What Does the Movie “Knives Out” Teach Us About Estate Planning?
One of the most dramatic scenes in the movie, is the gathering of the Thrombey Family at their father’s estate to hear the reading of the will.
One of the most dramatic scenes in the movie, is the gathering of the Thrombey Family at their father’s estate to hear the reading of the will.
Eight years ago America’s baby boomers, people born between 1946 and 1964, began to retire. At nearly 75 million, they represent one of America’s largest elder care challenges. Millennials, now in their 30s, will need to begin thinking about how to look after their parents as medical, financial and mental health needs arise.
What would happen if you were mentally or physically unable to take care of yourself or your day-to-day affairs? You might not be able to make sound decisions about your health or finances. You could lose the ability to pay bills, write checks, make deposits, sell assets, or otherwise conduct your affairs. Unless you’re prepared, incapacity could devastate your family, exhaust your savings and undermine your financial, tax and estate planning strategies.
If someone has lost capacity to execute legal documents and has no power of attorney in place or has a power of attorney that is no longer usable (for example, if the named agents are deceased), a guardianship proceeding may be the only recourse.

No matter what line of work you are in, estate planning has facets that apply to everyone, and it comes down to documenting wishes and avoiding probate and unnecessary taxes. Too many people put it off, but, in general, the sooner you do it, the better.
For many parents, estate planning is primarily about their relationship with their children. But it’s hard to know where to even start thinking through the
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
Parents of children with special needs in Northwest Iowa face a whole extra set of challenges in addition to those of other parents. On top of physical therapy, occupational therapy, IEPs, and any of a million other details, these parents face additional planning needs. That’s where a special needs planning attorney in Northwest Iowa can make a huge difference in these parents’ peace of mind. [Read More]
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]
Single parents tend to work hard for their children. Every day it falls to the single parent to provide just about everything for his or her children, and with 13 million single parent households in the US, there are a whole lot of folks doing their best to provide everything their children need today. So it’s no wonder that those in Northwest Iowa want to protect the children they would leave behind should they be killed or become incapacitated. [Read More]