Tamatha A. Stevens holds the Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) designation from the National Elder Law Foundation, a credential that requires demonstrated specialization in elder law, a passing score on a rigorous examination, and continuing certification. She graduated cum laude with Dean’s honors from Indiana University School of Law, completed clerkships at the legal departments of both Eli Lilly and Company and Ameritech, and then spent a decade practicing in the Indiana Tax Court before founding Stevens & Associates, PC in Indianapolis in 1993. The firm she built carries bar admissions before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Tax Court, the United States Federal Claims Court, the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, alongside all Indiana state and federal district courts.
Overview
Stevens & Associates, PC was founded in 1993 under the tagline “Legal Care for Life” and operates from Suite 200 at 3755 East 82nd Street in Indianapolis, Indiana. The firm focuses on elder law, estate planning, Medicaid planning, veterans benefits, special needs planning, and related tax and probate matters for individuals and families across Indiana.
Tamatha Stevens is a Certified Elder Law Attorney, one of a limited number in Indiana to hold that designation, and she has built the firm’s practice around the intersection of estate planning, elder law, and the government benefit systems that aging clients navigate. The firm is a VA-approved firm for veterans benefits, reflecting authorization to assist eligible veterans and their families with benefit applications and planning.
Mark W. Pfeiffer joined the firm and brings nearly thirty years of legal experience, a B.S. in Business with High Distinction from Indiana University, and a J.D. cum laude from Indiana University School of Law. He was selected for the 2024 Indiana Super Lawyers list.
Both attorneys are Indiana University School of Law graduates, a shared educational background that reflects deep roots in Indiana’s legal community. Both are admitted to the United States Tax Court, giving the firm dual capacity in tax-related matters.
Practice Areas
Estate Planning encompasses comprehensive plans including wills, trusts, durable powers of attorney, advanced health care directives, and coordinated strategies for asset transfer across generations. Plans are developed with attention to the tax consequences and the specific circumstances of each client’s family.
Elder Law and Medicaid Planning is the firm’s defining specialty. Certified Elder Law Attorney status means Tamatha Stevens has demonstrated expertise in the legal and regulatory landscape specific to aging clients: Medicaid eligibility rules, long-term care cost planning, Medicaid appeals, and the legal tools for protecting assets while accessing care. The intersection of elder law and Medicaid planning is technically complex and changes regularly as federal and state rules evolve.
Veterans Benefits planning assists eligible veterans and their surviving spouses with accessing VA benefit programs, including Aid and Attendance. The firm’s VA-approved status reflects authorization to practice before the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Special Needs Planning addresses estate planning for beneficiaries with disabilities. Special needs trusts preserve government benefit eligibility while allowing family members to provide supplemental support. This requires understanding the asset and income rules of programs like SSI and Medicaid alongside the trust drafting itself.
Probate and Estate Administration covers the Indiana probate process, representing personal representatives and beneficiaries through estate settlement.
Tax Planning and Appeals covers estate and gift tax, income tax planning for trusts and estates, and IRS matters. Tamatha Stevens’s decade in the Indiana Tax Court and her IRS admission inform this practice area. Mark Pfeiffer also holds U.S. Tax Court admission.
Family Business Planning and Succession addresses the transfer of closely held businesses in coordination with estate and tax planning.
Guardianship covers both the establishment of guardianships and defense of guardianship proceedings.
Social Security benefits planning and appeals are within the firm’s scope, consistent with Tamatha Stevens’s Social Security Administration admission.
Asset Protection and charitable gift planning round out the full range of the firm’s planning services.
Attorney Profiles
Tamatha A. Stevens is the founder and a principal attorney.
Education: J.D. cum laude with Dean’s honors, Indiana University School of Law.
Certification: Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA), National Elder Law Foundation.
Clerkships: Eli Lilly and Company legal department; Ameritech legal department.
Bar admissions: United States Supreme Court; United States Tax Court; United States Federal Claims Court; Northern and Southern Federal District Courts in Indiana; all Indiana state courts; Internal Revenue Service; Social Security Administration; Department of Veterans Affairs.
Memberships: American Bar Association; Indiana Bar Association; Indianapolis Bar Association; National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA); Wealth Counsel.
Community: Board member, Indiana Zoological Society Planned Giving Committee; Joy’s House Adult Day; HealthNet; PrimeLife Enrichment; Indiana NAELA; St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; KidsFirst Foundation.
Mark W. Pfeiffer is an Attorney.
Education: B.S. in Business with High Distinction, Indiana University, Bloomington (May 1991); J.D. cum laude, Indiana University School of Law, Bloomington (May 1995).
Bar admissions: State of Indiana; United States Tax Court; U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Northern Districts of Indiana.
Memberships: Indiana State Bar Association.
Recognition: 2024 Indiana Super Lawyers.
Mark Pfeiffer brings nearly thirty years of legal experience to the firm.
Location and Service Area
Office: 3755 East 82nd Street, Suite 200, Indianapolis, IN 46240.
Phone: 317-915-9900. Email: [email protected].
Website: www.stevenslawyers.com/
Service area: Indianapolis and surrounding Indiana communities.
Parking and accessibility details are not publicly specified.
Client Focus
Stevens & Associates serves individuals and families across all economic backgrounds, with a focus on elder law, estate planning, and government benefit planning. The firm places particular emphasis on cost-conscious legal services, reflecting an understanding that access to comprehensive estate and elder law planning should not be limited to high-net-worth clients.
Veterans and their surviving spouses represent a specific client population served through the firm’s VA-approved status.
Whether initial consultations are provided without charge is not publicly specified.
Languages spoken beyond English are not publicly available. Fee structures are not publicly specified.
FAQ
What is a Certified Elder Law Attorney, and why does it matter?
The Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) designation is issued by the National Elder Law Foundation and requires demonstrated experience in elder law, successful completion of a comprehensive examination, and ongoing continuing education. In Indiana, only a limited number of attorneys hold this designation. Tamatha Stevens is among them.
Is the firm VA-approved to assist veterans with benefits?
Yes. Stevens & Associates is a VA-approved firm, authorized to assist eligible veterans and their surviving spouses with VA benefit planning and applications, including Aid and Attendance benefits.
Does the firm handle Medicaid planning?
Yes. Medicaid planning is a primary practice area. The firm assists seniors with structuring their assets and income to qualify for Medicaid-funded long-term care while complying with applicable rules and, where applicable, pursuing Medicaid appeals.
Does the firm serve clients at all economic levels?
Yes. Stevens & Associates states an emphasis on cost-conscious legal services and serving individuals and families across all economic backgrounds, not only high-net-worth clients.
Does the firm handle tax matters in addition to estate planning?
Yes. Both Tamatha Stevens and Mark Pfeiffer are admitted to the U.S. Tax Court. The firm handles estate and gift tax, income tax planning for trusts and estates, and IRS matters alongside its estate planning and elder law practice.
Closing
Stevens & Associates has served Indianapolis families since 1993 with a practice built at the intersection of elder law certification, tax court experience, veterans benefit authorization, and special needs planning. Tamatha Stevens’s CELA credential and the firm’s breadth of federal court admissions reflect a depth of specialization in the legal needs of aging Hoosiers that extends well beyond general estate planning practice.