Iowa: How to Find Out Exactly Where Sale Proceeds from Your Dad’s House Will Go
How to find out exactly where the sale proceeds from your dad’s house will go Short answer: The parties who get paid from the sale depend on who owned the house, whether there are loans or liens, whether the house must go through probate, and whether a trust or beneficiary deed controls the transfer. At […]
Read article →Iowa: How a Prenuptial Agreement Can Affect a Life Estate and Your Inheritance — and What to Do If the Executor Refuses to Provide Documents
Detailed Answer — How a Prenuptial Agreement Can Affect Life-Estate Rights and Inheritance Under Iowa Law Short answer: A valid prenuptial agreement (prenup) can change what a surviving spouse may claim from the other spouse’s property and estate in Iowa, and that can indirectly affect whether a life estate is respected or whether you receive […]
Read article →Iowa: How to Verify an Executor’s Percentage Share Calculation From the Sale of a Sibling’s House
Detailed Answer Short answer: Ask the executor for the estate accounting and the closing statement for the house sale, confirm which sale costs and debts were deducted, compute the net distributable proceeds, and then verify the beneficiary percentage using the terms of the will (or Iowa intestacy rules if there is no will). If the […]
Read article →Iowa — Selling a Deceased Parent’s House During Probate When a Mortgage Remains
Detailed Answer Short answer: Yes — you can sometimes sell your mother’s house during probate even if a mortgage remains, but you cannot simply sell the home and walk away from the mortgage without following Iowa probate rules and the lender’s requirements. The personal representative (executor or administrator) must have authority to sell the property, […]
Read article →Proving the Value of a Deceased Person’s Vehicles in Iowa Probate
Disclaimer: This is general information and not legal advice. I am not a lawyer. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed Iowa attorney or the probate clerk in the county where the estate is being administered. Detailed Answer If you are administering an estate in Iowa, you must identify and report the value […]
Read article →Iowa — Notices to Creditors and Selling a Deceased Parent's House
Overview This FAQ explains how Iowa’s probate rules affect selling a deceased parent's house and whether you must publish a three‑month notice to creditors under the small estate process. It uses plain language and common scenarios so you can understand next steps. This is educational information only and not legal advice. Detailed Answer Short answer: […]
Read article →Proving Vehicle Value During Probate in Iowa
Proving the Value of a Decedent’s Vehicles During Iowa Probate This guide explains how a personal representative or family member can establish the fair value of vehicles owned by a decedent for Iowa probate purposes. It walks through the legal context, the usual methods courts accept, practical documentation steps, and special situations you may face. […]
Read article →Iowa: Steps to Become a Limited Personal Representative in a Small Estate — Notice to Creditors and Selling Real Property
Detailed Answer Quick overview. Iowa treats small estates and full probate differently. A small‑estate affidavit or small‑estate procedure typically allows a person to collect and distribute certain personal property without opening a full estate administration. In most cases, that small‑estate process does not authorize selling real property. To run a notice to creditors and to […]
Read article →Iowa LLC Succession: What Happens to an LLC Membership Interest When a Member Dies
Detailed answer When an LLC operating agreement is silent about what happens to a member’s LLC interest at death, Iowa law and the LLC’s own formation documents will control. Two separate legal pieces matter: (1) the decedent’s estate and how property passes at death under Iowa probate law; and (2) the LLC rules that define […]
Read article →Iowa: How to Prove a Zero Balance and Close a Spouse’s Estate in Probate Court
Short answer If the estate truly has no assets left (a zero balance), you can typically ask the probate court to accept a final accounting or small‑estate affidavit (when eligible) and enter an order closing the estate and discharging the personal representative. In Iowa the usual steps are: confirm whether probate administration was required or […]
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