CCHA Law’s Estate Planning and Probate group is on our clients' side when it comes to helping with estate planning needs, such as Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, and Health Care Advanced Directives, and also with Trust and Probate Administration. Our experienced team is here to guide you through all stages of the estate planning and probate administration processes - from helping to develop thoughtful and strategic estate planning tailored to your unique goals and family circumstances to navigating the legal procedures to ensure a decendent will or trust is properly administered. Through these personal and often complex processes, our team is here to alleviate the stress and frustration families can experience during difficult times and handle you and the estates of you and your loved one’s estates with care.

We are pleased to share that CCHA’s Estate Planning and Probate group and services recently expanded in the Zionsville area through our new association with Burrus & Sease, bringing in experienced estate planning and probate attorneys Roger Burrus and Beth Sease as Of Counsel. With locations around the state, you can also contact an estate planning and probate attorneys at our Noblesville, Fishers, Tipton, Merrillville offices, or Zionsville offices.

Estate Planning and Probate Resources

Estate Planning and Probate Resources

Here are a few resources you may find helpful in your estate planning and probate matters:

• Who Inherits When There Is No Will?

• How A Joint Account Is Treated At Death

• Small Estate Affidavit Now Available to Estates Worth $100,000 or Less

• 5 Times When You Should Update a Will or Estate Plan

• What is Probate?

• Six Tips for Talking to Your Family About End-of-Life Wishes

• Indiana Intestate Succession: What Is It and Why Does It Matter?

Meet the Team

Sarah J. Randall

Sarah concentrates her practice on estate planning, probate, guardianships, elder law, and real estate. She is a member of the Indiana and Hamilton County Bar Associations. Sarah is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Indiana, the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana, and the Supreme Court of California.

Sarah joined CCHA Law in 2007 after earning her J.D. from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California.

Victoria L. Howard

Victoria is an associate in the firm’s Estate Planning and Probate practice groups focusing on estate planning, probate and trust administration, elder law, guardianships, and adoptions. A graduate of the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, she received her J.D. and a Graduate Certificate in Health Law. Before joining CCHA Law, Victoria was a legal intern for MDwise Hoosier Alliance and the Marion County Health and Hospital Corporation.

Jack G. Hittle

Jack has been at CCHA Law since 1972 when he started as a law clerk. Since then, he has become a partner with the firm and focused his practice on sophisticated probate litigation. He has assisted with the attorney team for litigation involving complex estates and trusts such as the Robert Irsay Trust and the Mel Simon Estate Will and Trust contest, and in the extensive litigation and administration of the Lawrence Inlow estate. As a thought leader in this practice area, Jack speaks at Continuing Legal Education seminars in the fields of probate and school law, as well as to local civic groups on various topics of public interest.

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Roger L. Burrus

Roger L. Burrus serves as Of Counsel on CCHA’s Estate Planning and Probate team. He has been a licensed attorney in Zionsville for over 41 years and is a Board Certified Trust and Estate Lawyer by the Trust and Estate Specialty Board. In addition to his extensive experience in trust and estate law, Roger is a staple in the Zionsville community, serving Zionsville as a 40-year member and past president of the Boone County Bar Association, Zionsville Lions Club, and Zionsville Chamber of Commerce. He is the 2008 recipient of the Zionsville Town Crier award and the 2022 recipient of the Melvin Jones Fellow award from the Zionsville Lions Club. The Mayor of the Town of Zionsville declared February 9, 2022 “Roger Burrus Day,” in honor of his representation of the Zionsville Park Board for over 35 years, where he helped acquire and develop over 15 parks and 500 acres of park lands.

Beth Sease

Beth Sease concentrates her practice areas of wills, trusts, estate and trust planning and administration. She serves as Of Counsel for CCHA, sharing her extensive knowledge of estate planning, estate and trust administration. In 1986, Beth began her career in the tax department of Price Waterhouse serving clients in tax compliance and financial planning. She later established a private practice, focusing on estate planning, estate and trust administration, real estate, business formations, and tax law. In October 2006, she joined Burrus & Burrus Attorneys, now Burrus & Sease. Beth’s practice has grown due to her genuine care and thoughtfulness to each client’s needs and circumstances.

An active Zionsville community member, Beth served on the Community Foundation of Boone County for eight years and is active on the Professional Advisory Leadership Council at the Central Indiana Community Foundation and the Indianapolis Estate Planning Council, among many others.

Katt Boaz

Kathleen completed two summer internships with CCHA Law before becoming a summer law clerk after her first year of law school. She now practices as an associate attorney in the firm’s estate planning, business services, and real estate practice groups. Kathleen obtained her Juris Doctorate from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law where she served as President of the Sports and Entertainment Law Society, and was Secretary of the Intellectual Property Student Association.

Providing Comprehensive Services + Expertise You Can Trust

The Estate Planning and Probate Group at CCHA offers comprehensive estate planning and trust and probate administration services including the following:

• Wills and Trusts

• Advance Directives

  • Healthcare Representative Appointment

  • Power of Attorney

  • Living Will Declaration

• Business Succession Planning

  • Entity Formation

  • Valuation Discounts

• Planning for Federal and Estate Gift Taxes

  • Portability of Spouse Unused Exclusion Amount (DSUE Amount)

  • Qualified Terminable Interest Trust (QTIP)

  • Planning for Non-US Citizen Spouse: Qualified Domestic Trust (QDOT)

• Gifting Strategies

  • Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT)

  • Qualified Personal Residence Trusts (QPRT)

  • Intentionally Defective Grantor Trust (IDGT)

• Charitable Planning

  • Family Foundation

  • Charitable Remainder Trust

  • Charitable Lead Trust

• Generation Skipping Trusts and Tax Issues

• Retirement Benefits

  • Qualified Retirement Plans

  • Inherited IRAs after United States Supreme Court’s decision

• Conduit Trusts

• Accumulation Trusts

• Probate and Trust Administration

Contact the Estate Planning and Probate Group at CCHA

If you or a loved one needs assistance navigating your estate planning, trust, or probate needs, contact CCHA today for a team you can trust. No matter your specific needs, our attorneys will help you develop a plan that is tailored to meet your unique goals, expectations, and family circumstances.