the letter writer reveals that her husband refuses to go to marriage counseling with her. What we have learned as Indiana estate planning lawyers is that, as hard as couples may find it to discuss money matters, including inheritances, communicating on these sensitive areas works to strengthen the relationship. While we are not marriage counselors, we often find ourselves serving as discussion moderators and guides.
In the Dear Abby scenario, the debate over the wife's newly inherited wealth undoubtedly posed a threat, not only to the couple's relationship, but that of her children and his. We have no way of knowing from the column whether the grandfather, upon learning of his daughter's remarriage, had revealed to her his own intentions relative to the "combined family" and the addition of a new set of great-grandchildren. In general, however, as longtime Indiana estate planning attorneys, we’ve learned the value of facilitating family conferences so that the younger generation becomes acquainted with the values and assumptions that have gone into the older generation's estate planning choices, with differing expectations, issues, and misunderstandings brought to the table while everyone is there to participate.
It's that old "ounce-of-prevention" concept that is so very relevant to the estate planning process.- by Cara Chittenden, Attorney with Rebecca W. Geyer & Associates]]>
"When a small business owner dies with an active amortized loan, the debt does not vanish. The balance remains an obligation of the business entity and a valid claim against the owner's personal guarantee and estate", the Small Business Administration website explains. Even when a business has multiple owners, if just one of the guarantors dies, the bank could call the loan, as Evansville attorney Terry Farmer cautions.
At Geyer Law, we know it's literally never too soon to give thought to business success planning, anticipating, well in advance, the answer to the question of how the business will respond to the death or disability of one of the owners. As Attorney Cara Chittenden explained in an earlier post, " With planning, everyone has advance notice of what the plan is and what their role is likely to be.”
Thing is, even for the smallest of businesses, there are aspects of business law - and estate planning -- that need to be considered from the get-go, including thinking ahead to that someday in the future. That's because, as we explain to Geyer Law clients, your business is not only going to be about you; it's going to be about your employees, your customers, your family members. From Day 1, the possibility of any business partner or key employee leaving (to go elsewhere, or because of illness or death), must be considered.
Wisconsin attorneys Hollman DeJong & Laing sum the matter up nicely when they recommend that business owners create a buy-sell agreement as soon as the business is formed. 'It’s a lot easier to get an agreement in place when everyone’s in agreement.'"
At Geyer Legal, in addition to helping clients select the right business entity for their needs (sole proprietorship, LLC, corporation, or partnership), we help create buy-sell agreements and appropriate succession planning. We realize that business succession planning is the first order of business!.
- by Nicole Eckert , Attorney with Geyer Legal Group]]>
"Before assets reach children or charities, they most often move to a surviving spouse," Erica Ellis, J.D. reminds financial advisors."Women will control a growing share of wealth in the coming decades, driven largely by longevity, Ellis reminds readers of Financial Advisor magazine, and in most marriages a wife will outlive her husband. The moment of transfer (when the widow has become the sole decision maker over assets), is not when she should be learning about an investment account for the first time.
Ellis is offering practical "coaching" to planners, helping them:
"When it's love vs. money, Americans prefer the hefty bank account," the results of a Northwestern Mutual survey of 4,375 U.S. adults revealed. A majority of couples in a serious relationship, the survey revealed, feel financial compatibility is more important than any of the following: emotional chemistry, physical attractiveness, intellectual connection, shared hobbies, or spiritual harmony.
Disagreements about money can put substantial strains on a couple; couples who share financial values and goals are better equipped to move forward together, Jeff Sippel, Northwestern Mutual's Chief Strategy Officer, said. "Many couples don't start on the same page financially -- but they get there by talking," Sippel added. “Money conversations don't just build wealth, they create stronger relationships."
At Geyer Legal Group, we couldn't agree more that agreement about money is an important element of stability in family relationships. As longtime Indiana estate planning attorneys, we’ve learned the value of facilitating family conferences, to give parents the chance to openly share the values and assumptions that have gone into their estate planning choices. While having properly-drafted documents and family conferences cannot ensure there will be no conflicts when an estate is being settled, we firmly believe that helping avoid family rifts is a core function of our work.
Since at Geyer Legal we assist not only with estate planning, but in creating prenuptial agreements, we were chagrined to read a recent report in the National Library of Medicine about the growing phenomenon of "gray divorce” – divorce that occurs among adults aged 50 and older. Not only must estate plans be overhauled as a result of the divorce, but the report also notes that many women experience as much as a 45% drop in their standard of living after the divorce.
Divorce or no, regularly reviewing and adapting your estate plan is crucial as individuals and couples move through the many changes in life -- either separately or together. In "The Psychology of Communication in Estate Planning", Bradley Klontz, Psy.D, CFP®,points out, "When we don't know a person's true intentions, we make up a story -- often not the one intended. This miscommunication can destroy relationships, dismantle families, and cause life-long emotional wounds." The job of advisors, Klontz so poignantly says, is to help clients accurately communicate their true intentions. As Indiana estate planning advisors, we emphatically agree!
- by Ronnie of the Geyer Legal Group blog team]]>
People make split-interest charitable gifts to balance philanthropy with their personal financial needs. As Fidelity Charitable explains, clients can achieve several goals using split-interest charitable giving:
"My father passed away and left me a large sum of money", a reader related in a recent Dear Abby letter. After paying off debt, she decided to give each of her three adult children a Christmas gift:"from me and their grandfather". The letter-writer's husband of one year was not happy, feeling that his adult children should be given Christmas gifts as well. Abby's answer - "Your husbands' children are not entitled to a share of your inheritance."
Estate planning for second marriages (after divorce or death of a first spouse), especially when there are children from prior marriages, is a lot more difficult, and, at Geyer Law, our goal is to tailor-make a plan for each of our clients, especially those in second marriage situations. As Texas Probate Lawyer points out, the spouses will typically want to provide for their surviving partner, but they want to be sure the assets end up with their children (not the surviving spouse’s children)
In the Dear Abby scenario quoted above, it appears there was no prenuptial agreement addressing financial scenarios such as the receipt of an inheritance by either of the parties. Tellingly, the letter writer reveals that her husband refuses to go to marriage counseling with her. What we have learned as Indiana estate planning lawyers is that, as hard as couples may find it to discuss money matters, including inheritances, communicating on these sensitive areas works to strengthen the relationship. While we are not marriage counselors, we often find ourselves serving as discussion moderators and guides.
In the Dear Abby scenario, the debate over the wife's newly inherited wealth undoubtedly posed a threat, not only to the couple's relationship, but that of her children and his. We have no way of knowing from the column whether the grandfather, upon learning of his daughter's remarriage, had revealed to her his own intentions relative to the "combined family" and the addition of a new set of great-grandchildren. In general, however, as longtime Indiana estate planning attorneys, we’ve learned the value of facilitating family conferences so that the younger generation becomes acquainted with the values and assumptions that have gone into the older generation's estate planning choices, with differing expectations, issues, and misunderstandings brought to the table while everyone is there to participate.
It's that old "ounce-of-prevention" concept that is so very relevant to the estate planning process.
- by Cara Chittenden, Attorney with Rebecca W. Geyer & Associates]]>