by Daniel Willems | Sep 30, 2021 | Divorce, Marriage
Originally published on 03/20/2019. Updated 09/30/2021. While common law marriage does exist in Iowa, it could be difficult to prove. The couple has to meet certain requirements for the courts to consider them married under common law. Additionally, once a couple is...
by Daniel Willems | Jul 1, 2021 | Real Estate
Can a person buy and sell a home without the help of a real estate agent? No law requires you to use a real estate agent. Real Estate Agents provide many valuable services – including: Marketing; Contracts; Compliance with state and federal laws; Oversight of the...
by Daniel Willems | May 30, 2021 | Adoption, Family Law
Updated. Originally published Apr 12, 2019. Iowa has four types of adoption: International, private domestic, foster care and step parent adoption. The type of adoption you choose depends on how you want to adopt and the age of the child. While children of all ages...
by Daniel Willems | Mar 31, 2021 | Estate Planning, Wills
Have you ever wondered “Why should I have a Will?” To understand the importance of a Will you must understand what happens to your property if you die without a Will. This is a summary and there are exceptions to the discussion which follows. For the...
by Daniel Willems | Feb 27, 2021 | Estate Planning, Family Law, Power of Attorney, Wills
Updated – Originally published November 18, 2018 If you’re single, estate planning may be the last thing on your mind. Estate planning when you’re single is just as important as when you’re married – if not more! Dying Without a Will If a...
by Daniel Willems | Feb 23, 2021 | Child Custody, Divorce, Family Law, Mediation or Arbitration
Originally Published 07/11/2017 | Updated 02/20/2021 When child custody and/or visitation plans are made, agreed to, and documented in writing, it is called a parenting plan. Parents often build their own plans. However, guidance from an attorney is essential to...
by Daniel Willems | Feb 20, 2021 | Probate, Wills
Originally Published 10/30/2017 | Updated 02/20/2021 What would happen to your child if you died or became too disabled to provide care? It’s understandable that no parent likes to think about these questions, but in addition to creating a will, you must give...
by Daniel Willems | Sep 30, 2020 | Child Custody, Divorce, Family Law
updated 09/30/2020 As any parent knows, raising a child costs a lot of money. Sometimes raising a child alone can seem overwhelming, or even impossible. If you are a parent going through a divorce or a single parent who was never married, you can get assistance from...
by Daniel Willems | Nov 20, 2019 | Child Custody, Divorce
Iowa Statutes require you to take a mediation class and a parenting class. Counties may have different rules for the classes. District 6 counties include Linn, Benton, Iowa, Johnson, Jones and Tama and require both spouses to take the course within 45 days of filing...
by Daniel Willems | Oct 2, 2019 | Annulment, Divorce
If you cannot live as husband and wife, you have two choices: divorce or annulment. However, you can only get a marriage annulled under certain circumstances. A divorce ends a valid marriage while an annulment ends a marriage that was never valid according to state...
