The person whom Northwest Iowa trust and estates attorneys have long referred to as the “executor” when managing your estate also has an alternative name. Known as the “personal representative”, this person is appointed by either the person doing the estate planning or by the courts when there was no one named in a will. The personal representative has a very big job of finishing up the decedent’s business, such as taking care of taxes and keeping the bills paid; not to mention the much more commonly recognized job of making sure the decedent’s wishes are followed when it comes to distributing assets. [Read More]
Elder Care Law in Northwest Iowa Offers Important Strategies for Dementia Patients
Along with the emotional turmoil on the patient and family members, dementia also takes quite a financial toll. Alzheimer’s and related illnesses are typically degenerative, progressing slowly over time, while requiring considerable medical and personal care. Elder care lawyers in Northwest Iowa have experience helping clients create plans which provide for both the medical and the quality-of-life aspects of these expenses. [Read More]
Estate Planning for Generation X
GenX-ers are no longer angst-ridden youth trying to figure out where they fit in this world. Instead, they’re adults with real jobs, real retirement plans, life insurance and real health problems. And they’re people who need to do their estate planning. [Read More]
“Map of My Kingdom” – A Play Review and Response
It’s not often that an estate planner is the hero of any story, and estate planning is second only to tax law as the least exciting subject for story telling. But I think maybe that’s what makes “Map of My Kingdom” so impressive. Writer Mary Swander, Actress Cora Vander Broek-Brumlow, and director Matt Foss take an otherwise boring topic and make you love each hero and hate each villain. [Read More]
Northwest Iowa Probate Attorney Asks: Do You Know How to Manage Your Inheritance?
Receiving an inheritance is both an honor and a responsibility, and Northwest Iowa probate and trust administration lawyers constantly see individuals who are just not ready to take that on appropriately. The temptation to simply spend away an inheritance as “bonus” money can be strong, but there are a whole lot of very practical means by which to manage the funds for your own future. [Read More]
Sharing Financial and Legal Information with Your Family in Northwest Iowa
Every family has its own approach when it comes to talking about financial and legal information. However, families who are at the estate planning phase should be having at least some superficial conversations about these topics, as there is significant information which needs to be shared just to make the estate plan work smoothly. [Read More]
[FAQ]: What Happens If My Heir Dies Before I Do In Northwest Iowa?
Choosing children as heirs to your inheritance makes sense. After all, most people want their life’s hard work to go toward the betterment of their children’s lives. Due to age differences, children will usually outlive their parents, as well. But, what happens when you outlive an heir? What becomes of the inheritance you wanted to be passed on to him or her?[Read More]
I Digress: Resolutions, Productivity, and Giving Back
An essential part of business success is the development of achievable goals and implementing them, often on a schedule. So, even though I don’t need the new year in order to start or change a habit, I’ve settled on two main goals for The Huizenga Law Firm in 2015: increased productivity and increased giving. [Read More]
[FAQ]: What Happens to a Person’s Debts When They Die?
Two possible scenarios play out when someone dies with debt. Both require the effort of the Personal Representative (or executor) and are based on the assets in your estate. [Read More]
