Communications
March 20, 2026
The ILTA Board has received the following update from the American Land Title Association (ALTA):
Yesterday, a judge in the Eastern District of Texas issued a ruling vacating the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Rule in its entirety. In the ruling, the court found that FinCEN exceeded its statutory authority under the Bank Secrecy Act and ordered the rule be set aside. This is inconsistent with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, which last month issued a decision in Fidelity National Financial v. Bessent.
As a result, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the immediate and long-term impact of this ruling. An appeal of the Texas decision is likely, and in similar cases, it has been common for courts to stay their ruling while an appeal works its way through the judicial system.
In the meantime, ALTA is actively monitoring developments. We reached out to FinCEN immediately upon reviewing the court’s decision, and we expect guidance on how FinCEN will implement the ruling. If the court’s ruling is stayed, the rule will be back in full effect. This is consistent with what occurred during litigation surrounding the Corporate Transparency Act. While each company will have to make its own business decisions following yesterday’s ruling, the cautious approach is to continue collecting information as if you will need to report. We are assessing potential implications for you and the broader industry and will continue to update you as we learn more.
Please be sure to reach out to your underwriter and/or legal counsel for more information and to discuss what impact this may have on your current operations.
Thank you-
Barbie Hulett
2026 ILTA President
Dear ILTA Members,
With the conclusion of the 2026 Indiana legislative session, I wanted to provide a brief update on several developments affecting the title industry.
This year’s session moved at an unusually fast pace. More than 650 bills were introduced, and the ILTA Government Affairs team reviewed each measure to identify legislation that could impact title professionals. While ILTA did not sponsor specific legislation this session, the Government Affairs Committee remained actively engaged throughout the process to protect the interests of our industry.
Several key outcomes are worth highlighting:
HEA 1277 – Medicaid Estate Recovery
This legislation clarifies that Medicaid estate recovery claims must be filed within nine months after a decedent’s death. Earlier versions of the bill removed the filing deadline entirely, which would have created significant uncertainty for estate administration and real estate transactions. The final version restores a clear and reasonable timeframe.
HB 1099 – Foreign Adversary Reporting Language / SB 256 - Foreign Agent Registration, Foreign Terrorist Organizations, and Foreign Adversaries
This bill originally contained language that would have designated title agents as “reporting persons” and subjected them to potential civil penalties for failing to report suspected foreign adversary property purchases. Through coordinated efforts with partner organizations, including the Indiana State Bar Association, the Indiana Association of Realtors, and the Indiana Bankers Association, this provision was ultimately removed from the legislation.
SB 191 – Address Confidentiality Program
This measure allows county recorders to decline electronic recordings containing identifying information of participants in the state’s address confidentiality program, which is intended to protect victims of domestic violence. ILTA will monitor how this law is implemented over the coming year.
CLICK HERE FOR THE 2026 ILTA POST-SESSION DEBRIEF
Looking Ahead to 2027
Several policy topics are expected to remain active in future legislative sessions, including:
- Deed Fraud – Lawmakers continue to explore potential legislative responses to increasing public concern regarding property fraud.
- Foreign Adversary Property Ownership – Additional legislation addressing foreign adversary ownership of real estate is anticipated, and ILTA will remain engaged to ensure title professionals are not improperly tasked with enforcement or reporting obligations.
Overall, the 2026 session moved quickly, but ILTA’s Government Affairs Committee remained actively involved and successfully helped protect the interests of Indiana’s title industry.
Thank you to the members of the Government Affairs Committee for their dedication and hard work throughout the session.
Your Voice at the Capital Starts Here
The Indiana Title Political Action Committee (ITPAC) is one of the most important tools we have to protect, promote, and advance the land title industry in Indiana.
Legislative and regulatory decisions made in Indianapolis directly impact your business every day — from licensing and escrow rules to data security, transaction integrity, and consumer protection.
Your contribution ensures our industry has a strong, respected, and informed voice when those decisions are made.
Why Your Support Matters:
Protect Our Profession
ITPAC supports lawmakers who understand the importance of secure property transactions and a stable land title industry.
Strengthen Industry Advocacy
Your contribution builds ongoing relationships with policymakers — giving our association credibility, access, and influence when it matters most.
Defend a Fair Marketplace
Help advocate for our industry and address emerging challenges impacting companies of all sizes.
Invest in Your Business
A PAC contribution is not partisan — it is a strategic investment in your company’s future and the long-term success of our industry.
Take Action Today!
Stand with your industry. Protect your business.
Scan above QR codes to donate online or email Bethany at admin@indianalandtitle.org for further assistance.
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The ILTA invites you to join ALTA’s Title Action Network (TAN)
Sign up for TAN (without ALTA login): www.alta.org/advocacy/tan/join-tan-form
Looking for a fun way to get involved in the title industry in Indiana? Join an ILTA Committee! All members in good standing are eligible to serve on a committee. Committees are a great way to meet industry colleagues across the state and help determine the direction of the Association.
Communications Committee
Convention Committee
Cyber Secuirty Committee
Education Committee
Government Affairs Committee
ITPAC Committee
Membership Committee
Outreach Committee
Sponsorship Committee
Dear Members,
FinCEN Delays AML Real Estate Reporting Rule
I’m writing to share an important update regarding the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Transfers Rule. On September 30, FinCEN announced that it will postpone the implementation of its reporting requirements until March 1, 2026. [ALTA - Fin...rting Rule]
This delay is a direct result of the persistent advocacy efforts by ALTA and its members, including many of you. It reflects recognition of the serious concerns we’ve raised about the immense financial and compliance burdens this rule would place on our industry—especially the small businesses that make up 90% of the title insurance sector.
But let me be clear: this is not the time to slow down. We must continue to stand together and advocate for meaningful revisions to this rule. I urge every member to join ALTA’s Title Action Network (TAN) if you haven’t already. TAN is our most powerful tool for mobilizing grassroots support and making our voices heard in Washington. Click here and join today - https://www.alta.org/advocacy/tan/.
When we are called to action—whether it’s submitting comments, contacting legislators, or sharing our stories—we need every one of you to step up. Indiana may be considered small, but we have seen what we are able to accomplish together on a state level. Now let’s use our voices and continue to make a difference on a national level. Together, we can move mountains and protect the interests of our businesses, our clients, and our industry.
Thank you for your continued dedication and leadership. Let’s keep pushing forward.
Important Form Update – Indiana Property Tax Benefits – State Form 51781 (R20)
A new version of the Indiana Property Tax Benefits – State Form 51781 was released in August. You can download the new version here: State Form 51781
State Form 51781 outlines various property tax deductions and credits available to Indiana residents to help reduce their property tax liability. Updated by the Department of Local Government Finance, the form includes benefits such as the Homestead Standard Deduction, Veteran and Surviving Spouse Deductions, and Fertilizer & Pesticide Storage Deduction. Notably, the Homestead Deduction is being phased out gradually from $48,000 in 2025 to $0 by 2030. Taxpayers must file applications with their county auditor by January 15 of the year in which taxes are first due. The form itself is informational and must be printed on gold or yellow paper, but it is not an application for any deduction or credit.
Please take a moment to update your current form to ensure we have the most accurate and up-to-date information. Thank you for your attention to this!
Also, I was asked how to handle this form in our digital transactions where no printing or gold/yellow paper is involved. I have asked our lobbyist, Charlie Hiltunen, to reach out to the Department of Local Government Finance and/or our IDOI Title Director, Jim Easton, to address this concern and will provide an update as soon as possible.
Please continue to reach out with any questions, comments, or concerns. Your Board and I are here to help you and your agencies, and our doors (and emails) are always open.
Thank you!
Brandi L. Halcomb
President, 2025
Indiana Land Title Association
bhalcomb@firstam.com | C: 463.280.5607
September 5, 2025
Dear Members of ILTA:
At the Annual Business Meeting on Monday, September 15, 2025, we will be voting on the 2026 ILTA Board Slate listed below.
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The Underwriters and Agents Section Chairs are chosen at the section meetings immediately preceeding the Annual Business Meeting. The Section Chairs will be added to the slate once they are determined. If you are interested in serving as a section chair and would like to know what that entails, please reach out to the current chairs or the Executive Director. (Kim Fields, Underwriters Section Chair, kfields@wfgtitle.com; Adrienne McCollister, Agents Section Chair, amccollister@metrotci.com; Bethany Paden, Executive Director, admin@indianalandtitle.org)
Please reach out with any questions or concerns. See you at Convention!
Brandi Halcomb
ILTA President 2025
Nominating Committee 2025
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The Bylaws Committee has one recommendation to revise the Indiana Land Title Association Bylaws for the membership to consider at the Annual Business Meeting on Monday, September 15th, 2025. The Board of Governors reviewed the recommendation and voted to send it to the membership for consideration and a vote. The proposed change is as follows:
ARTICLE III - FISCAL AND ELECTORAL YEAR
SECTION 1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Association shall be the period commencing November 1st and ending October 31st. The fiscal year of the Association for tax purposes shall be as determined by resolution of the Board of Governors (the “Board”).
SECTION 2. Electoral Year. Beginning November 1, 2026, the Officers and Board members shall be elected and installed at the Annual Meeting of the members and shall assume their offices commencing January 1 November 1, following their election and installation, and ending December 31st October 31.
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The one proposed Bylaws Change is to change the electoral year - the time that individuals serve as Board Members and officers of the association - to match ILTA’s fiscal year instead of the calendar year. Going forward in 2026, the President and other Board of Governors would serve a term from November 1 to October 31, which is ILTA’s fiscal year, instead of January 1 to December 31. If you are wondering about why that is ILTA’s fiscal year, it is because the association’s fiscal year corresponds with membership renewals. The Board members felt, and the Bylaws Committee agrees, that this change would make each year’s officers and committee chairs have more of an opportunity to plan and create a consistent vision and plan for the following calendar year.
The ILTA Bylaws Committee 2025
Kathy Hulbert
Ed Anania
Dan Slusser
Brandi Halcomb
August 6, 2005
Indiana Land Title Association, Inc.
Pursuant to Article V, Sections 1, 2, and 5 of the Bylaws of the Indiana Land Title Association, Inc., the Annual Meeting of the Association will take place at 2:00 PM on September 15, 2025, at the Mariott Indianapolis North in Indianapolis, Indiana.
At this meeting, the general business of the association will be conducted along with reports from Committee Chairs. If you have a matter you would like to have placed on the agenda, please e-mail or telephone Bethany Paden (admin@indianalandtitle.org; 317-842-6266) prior to September 5, 2025.
Brandi Halcomb
2025 President, Indiana Land Title Association
Do you know someone that has gone above and beyond in their commitment to our Association? The Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor our association bestows upon an individual member at our annual convention. Nominate someone by September 1, 2025 on the form available at: https://www.indianalandtitle.org/nominationform.
July 16, 2025
Click here for the JUNE COMMITTEE UPDATE
| Membership Legacy Questionnaire |  |
| Icebreaker Music Suggestions | |
| Questions for the IDOI | |
| AI in the Title Industry Survey | |
| GA Notices of Interest Survey | |
July 14, 2025
The Government Affairs Committee is looking for information regarding Notices of Interest, also known as Non-Title Recorded Agreements for Personal Service (NTRAPS), and how often our industry encounters these types of documents in our state. Please click the link below to take a short, 3-question survey regarding how many times you have encountered a Notice of Interest and what types of payoffs have been required to clear title for closing. They Committee is looking at existing legislation as well as considering what future legislation may be needed to address this issue. The Committee intends to share information collected in this survey with the Indiana Attorney General's Office as well.
Hello fellow ILTA members!
Today is the day we have all been waiting for – RREAL is repealed!
This was no small feat and wouldn’t have happened if not for the strategic efforts of our incredible lobbyists, Charlie and Chad Hiltunen, the support of Representative Martin Carbaugh and other representatives who listened and supported us along the way, the unwavering leadership of our Immediate Past President, Mike Schmitz, and the tireless work by our Government Affairs Committee, particularly Co-Chair Amanda Krenson, and past presidents, Andy Drake and Elizabeth Berg.
But above all—it took a village. It took the voices, time, and advocacy of you — our members, our volunteers, our partners. It also took the support of many of our state representatives to help our voice be heard over the voices of opposition.
If you’ve ever wondered what the ITPAC Committee does or how your donations are used—this is it. This is the impact your support makes possible. And if you’ve ever questioned whether you should get involved with ILTA, let this be your answer. This repeal wouldn’t have happened without the volunteers who fought for it over the past two years—through every hearing, amendment, and call to action.
And as monumental as this is, it won’t be the last time we must unite as one voice to defend our industry from overburdensome or misguided legislation. We’ll need people willing to make phone calls, draft letters, attend hearings, and show up at representative events to make our positions heard and understood. We need volunteers to say “I will” by joining the Government Affairs committee. As we roll into post-session planning for next year, there is never a better time to join than right now.
In addition to volunteers, we’ll need funding. Advocacy isn’t free. It takes time, talent, and yes—money. And the effort to bring about the repeal depleted much of our ITPAC funds. I’m appealing to each one of you to help support your association and the industry we have all dedicated so much of our lives to by visiting the ILTA website and contributing to ITPAC. Whether it’s $1, $5, $50, or more, every dollar will help us prepare for the next challenge we will need to overcome. And I promise you, another challenge will arise but with your backing, with your support, and by joining together, we will overcome!
