Welcome to the law office of Michael V. Riley.  MR. RILEY IS ABLE TO SCHEDULE  A FREE ONE-HALF HOUR CONSULTATION, REGARDING CREATING ESTATE PLANNING DOCUMENTS, IN PERSON AT OUR OFFICE, BY PHONE, OR BY VIDEO.

Mr. Riley's Background:

Early in his career, Mr. Riley was the head of the largest trust and investment management organization in Northern Indiana with over $1.2 billion in assets under management, a staff of 35 professionals and paraprofessionals, and 4 offices.  When he returned to the full time practice of law, Mr. Riley used the knowledge and experience he gained in the field of trust administration and investment management to help clients establish effective estate plans.  In order to accomplish that goal for clients, he specifically limits the scope of his practice to creating legal estate plans for individuals who reside in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Arizona. The estate plans Mr. Riley develops for his clients are designed to reduce expenses at the time of a person's death and to prepare for the rapid transition of responsibilities in the event of incapacity. At the same time, Mr. Riley makes sure that the client's wishes regarding the distribution of assets at death are clearly confirmed through the use of effective estate planning documents.  Many clients have elected to use Revocable Living Trusts as the vehicle for the inter-generational transfer of assets at death.  This procedure avoids the need to probate assets in the name of the trust, when the creator of the trust is deceased.  In order to help individuals learn more about their estate planning options, Mr. Riley offers a no-cost, no-obligation one-half hour consultation, regarding creating an estate plan for yourself, in person, by phone, or video.

Michael V. Riley's approach to the creation of estate plans for clients:

Mr. Riley's uses his legal experience of over 50 years to properly assess his client's needs as he prepares their estate planning documents.  As a part-time adjunct professor at Indiana University and Purdue University, Mr. Riley used his background to explain complex matters in understandable terms to his undergraduate and graduate students.  He now applies that approach in working with estate planning clients by taking the time to listen to their wishes, so that the documents he creates are in line with those thoughts.  

What Michael V. Riley Offers:

Revocable Living Trusts and Wills: Trusts have become extremely popular as an effective alternative to the probate process and have a well established history in Indiana, Illinois, Arizona, and Michigan. While the probate system continues to work as a strong tool in passing assets to the next generation at death, it is always important to consider all estate planning options which could include probate avoidance. Some of the key reasons that individuals utilize trusts instead of a Last Will and Testament include avoiding probate costs and time requrements, and also protecting the privacy of their personal matters after death.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW VIDEOS WHICH GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF ADVANCE DIRECTIVES, POWERS OF ATTORNEY AND A TYPICAL TRUST PORTFOLIO, PLEASE GO TO THE LAW PRACTICE FOCUS TAB. 

In addition to the preparation of trust portfolio's Mr. Riley is also able to prepare an estate planning portfolio which uses a traditional Last Will and Testament.

Free Initial One-Half Hour Consultation:  As with many other legal practitioners, Mr. Riley offers a free, no-obligation one-half hour initial consultation, regarding creating an estate plan for yourself, so that you can be given answers to your important questions.  This consultation can be held in person, by phone, or by video. 

Important Matters to Consider In the Creation of Your Estate Plan: Whether you decide to use a Living Trust or a Last Will and Testament as your primary method of transferring assets at your death, here are some important matters to consider in the creation of your documents:

• Whom do you trust to properly carry out your wishes, regarding the distribution of your assets, after your death?  If that individual is unable or unwilling to act, who should take that person's place?

• Do you think it is best to have a Corporate trustee or executor act on your behalf, after your death, rather than a family member?

• How will your assets be distributed after your death?  If assets are being distributed to children, will the distribution be on an equal basis, or do you prefer to use different percentages for each child?

• If assets are being distributed to a child, but that child predeceases you, do you want that child's share of your assets to be given to his or her children, or to his or her spouse, or to a combination of spouse and children?

• If assets could, ultimately, be given to a grandchild, do you want to restrict that grandchild's access to his or her share until an older age is reached, such as 21, or older?

• If a child predeceases you but does not have a spouse or children, would you want that child's share to be given to his or her siblings?

• If, when you are deceased, the persons named in your Will or Trust did not outlive you, do you want your assets to be given to a charity?

• If any of your assets could be distributed to a daughter-in-law, or son-in-law, do you want to have language stating that the individual must be married to your child, at the time of the child's death (and no divorce action is pending), in order to receive any of your assets?

• Do you know who would be the "best" person to make medical decisions for you, if you were unable to do so for yourself?  If that person is unable or unwilling to act on your behalf, do you know someone who could carry out that responsibility?

• If you are terminally ill, near death, and unable to communicate with medical providers, do you want to have a Living Will that would direct medical providers not to take extraordinary measures to extend the dying process?

• Do you have named beneficiaries for your life insurance policies, annuities, and retirement accounts?  If those beneficiaries do not survive you, have you named contingent beneficiaries?

• Have you made any written directions regarding funeral and burial arrangements?