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this guide to finding the Zen of creating your will, and you’ll soon discover that all those negative thoughts have been replaced by peace of mind about your final affairs.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]
High Five: 5 Things Your Nursing Home Social Worker Won’t Tell You
At an average of $180 per day in Iowa, paying $60,000 per year for a nursing home is not only likely, but it’s almost guaranteed. Staring that number in the face can make your stress level rise pretty quickly. So, you ask the nursing home social worker for information about applying for Medicaid. Unfortunately, nursing homes are being put in a position where they simply can’t talk to their patients about Medicaid eligibility planning. As a result, there are a few things the nursing home social worker may not tell you. [Read More]
How to Take Control of the High Cost of Nursing Home Care
Nursing homes are expensive. Whether you’re looking at long-term care insurance well in advance of needing care or you’re visiting with the nursing home admissions office to move your elderly mother into her room tomorrow, you know that the out-of-pocket costs for nursing home care can quickly reach five digits. Paying $60,000 per year is not only likely, but it’s almost guaranteed. In the face of numbers like this, it’s only natural to despair. But you don’t have to feel lost as you face down the looming nursing home crisis. [Read More]
Things to Consider When It Comes to Special Needs Planning in Iowa
Families who have members with special needs have a variety of concerns that most of the population don’t deal with on a regular basis. Whether you’re traveling to occupational therapy appointments, choosing the most effective medical devices, or contemplating whether to “mainstream” your special needs child, there are so many parts and pieces to keep in mind. For that very reason, you may not have even considered the need to meet with a special needs planning lawyer in Northwest Iowa. [Read More]
High Five: 5 Common Mistakes to Avoid with Your Will
Not surprisingly, online do-it-yourself legal services have a huge customer base, likely because they are cheaper and more convenient than using a local lawyer. Sites like LegalZoom say you can “get a will” that’s the same as what you get from the lawyer down the street. But, unfortunately, DIY or form wills are prone to any number of problems which cause your estate to be divided incorrectly, your probate to be administered inefficiently, or your wishes to be completely ignored. [Read More]
Planning Operating Expenses into Your Will or Trust Administration in Northwest Iowa
When working on your estate plan, there are certain things you probably already have in mind. However, many people completely overlook the fact that the estate itself will have operating costs associated with it, and these need to be planned for as well. [Read More]
[FAQ]: Which Business Entity Should I Choose?
Starting your own business can be a daunting prospect, filled with decisions ranging from whether you should have a storefront to how much you should pay employees. You’ll need insurance of many colors, an attractive logo. You’re hoping for a big splash and wild success. But you may have forgotten one very important choice: which business entity will you use? [Read More]
Who Really Needs a Business Lawyer in Northwest Iowa?
To the average person, the term “business lawyer” or “corporate lawyer” may sound like something that only exists on Wall Street. In reality, though, nearly every business in Northwest Iowa can and should use the services of a good business lawyer. This means large and small businesses alike. [Read More]
High Five: 5 Tips to Make Your Probate or Trust Administration Go Smoothly
Geckos are amazing and resilient creatures. They can climb up vertical surfaces. Some geckos can fly. If you cut off a gecko’s tail, they’ll grow it back. These five tips for making an estate or trust administration go smoothly create the acronym ‘GECKO’. So, keeping the amazing lizard in mind, read on for some helpful advice on how to ease the process of estate or trust administration. [Read More]
