I would be delighted to work with you to develop an affordable, straightforward estate planning solution to meet your individual needs.
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Katy Wrona, Estate Planning Attorney

Wills + Trusts

 

Creating affordable, straightforward estate planning solutions to meet your individual needs.

Katy Wrona is an estate planning attorney serving Northern Indiana, including South Bend, Mishawaka, Granger, Elkhart, Goshen and surrounding areas, as well as Northwestern Ohio, including Bowling Green, Perrysburg, Toledo, Maumee, Grand Rapids and surrounding areas.

Originally from Bowling Green, Ohio, Katy has lived in the South Bend area since 2002. Katy currently resides in Granger, Indiana, with her husband, Brian, and their three children.


 

Contact

➤ LOCATION

P.O. Box 288
Granger, Indiana 46530

☎ Email/Phone

katy@kwronalaw.com
574.252.6099
(texting unavailable)

*Due to capacity, Katy will continue to serve only current and past clients and referrals. New clients will not be accepted at this time.

Education

  • University of Notre Dame, J.D. (2013)

  • University of Notre Dame, M.B.A. (2007)

  • University of Notre Dame, B.B.A. (2006)

Professional Licensure

  • American Bar Association

  • Indiana State Bar Association

  • Ohio State Bar Association

  • St. Joseph County (Indiana) Bar Association

  • Notary Public (Indiana & Ohio)

PERSONAL

  • Attending her children’s activities and sports is Katy’s greatest joy

  • Other interests include running, having run both the Marine Corp and Chicago Marathons as well as eight half marathons, flower gardening, baking, traveling, and country music

SERVICE

  • Commission Member, St. Joseph County Judicial Nominating Commission

  • Past Board Member, Catholic Community Foundation of Northeast Indiana

Areas of Practice

Wills

A will, also called a last will and testament, is a vital part of your estate plan.  Your will describes how your financial assets, real estate, and personal property should be distributed after you pass away. You may wish to include specific gifts of personal property, lump sum or percentage distributions to multiple individuals or charities, or a combination of bequests.

If you have young children, your will can also be used to appoint a guardian to take care of your children in the event that you pass away before they reach the age of majority.  You may also utilize your will to appoint a trustee to manage your assets on behalf of your children should you pass away while your children are young.

Additionally, a will gives you the opportunity to appoint an executor of your choosing, sometimes referred to as a personal representative or administrator. Your executor will be in charge of distributing your assets according to your wishes expressed in your will. 

When you establish a will, you provide clarity for family and loved ones and you take decisions regarding the distribution of your property, guardianship of minor children, and the management of your estate into your own hands.


trusts

There are two main types of trusts: living trusts and testamentary trusts.  Each type of trust is described below.

If you establish a living trust, this simply means that the trust is created during your lifetime.  A living trust can be revocable or irrevocable.  With a revocable living trust, you can transfer assets to the trust while retaining both control over the assets and the power to revoke (cancel) or change the trust at any time.  Alternatively, if you establish an irrevocable trust, you generally retain no control over the assets transferred into the trust and you do not have the power to revoke the trust.  Revocable living trusts are often utilized to transfer assets without the involvement of a probate court. Revocable living trusts may also be used to provide income or support to oneself or another individual without completely releasing control over the assets in the trust.  Individuals who choose to transfer assets into irrevocable trusts often do so for Medicaid planning purposes or to avoid estate taxes in the future.

A testamentary trust is a trust that is created by a will.  If you establish a testamentary trust in your will, that trust does not come into being until you pass away.  Testamentary trusts are often used to provide income or support from the decedent's assets to dependent children or other beneficiaries without handing over complete control of those assets to the beneficiaries. 


Powers of attorney

A power of attorney allows a representative to handle financial or medical affairs on your behalf. Such powers may be granted immediately, or only in the event of incapacity.


Living WillS

Through a document called a living will, you can provide guidance to your family and loved ones as to the end-of-life medical support you wish to receive.  Your living will helps to eliminate doubt and anxiety as to your preferred end-of-life medical care.


real estate deeds

A deed may be utilized to transfer real property to another party, designate a transfer-on-death beneficiary on real property, or transfer real property into a trust.