Des Moines Probate Lawyer

Probate Help For Des Moines Families

We help Des Moines families with probate from the first court filing through final distribution. We prepare the court documents, explain each stage and keep the case moving.

• Opening the probate case and filing the required court documents
• Helping the executor understand court responsibilities
• Settling estates when there is a valid will
• Settling estates when there was no will and the court appoints an administrator
• Handling small estate procedures when the estate qualifies
• Handling trust administration connected to a broader probate matter

A retired employee may leave company stock. A manager may have several retirement accounts. A surviving spouse may be settling the estate alone. We adjust the work to fit the property and accounts involved.

We help the executor keep the work organized and meet legal duties to the estate and its beneficiaries. Iowa law calls the court-appointed executor or administrator the personal representative. That person handles the estate. We give the same care to smaller estates and cases involving more property or accounts.

We explain requirements early and move the work forward without skipping details. We return calls the same business day whenever possible. You can call before you have located every account and document.

How We Move Des Moines Probate Forward

We start by reviewing what the estate includes and explaining the fee agreement. If there is a will, we handle the filing. The court then issues letters of appointment, which give the executor legal authority to act for the estate.

A different process may be available for a small estate. Our Iowa probate overview explains how we handle these cases. We review the estate before deciding which process fits.

The house needs early attention. How it was owned comes first. Joint ownership with a right of survivorship usually lets the house pass to the surviving owner without probate. One in the person’s name alone usually becomes part of the probate case. Until probate closes, someone needs to keep the house insured and secured and pay its bills. We handle the house-related probate filings. A sale can include a petition. This written request asks the court to approve the sale and its terms. Iowa Code Section 633.389 addresses that court process. The details depend on the will and the estate.

We check the beneficiary information on retirement and investment accounts. Des Moines estates often include employer stock, 401(k) accounts or investments built through work at one of the region’s major employers. Each account needs a beneficiary check before it is treated as part of probate. If no beneficiary is named, or the estate is named, the account may need to appear on the estate inventory. That inventory lists probate property and its value. Some families have accounts from several employers, each with different paperwork.

We also handle creditor notice, including required publication and direct notice to known or reasonably ascertainable creditors. Creditor notice requirements are covered by Iowa Code Chapter 633.

The case may also include tax filings, additional court documents and a final accounting. We prepare and file the required probate documents. The work continues until the court formally closes the case and the executor’s job ends.

Assets In Des Moines Probate Cases

Des Moines runs on insurance and financial services. Principal Financial Group, Wells Fargo and many other insurance and financial companies employ a large part of the metro workforce.

A Des Moines estate may include a 401(k), employer stock, an investment account, life insurance, a house and vehicles. UnityPoint Health and MercyOne also employ thousands of clinical and administrative workers across the metro. Their retirement and pension accounts may need the same beneficiary review.

Not every estate includes all of these assets. Many are simpler. We review how each account or property was titled and whether it passes through probate.

Des Moines families may also have an executor who lives outside Iowa, a downtown rental property or a small business built alongside a corporate career. Some estates include farmland inherited from an earlier generation. For each asset, we check its ownership and the probate documents it may need.

How We Handle Your Des Moines Probate

The first call gives us a chance to learn what the estate includes and explain the next steps. Start with the basics: who died, whether a will exists and what you know about the house and accounts. Before representation starts, we review the situation and explain the expected fee.

You can meet Shane Zisman and learn how we handle probate cases. We review every case before setting a plan and estimated fee. Once the fee agreement is signed, we explain the documents in plain English as we prepare them.

We coordinate signing and notarization when needed. Before signing, we go over each document by phone or video. You receive a written summary of what comes next after the first call. We file with the Polk County court next and keep the case moving. We track the court filings and deadlines throughout the case.

Some clients ask to hear from us after every filing. Others only want an update when they need to make a decision. Tell us how often you want updates, and we will communicate that way when possible.

How Des Moines Probate Fees Work

Probate fees are usually based on a flat fee or a statutory fee set by Iowa law and the details of the estate. We discuss fees before representation begins.

When a statutory fee applies, Iowa law ties the fee to the estate’s value. Other estates may be handled for a flat fee based on the work involved. We explain the fee structure during the consultation and put the agreement in writing.

Probate fees are separate from federal estate tax, which applies to very few estates. According to the Internal Revenue Service, the federal estate tax exclusion is $15,000,000 per individual for deaths in 2026. Most Des Moines families owe no federal estate tax, regardless of the probate fee structure that applies. You can also read about our other legal services for Des Moines families.

Remote Probate Help For Des Moines Executors

The executor may be based beyond the Des Moines area or in another state. We work by phone, video, email, fax and document signing, so much of the probate work can be handled from where the executor lives.

Iowa law sets conditions for appointing an executor who lives in another state. The court may appoint an executor from another state under Iowa Code Section 633.64 if an Iowa resident serves with them. The court may let that executor serve alone when there is good cause.

We handle the filings after preparing the court documents and sending them for review. We can give routine updates by phone or email. Documents can be sent by secure email or overnight mail, based on what works for the executor. Remote meetings and document signing can make probate easier to manage around work. Reviewing and signing routine documents often does not require taking a full day away from work. We can also update family members who live outside Iowa this way.

In-person meetings are optional and available by appointment. A court appearance is occasionally required based on the estate. We give advance notice when court involvement is needed.

Our Probate Work And Its Limits

Zisman Law focuses on probate administration. We do not handle probate litigation, will contests or disputes between beneficiaries.

If a disagreement makes the matter contested, we explain that and can point you toward attorneys who handle those cases. Our work covers the court filings and other steps needed to settle an uncontested estate.

You may not know which type of help the estate needs. A free consultation can sort that out and give you a clearer next step.