Phillips Attorneys, Inc.

$280/hour.  Retainers may be required as determined on a case-by-case basis.  Any retainer would give credit for hours of work billed at the hourly rate. 

I serve Hamilton, Hancock, Henry and Madison counties.  I am licensed to practice throughout the state of Indiana.

Indiana recognizes only two specialties in the practice of law.  They are Family Law and Estate & Probate Law.  I am a Certified Family Law Specialist-Family Law Certification Board and I also focus my practice on Estate & Probate Law.  I am experienced in dealing with most issues that affect a family from birth through death. 

Select an attorney with experience and a positive reputation.  A divorce may involve up to 4 or more personalities, including each spouse and their legal counsel.  If any of the participants are unreasonable or unknowledgeable, the costs increase.  In my opinion, an attorney who is effective in resolving a dissolution of marriage considers the immediate needs of their client and the future needs of their client.  Positive results are achieved when the family relationships are not destroyed and the focus is on the best interests of the children.  Alternative Dispute Resolution can reduce friction and fees. Pragmatic suggestions help curb costs!

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is creative solutions to resolve conflict outside the court room. The most common ADR is Mediation and Arbitration.

Arbitration is an alternative dispute resolution involving an experienced arbitrator who is usually an expert on the issues the arbitrator is asked to determine.  Arbitration can be binding or non-binding.  It gives parties an option to have an expert resolve issues, where parties are in disagreement, in a more expedient and cost effective manner. 

Mediation is an alternative dispute resolution method involving a trained, neutral mediator to help parties facilitate a resolution to their problems.  Mediators help parties develop creative solutions for issues of conflict that may not be available in court.  90-95% of the cases that attempt mediation are successful in mediation.  Mediation agreements are enforceable in court.

My rate for Mediation is $150.00 per hour.  I require a $600.00 retainer in anticipation of a half day mediation session.

A parent coordinator is a person trained and experienced in conflict resolution with a focus on children and their best interests.  A parent coordinator can be chosen by the parties or appointed by the court.  Parenting time issues can be resolved in a quick and efficient manner by a parent coordinator and help keep post-dissolution or post-paternity cases out of court. 

My rate for Parent Coordinator is $150.00 per hour.

Probate is the process of administrating an estate with court supervision and the ability to address the court for authority to effect the administration.  There is no tax disadvantage to probate. Small estates may be handled without supervision of the court.  Assets can be gathered, sold and/or distributed very quickly under probate.  Debts can also be immediately dealt with in probate.  

$400 for a simple Will and $500 for a Will w/trust depending on the amount of time spent redrafting.  I can prepare a personalized Will for you with clear and understandable language.  I will make sure the signature and witnessing process are done correctly. 

Spending a reasonable amount of money to have lasting and effective documents can save thousands of dollars on interpreting or fixing poorly drafted or self-drafted Wills.  This will give you and your loved ones peace of mind. 

Now!  Life is to unpredictable to leave your estate to chance.  Executing a Will ensures that your wishes will be followed.  A Will will take care of all the assets in your estate and is highly recommended even if you have a trust.  A Will will capture any assets not transferred into a trust. You will also be able to designate your preferences for a guardian for your children, the personal representative who will administer your estate and other decisions to be made in your absence.  A Will should also be reviewed every few years for changes in your life (i.e. an additional child, a divorce, death or disability of a loved one, etc.)

$125.  A power of attorney can be used in a variety of ways.  The most common use of a POA is to ensure that you have appointed a trusted person to take care of your day-to-day business matters when you are unable.  A power of attorney may be used for a specific period of time to authorize someone to take care of a specific item of business.  Another common use is to appoint a healthcare representative to take care of your children in your short-term absence for a vacation or other matter.

$150.  A Living Will is the document that states your desires as to your healthcare under certain extreme situations, giving instructions to life sustaining actions and processes.  It may instruct that feeding and hydration tubes are not to be inserted or are to be removed if only to prolong life in terminal conditions. Anatomical gifts may also be a part of this document.

A trust can be a great tool in estate planning.  Determining whether it is the right tool for you should be decided after consulting with an attorney to discuss the advantages and disadvantages and unique qualities of different trust types.  

You will pay no inheritance taxes.  Your estate or your beneficiaries may pay inheritance tax on the amount they inherit.  There is no Federal Estate Tax for estates under 5 million dollars.  Indiana inheritance tax rate is very low compared to other states and many beneficiaries will likely not owe any or nominal tax with estate planning. (Laws subject to change.)

In my 19 years of practice I have met many people and can help put clients in touch with other experts in related careers such as counseling, appraisals, real estate sales, real estate renting or purchasing, insurance needs, storage rental, investments, mortgages, accounting and many other needs.  I also have associations with attorneys in most every area of law.