What to do
when someone dies
Someone close to you has died. Like most people in this situation, you’re not sure where to start. During this time, it is helpful to understand there are processes and time needed to move things forward. That said, in the immediate, there is little that can be – or any many cases – should be done.
Download “Now What?”
The checklist gives you some direction with regards to what to do – and what not to do – when someone dies.
The quick-reference list helps to address concerns in those first days or weeks. The true path and necessities will become clearer as more information becomes available to you and your family.
There are things to do, things to hold off on, and some mistakes that are easy to make early and harder to undo. The videos below walk you through some of things that you might have questions about. The downloads are there when you’re ready to prepare for a conversation with us.
When you want to talk through your specific situation, we’re here. There’s no charge for our initial conversation.
Probate overview
Probate gets mentioned a lot when someone dies. In Indiana, the probate process can be complex, but it is essential to understand the basics.
It sounds complicated. Sometimes the process is involved, sometimes it isn’t required at all.
This video explains what probate actually is, when it applies in Indiana, and what the process looks like from start to finish. If you’re trying to figure out whether you even need to go through probate, start here.
WHAT TO DO
The first few days after someone dies are not the time to settle the estate. This video walks through ten things to do — and not do — when someone passes away. For those facing the Indiana probate process, following these steps is crucial.
Some of what feels logical in that moment can create real problems later. A few of the rules are counterintuitive. This helps you understand why.
FIRST steps
The first days after someone dies are not the time to act on the estate. The urge to get organized, to start settling things, is natural. Worth resisting. If you’re navigating the Indiana probate process, patience is important.
Steps 1 through 3 cover that window. Do very little. Don’t step into authority that hasn’t been officially granted. Don’t pay anyone out of your own pocket yet. This video explains why each of those rules matters, and what can happen when people skip them.
ATTORNEYS fees
Attorney fees for probate are not standard. They vary — sometimes by thousands of dollars — depending on how the case is structured and how the attorney bills. In Indiana, understanding the probate process may help you estimate legal costs more accurately.
Flat fee, hourly, or based on the value of the estate. This video explains each approach, so you know what to compare before you hire anyone.
Who you’ll meet
RG Skadberg
RG founded CCSK Law with a simple idea: legal planning shouldn’t feel like a foreign language. Law is his sixth career; he went to law school at 47 after watching people get lost when life and the legal system collided. That’s shaped how he practices: explain the reasoning, lay out the options in plain English, and let clients pick the path that fits their lives.
RG focuses on Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Medicaid and Elder Law, Probate, and planning small business owners. He’s lived in Valparaiso for 27 years with his wife Ann and their two daughters, and outside the office he’s usually building something, whether that’s a new resource for clients or his golf game.
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