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Micah Nichols is a Board Certified Indiana Trust and Estate Lawyer, as certified by the Trust and Estate Specialty Board, and concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, asset preservation, elder law, guardianships, trust and estate litigation, and general business.

Mr. Nichols has worked with families with nominal estates to those that have taxable estates (+$25,000,000 in net worth) and has developed sophisticated estate plans to minimize gift and estate taxes, to fulfill charitable goals, and safeguard assets for future generations. Mr. Nichols enjoys working with all families, from young professionals just beginning their careers and starting their families to seniors contemplating retirement and leaving a legacy. He particularly enjoys helping his clients navigate through complicated family dynamics, assisting business owners with transition and/or succession plans, and working with his clients’ team of financial advisors and accountants in developing a wholistic and complete financial and asset management plan.

Originally from northeast Indiana, Mr. Nichols has been in private practice since 2012 and is married to his college sweetheart and has two children. While Micah primarily serves clients in the Indianapolis and central Indiana region, he currently has clients all over the state of Indiana.

Representative Experience

  • Created and drafted an estate plan, which included several tax-savings trusts, for a client with net worth of over $35 Million.
  • Created and implemented several business succession plans, which included amending corporate governing documents and creating buy-sell agreements, creating share/unit voting and non-voting splits, using a gift and sale transaction to various family members and irrevocable trusts, using grantor retained annuity trusts, and using charitable trusts, all to save on gift and estate taxes.
  • Created and established several charitable trusts to assist clients fulfill their charitable goals and save on gift and estate taxes and worked closely with the nonprofit organizations to develop the clients’ charitable plans.
  • Consulted and advised several private family foundations on formation, obtaining federal and state tax-exemption, and compliance with state and federal laws.

Professional Associations

  • Member, Professional Advisor Leadership Council (PALC) (January 2022 – Present), Central Indiana Community Foundation
  • Chair, Planned-Giving Committee, Indianapolis Zoo
  • Member, Indianapolis Bar Association
  • Member, Hamilton County Bar Association
  • Member, Indiana Bar Association
  • Member, American Bar Association

Awards & Recognitions

  • Indiana Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2023
  • Best Lawyers in America,©: Ones to Watch - Trust and Estates, 2021-2024
  • Lead Counsel Verification - Estate Planning, Thompson Reuters, 2021

Seminars & Presentations

  • Presenter, "Estate Planning for Young Professionals and Families," Krieg DeVault Podcast Series, May 4, 2022
  • Presenter, "What's New in Estate Planning and Probate," Indianapolis Bar Association, July 2021
  • Presenter, "Pandemic Pandemonium:  Changes in Execution Requirements for Wills, Trusts and POA," Indiana Bankers Association Mega Conference, November 2020
  • Presenter, The Complete Trust Course, Half Moon Seminar, May 2020
  • Presenter, "Practical Law Materials - Indiana Wills and Trusts," Thompson Reuters Westlaw

Publications

Certifications

  • Board Certified Indiana Trust and Estate Lawyer by Trust and Estate Specialty Board
  • Legal Lean Sigma® White Belt

Education

  • J.D., Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Bloomington, Indiana, 2012
    • Editor-in-Chief, Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies
    • Participant and Oral Advocacy Honors, Sherman Minton Moot Court Competition
  • B.A. in History, summa cum laude, DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, 2009

Bar & Court Admissions

  • Indiana (2012)
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana (2012)
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana (2012)

Certifications

  • Board Certified Indiana Trust and Estate Lawyer by Trust and Estate Specialty Board
  • Legal Lean Sigma® White Belt
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Thought Leadership

COVID-19 Checklist for Businesses

March 23, 2020

Thought Leadership

Tax Day Postponed until July 15, 2020

March 23, 2020

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Micah Nichols is a Board Certified Indiana Trust and Estate Lawyer, as certified by the Trust and Estate Specialty Board, and concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, asset preservation, elder law, guardianships, trust and estate litigation, and general business.

Mr. Nichols has worked with families with nominal estates to those that have taxable estates (+$25,000,000 in net worth) and has developed sophisticated estate plans to minimize gift and estate taxes, to fulfill charitable goals, and safeguard assets for future generations. Mr. Nichols enjoys working with all families, from young professionals just beginning their careers and starting their families to seniors contemplating retirement and leaving a legacy. He particularly enjoys helping his clients navigate through complicated family dynamics, assisting business owners with transition and/or succession plans, and working with his clients’ team of financial advisors and accountants in developing a wholistic and complete financial and asset management plan.

Originally from northeast Indiana, Mr. Nichols has been in private practice since 2012 and is married to his college sweetheart and has two children. While Micah primarily serves clients in the Indianapolis and central Indiana region, he currently has clients all over the state of Indiana.

Representative Experience

  • Created and drafted an estate plan, which included several tax-savings trusts, for a client with net worth of over $35 Million.
  • Created and implemented several business succession plans, which included amending corporate governing documents and creating buy-sell agreements, creating share/unit voting and non-voting splits, using a gift and sale transaction to various family members and irrevocable trusts, using grantor retained annuity trusts, and using charitable trusts, all to save on gift and estate taxes.
  • Created and established several charitable trusts to assist clients fulfill their charitable goals and save on gift and estate taxes and worked closely with the nonprofit organizations to develop the clients’ charitable plans.
  • Consulted and advised several private family foundations on formation, obtaining federal and state tax-exemption, and compliance with state and federal laws.

Professional Associations

  • Member, Professional Advisor Leadership Council (PALC) (January 2022 – Present), Central Indiana Community Foundation
  • Chair, Planned-Giving Committee, Indianapolis Zoo
  • Member, Indianapolis Bar Association
  • Member, Hamilton County Bar Association
  • Member, Indiana Bar Association
  • Member, American Bar Association

Awards & Recognitions

  • Indiana Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2023
  • Best Lawyers in America,©: Ones to Watch - Trust and Estates, 2021-2024
  • Lead Counsel Verification - Estate Planning, Thompson Reuters, 2021

Seminars & Presentations

  • Presenter, "Estate Planning for Young Professionals and Families," Krieg DeVault Podcast Series, May 4, 2022
  • Presenter, "What's New in Estate Planning and Probate," Indianapolis Bar Association, July 2021
  • Presenter, "Pandemic Pandemonium:  Changes in Execution Requirements for Wills, Trusts and POA," Indiana Bankers Association Mega Conference, November 2020
  • Presenter, The Complete Trust Course, Half Moon Seminar, May 2020
  • Presenter, "Practical Law Materials - Indiana Wills and Trusts," Thompson Reuters Westlaw

Publications

Certifications

  • Board Certified Indiana Trust and Estate Lawyer by Trust and Estate Specialty Board
  • Legal Lean Sigma® White Belt

Education

  • J.D., Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Bloomington, Indiana, 2012
    • Editor-in-Chief, Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies
    • Participant and Oral Advocacy Honors, Sherman Minton Moot Court Competition
  • B.A. in History, summa cum laude, DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, 2009

Bar & Court Admissions

  • Indiana (2012)
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana (2012)
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana (2012)

Certifications

  • Board Certified Indiana Trust and Estate Lawyer by Trust and Estate Specialty Board
  • Legal Lean Sigma® White Belt

Insights

Thought Leadership

COVID-19 Checklist for Businesses

March 23, 2020

Thought Leadership

Tax Day Postponed until July 15, 2020

March 23, 2020

See LessSee All