final resting place black balloons

Choose your Final Resting Place & Maybe Plan a Party

There are six main documents that should be part of almost everyone’s estate plan. One of these is called “Disposition of Final Remains.” This document is where you tell your loved ones exactly how you want your body to be treated after…
scary jack-o-lantern

5 Scary Estate Planning Excuses

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It's the season for everything pumpkin, Hocus Pocus reruns, and "accidentally" eating all the trick-or-treat candy before the actual trick-or-treaters arrive. It's the time when I'm reminded that the scariest notion of all is not Dracula, ghosts,…
halloween confetti

4 Punny Legal Halloween Costumes

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In the spirit of Halloween this month, let's take a break from scary estate planning excuses, probate fees, and haunting nonprofit actions and have some fun. Whether you're an attorney, work with the law in other ways, or are just a fan of legal…
Halloween pumpkin

The Scary Tale of What Makes a Will Valid

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What makes a will valid? To begin, you are asking the entirely wrong question! [Cue evil sounding mwahahahaha.] You must ask a more specific question what makes a will valid in Iowa. After all, every state can and does have different laws…
person with sparkler spooky

Spooktacular Savings on Probate Fees

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Forget the scariest movies of all time, did you hear the unnerving tale about the will admitted to probate? Frightening stuff! Some folks are surprised, even shocked, to learn that a will doesn't avoid probate, but it doesn't. Whether you…
Girl holding scary pumpkin

6 of the Scariest Things Your Nonprofit Can Do

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Horrifying. Blood curdling. Hair raising. These are just a few of the adjectives that can be used to describe six of the scariest things your nonprofit can do (or fail to do). As a lawyer who regularly works with nonprofit organizations to…