Create your Indiana will with confidence
Protect your loved ones with an Indiana will using FindLaw’s attorney-created forms and easy step-by-step process.
Choose your Indiana will options
Provide clear guidance and control what happens to your property, children, and pets with a will. Ensure comprehensive protection for you and your loved ones and secure your future with an estate planning forms package.
Last Will and Testament
Customize a will to suit your needs
BEST VALUE
Estate Planning Package
All the forms you need to create a personal estate plan
If you’re not satisfied, we’ve got you covered with a 30-day money back guarantee.
Still not sure what estate planning forms you need?
Header
Question
A fast, reliable, Indiana will tailored to your needs
Protect your family, preserve your assets, and simplify probate with an Indiana will. If you die without a will, a probate court determines how to distribute your property and who will care for your minor children. They do not know the unique needs of your family. With an Indiana will, you take control of decisions around what happens to your property, at what age your beneficiaries can access their inheritance, any individuals you explicitly wish to disinherit. Additionally, a will speeds up the probate process, saving your family time and money.
With FindLaw, you can easily create a will. Click on the links below to jump down the page:
How it works
It only takes minutes to control your future. Need help? Contact one of our directory attorneys.
Create an account
Create a secure account which is accessible through an easy dashboard you can access any time.
Gather information
You will need a list of your assets, contact information for important people, and any wishes you want to be honored when you’re gone.
Complete your documents
Answer all questions, then we’ll generate your digital documents for downloading, printing, and signing.
Make it legal
Carefully follow the instructions provided in the form, which may include signing your documents in front of witnesses or a notary.
Plan for your future with confidence
This free guide will help you:
Learn the most common estate planning terms
Understand the essential estate planning tools
Gather critical information with an estate planning checklist
How do I start my Indiana last will?
If you want a will, you can hire a lawyer or use a will form from a reliable source. If you use a form, follow these steps:
Determine what property you want to give away
First, make a list of what property you own and then figure out how to distribute it. Some of your property transfers outside of your will, such as a bank account with a TOD (transfer-on-death) designation. So those accounts are among the assets that you do not include in your will.
Name your beneficiaries
Second, decide which beneficiaries will benefit from your property or a bequest in your will. You can give someone a specific bequest or gift by listing the item and the beneficiary. Similarly, your can make charitable donations in your will. If any beneficiary is under 18, you can instruct your personal representative to hold their share in trust for them until they reach a specified age.
Appoint a personal representative
Next, you will appoint your personal representative to handle your estate administration. A personal representative files probate paperwork, gathers assets, pays off estate debts, and distributes your estate to your beneficiaries. Choose a personal representative you can trust to handle the responsibility. If they need help with the estate administration, they can hire accountants or attorneys.
Name a guardian for minor children
A legal guardian cares for any children under 18. They handle the education, maintenance, healthcare, and support until the child becomes a legal adult. You know your family situation, so you know who is best to raise your children.
Print and sign the document in front of witnesses
Indiana requires you to sign your will in front of two competent, disinterested witnesses. “Disinterested” witnesses mean witnesses who do not receive anything from the will. Additionally, Indiana allows a “self-proving affidavit” form. A notary signs a witness affidavit to prove the will’s validity.
Indiana last will and testament commonly asked questions
To make a will in Indiana, you must be of “sound mind” and 18 years old. If you are younger than 18, you may make a will if you are in the armed forces or a merchant marine. A sound mind means you understand your actions in making your will.
To make the will valid, you sign your will before two competent, disinterested witnesses. A competent witness means someone who can testify in court. A “disinterested” witness means they are not benefiting from your will.
No. You do not need a lawyer to draft a valid will in Indiana. In the state of Indiana, a legal will is your written statement of wishes, signed by you and the required number of witnesses.
Therefore, you can write your own will or follow FindLaw’s simplified interview process to create your will. However, suppose you have specific concerns about your will. In that case, you might want an Indiana estate planning lawyer to review your document.
FindLaw is not a law firm, and the forms are not a substitute for the advice or services of an attorney. You can find an experienced, local attorney through our directory.
You do not need a notary public to make your will valid in Indiana. However, you may consider using a “self-proving will,” which does require a notary.
A self-proving will includes an attached affidavit signed by you and your witnesses in front of a notary. This affidavit proves the will’s authenticity. By taking this extra step, a probate court does not have to authenticate the will further. This saves your estate time and money in probate court.
Handwritten or “holographic” wills are not recognized in Indiana. A will is only valid if signed by you in front of two competent, disinterested witnesses who are also in the presence of each other. Because it is critical to get the signatures done correctly, FindLaw provides the instructions to properly sign your will.
A will provides instructions on who handles your estate, who receives your property, and who will care for minor children. A will speeds up the probate process because a probate court has to make these decisions if you don’t.
Additionally, if you do not have a will, you die “intestate.” In that case, Indiana follows their intestate succession rules. Intestacy rules do not account for unique situations. For example, what if you had a stepchild you love as your own, but you never got around to legally adopting them? If you die intestate, they will not receive a share of your estate.
A will helps your family get affairs settled after your death. But there are many other legal documents to help you throughout your life.
With a power of attorney, you can appoint an attorney-in-fact to manage your finances if you are suddenly hospitalized or incapacitated. You can also appoint a health care representative to get your medical records and make health care decisions for you if you are unable.
In Indiana, you can control your end-of-life care with a living will declaration and declaration of life prolonging procedures. FindLaw can help you get the legal documents you need for a complete estate plan.
You may want to speak with a lawyer if you:
- Have a past divorce, blended family, or other complex family situation
- Have a high-value estate
- Own a business
- Want to create a special needs trust
- Want legal review of your completed will
Already have an account?
Create a free account for all your estate planning needs
Create an accountYour account is secured by Thomson Reuters, one of the world's most trusted providers of answers.
