Trust Me. I’m a Lawyer.

Lawyers are among the most reviled service professionals in American culture. We’re so disliked that even lawyers don’t have a lot of friends who are lawyers. I mean, who doesn’t love a good lawyer joke? Q: What’s the difference between a good lawyer and a bad lawyer? A: A bad lawyer makes your case drag on for years. A good … Read More

I Digress: Estate Planning Includes Creating Your Legacy

One of the most overlooked aspects of estate planning is the opportunity to create your legacy. Believe it or not, creating a legacy isn’t all about having Northwest Iowa libraries and hospitals named after you. Instead, there are some more cost-efficient, yet great ways that you can help your family remember your values and beliefs. [Read More]

FAQ: How do I Choose a Guardian for My Child?

One of the most important jobs of an estate planning attorney is to help parents choose the right guardian for their children. This is the person (or people) designated by you to care for your minor children if you should die before they become adults. Working with an estate attorney to choose a guardian gives you a say in the … Read More

FAQ: What Happens if I Revoke My Will in Iowa?

There are some common questions which go along with revoking a will, but one of the most asked is whether or not revoking the will revives a prior one. The answer to this question is “probably not.” When setting up your estate planning needs, your attorney will likely help you create a will. If you decide to make changes and create a new will later, the previous version is no longer in effect. [Read More]

High Five: The Zen Guide to Creating Your Will

Over the last seven years of advising clients, I have come to the realization that many people aren’t doing estate planning because it’s intimidating. It’s scary. Depressing. That’s a lot of negative emotion! But I don’t think estate planning is a negative experience – quite the opposite. Follow this guide to finding the Zen of creating your will, and you’ll soon discover that all those negative thoughts have been replaced by peace of mind about your final affairs. [Read More]

The Great Medicaid Planning Hoax

According to www.longtermcare.gov, 28% of people aren’t planning for future nursing home care because long-term care costs are so high, and 45% of people simply don’t know how to plan. My own experience with both advisors and clients reflects this. As a long-term care planning attorney, this is concerning to me: there are many, many options for planning for future long-term care needs, but people don’t know they exist! This is a significant problem, but there’s a solution available if we know why the problem exists. [Read More]

I Digress: Lawyers on the Silver Screen, Redux

We had some great feedback from our Facebook friends about their favorite lawyer movies! Some of you have very eclectic taste in movies. Some of you watch too many movies (you know who you are). Below are some more great lawyer movies that you shared with us across a wide range of genres. Keep the hits coming! [Read More]

What Does a Probate Lawyer in Northwest Iowa Do?

It is a great idea to hire a probate lawyer before you actually “need” his or her services so things can go as smoothly as possible when it comes to taking an estate through the probate process. Unfortunately, that’s not always how it works. Oftentimes, a person isn’t even aware of what a probate lawyer in Northwest Iowa does until he or she is in need of one. It’s very common to go looking for a probate lawyer in Northwest Iowa once a loved one has passed and help is needed immediately. [Read More]