Sarah Okonkwo
Sarah Okonkwo covers legal and consumer-finance topics for CityDesk. She aims for the middle ground most legal content misses: accurate and carefully qualified, but written for people, not lawyers. Her coverage explains the rule, the exceptions, and what it actually means for the reader — without giving legal advice.
CityDesk reporting is produced with AI assistance and reviewed by our editors.
How Marion County Probate Actually Works for a Small Estate
Indiana raised its small estate threshold to $100,000 in 2022. Here's what that means for families navigating Marion County Probate Court — and when you can skip the courthouse entirely.
Your Indiana LLC Biennial Report Is Due July 31 and Here Is What Happens If You Miss It
Indiana requires a biennial Business Entity Report, not an annual one. Missing the July 31 deadline puts your liability protection at risk starting the moment the state acts.
How to Appeal Your Marion County Property Tax Assessment Before the Deadline
Marion County reassessment notices have started hitting mailboxes. The 45-day window to file a PTABOA petition is already running for notices already received. Here's the complete process from read…
What Indianapolis Employers and Workers Need to Know About Indiana Employment Law in 2026
From final paycheck timelines to contractor classification — what the statutes say, sector by sector
How the Marion County Eviction Process Actually Works in 2026
Indianapolis consistently ranks among the highest-eviction cities in the country. Here is what landlords filing and tenants responding need to know right now: courthouse locations, real docket time…
What Gen Con Vendors Selling in Indianapolis Need to Know About Permits and Sales Tax
Indiana requires its own sales tax registration from every vendor making taxable sales inside the Indiana Convention Center, regardless of where your business is based. Here's what to do before mov…
Where Indianapolis Residents Can Get Free or Low-Cost Legal Help Right Now
Indiana Legal Services, IVLP, Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic, and IU McKinney each take different cases, different incomes, and different amounts of your time. Here's who to call first — and w…
How to Apply for the Marion County Homestead Exemption and What It Actually Saves You
Marion County homeowners who bought in the past 12 months are leaving more than $1,200 a year on the table. A plain-language guide to what Indiana's most valuable property tax break actually does —…
Where Indianapolis Ranks Among Midwest Cities for Starting a Business
Tax rates, licensing timelines, startup support, and honest weaknesses. The side-by-side breakdown that chamber brochures won't give you.
Where to Find Small Business Grants in Indianapolis in 2026
A program-by-program guide to what's open, what pays, and what disqualifies you — specific to Marion County businesses.
What Happens to Your Security Deposit When an Indianapolis Landlord Sells the Building
Your landlord just sold the property. You got a handwritten note slipped under your door—or maybe nothing at all—and now you're wondering what became of the $1,200 you handed over the day you signe…
How to File a Small Claims Case in Marion County Superior Court
The court's own website won't walk you through this. We will.
Indiana Non-Compete Agreements in 2026 and What Workers Here Should Do Now
By CityDesk Indianapolis
What Indiana Businesses Actually Need to Know About Registered Agents
Every Indiana LLC, corporation, nonprofit, and limited liability partnership must maintain a registered agent. That's not optional — it's a hard statutory requirement under Indiana Code § 23-0.5-4-…
What Indiana's Child Support Formula Actually Calculates and How to Use It
The state's online calculator exists and it's free, but it doesn't explain the Income Shares model behind it, and it won't tell you how a Marion County judge will rule when the numbers get contested.
How the Indianapolis Startup Ecosystem Actually Looks at Midyear 2026
A reported check on which companies raised, who's deploying capital, and what the city's most candid founders say needs to change before the second half begins.
What Indianapolis Business Owners Need to Know About the Indiana Commercial Lease Before They Sign
Indiana gives commercial tenants almost no automatic protections — here's what that means for your lease, your liability, and your negotiating position right now
How to Find a Fee-Only Financial Advisor in Indianapolis Who Actually Works for You
NerdWallet will give you a ZIP-code-filtered list. Here's what to do after that.
What Indianapolis Accountants Say Small Businesses Get Wrong at Mid-Year
Local CPAs flag Indiana-specific tax traps: the Marion County income tax most owners forget about, estimated payment math that changed in 2026, and deadlines that close fast after summer.
Free and Low-Cost Legal Help in Indianapolis Organized by What You Need
Indiana Legal Services, Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic, IU McKinney's clinics, and a $35 option that isn't free — here's how to reach each one and whether you qualify.
How the Marion County Probate Process Works and What It Costs
Most search results are attorney marketing pages. Here's a procedural walkthrough of the Marion Superior Court Probate Division, with real numbers and the specific factors that shape how long your …
What the Indiana Estate Tax Situation Actually Is in 2026
Indiana repealed its inheritance tax more than a decade ago and never brought it back. The real planning question is federal — and a legislative change in 2025 shifted the answer for Indianapolis r…
Indiana Laws Taking Effect July 1 2026 That Indianapolis Residents and Businesses Should Know
The General Assembly wrapped its short session this spring. Here's what changed — and what it means on the ground in Marion County.
What Indiana's Right-to-Work Law Actually Does and Doesn't Mean for Unionized Indianapolis Workers
On your first day at Allison Transmission, you sit through orientation with a stack of paperwork. HR covers benefits, safety protocols, parking. Then a UAW Local 933 representative hands you a sepa…
Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy for Indiana Debtors
The exemption amounts, income thresholds, and Southern District court details that generic bankruptcy guides skip entirely
