Tortious-Interference-With-Inheritance Claim

On September 27, 2021   /   Business Law West Des Moines, Estate & Trust Administration, Estate Planning West Des Moines, Legal Resources West Des Moines, Will & Trusts West Des Moines  
Distribution of Property

On June 11, 2021, the Iowa Supreme Court issued an opinion in the case of David Buboltz and Donna Reece, vs. Patricia Birusingh, Estate of Cletis C. Ireland, and Kumari Durick. Cletis Ireland died in March 2016 at age 92.  She was an only child, was never married, and had no children.  At the time of her death she owned a family century farm on which she had resided most of her life.  In 2001, the decedent executed a Will that divided her farm in equal shares to David Buboltz, a farmer who had cash rented eighty acres of the

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Beneficiary Assignment of Spendthrift Trust Interest

On August 24, 2021   /   Business Law West Des Moines, Contract Law West Des Moines, Legal Resources West Des Moines  
iowa court of appeals issued opinion beneficiary assignment

On July 21, 2001, the Iowa Court of Appeals issued an opinion in the case of A.Y. McDonald Industries, Inc. vs.  Michael B. McDonald, No. 20-0766 (Iowa Ct. App. July 21, 2021). The Defendant, Michael B. McDonald, began his employment with the Plaintiff in 1983.  During the time Michael was the manager of payroll for executive compensation, he misappropriated significant Company funds to himself.  Due to the misappropriation, he was terminated in May 2012.  Later in 2012, Michael signed a Restitution Agreement and promissory note to repay the Plaintiff the amount of $2,538,500.  Pursuant to the Restitution Agreement, Michael was

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Conservator’s Authority to Enter into Farm Leases

On July 26, 2021   /   Business Law West Des Moines, Contract Law West Des Moines, Corporate Law West Des Moines, Estate & Trust Administration, Legal Resources West Des Moines, Real Estate Law West Des Moines, Will & Trusts West Des Moines  
conservators authority farm lease iowa

On May 21, 2021, the Iowa Supreme Court issued an opinion In The Matter and Conservatorship of Marvin M. Jorgensen, No. 18-1235 (Iowa Sup. Ct. May 21, 2021).  Marvin Jorgensen suffered a stroke in 2016 that left him unable to manage his nearly 18,000 acres of Iowa farmland.  Prior to the stroke, Marvin leased approximately half of his farmland to his children and to several grandchildren in “handshake” agreements that were never put in writing.  After the stroke, a Conservatorship was opened for Marvin and the Conservator entered into new written leases with family members which continued with Marvin’s practice

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Federal and State Income Tax Deadlines Extended

On April 23, 2021   /   Business Law West Des Moines, Legal Resources West Des Moines, Taxation Law West Des Moines  
2021 state and federal tax deadlines

The IRS has extended the filing and payment deadline to May 17, 2021 for 2020 Federal income tax returns.  The extension applies to individuals, businesses, trusts and estates.  By extending the deadline to May 17, the IRS is automatically postponing to the same date the time for individuals to make year 2020 contributions to IRAs (Traditional and Roth), health savings accounts, Archer Medical Savings Accounts and Coverdell education savings accounts.  In addition, for tax year 2017 Federal income tax returns, the normal April 15 deadline to claim a refund has been extended to the new date of May 17, 2021. 

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Lawsuit Arising Out of Gift of LLC Interest

On February 26, 2021   /   Business Law West Des Moines, Legal Resources West Des Moines  
business and estate law llc des moines

On February 3, 2021, the Iowa Court of Appeals issued an opinion in the case of Erwin v. Erwin, No. 19-1978 (Iowa Ct. App. Feb. 3, 2021). that involved a dispute between a father and son regarding the operation of their member/managed LLC.  In 2012, the father and his spouse transferred title of farm ground owned by them into a LLC for estate planning purposes.  The property was subject to a mortgage, however, the deed did not state that the transfer was subject to a mortgage.  The father subsequently made a gift to his son of one-half of the membership

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Final Regulations on Deductibility of Expenses of Estates and Non-Grantor Trusts

On October 27, 2020   /   Business Law West Des Moines, Estate & Trust Administration, Estate Planning West Des Moines, Legal Resources West Des Moines, Taxation Law West Des Moines, Will & Trusts West Des Moines  
business taxes, business tax deductions, deduction limits, business expense threshold limits, De Minimis Safe Harbor Expense Threshold

On September 21, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service issued final regulations in regard to the deductibility of expenses of estates and non-grantor trusts.  The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which was passed previously, bars individuals from claiming miscellaneous itemized deductions for the years 2018 through 2025.  After the passage of the TCJA, there are questions on how such barred itemized deductions would impact estates and non-grantor trusts. The final regulations state that deductions for costs which were paid or incurred in connection with the administration of an estate or trust and which would not have been incurred if the

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New Iowa Supreme Court Case – Estate Planning & Statute of Limitations

On September 28, 2020   /   Business Law West Des Moines, Estate & Trust Administration, Estate Planning West Des Moines, Legal Resources West Des Moines, Real Estate Law West Des Moines, Will & Trusts West Des Moines  
iowa real estate law contract

On June 12, 2020, the Iowa Supreme Court issued a ruling in the case of In The Matter of the Estate of Sandra R. Franken, John E. Rottinghaus and Dessie Rottinghaus vs. Lincoln Savings Bank, Fiduciary of the Estate of Sandra R. Franken.  Said Ruling was amended on August 17, 2020. In 1973 the Rottinghauses sold real property of Dessie to Sandra and James Kipp, as joint tenants with full rights of survivorship.  The deed granted the Rottinghauses a first right of refusal which stated as follows: Grantees hereby agree that they will not sell or otherwise convey the premises

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1031 Like Kind Exchange Relief

On May 27, 2020   /   Business Law West Des Moines, Contract Law West Des Moines, Corporate Law West Des Moines, Taxation Law West Des Moines  
1031 Like Kind Exchange

Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Service Code allows a taxpayer to defer recognition of capital gains and related federal income tax liability on the exchange of investment real estate.  The capital gains and related federal income tax liability are deferred to the time that the replacement real estate is sold.  In order to meet the IRS requirements, the seller must use a qualified intermediary to handle the sale of the property and the purchase of the replacement property. A taxpayer has 45 days from the date of sale to identify the replacement property and 180 days from the date

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Iowa Supreme Court on Gift Restrictions – Tax Insight

On January 28, 2020   /   Business Law West Des Moines, Legal Resources West Des Moines, Taxation Law West Des Moines  
laws about digital assets iowa

On November 8, 2019, the Iowa Supreme Court issued an opinion in the Matter of the Application of Coe College for Interpretation of Purported Gift Restriction.  The case involves a gift of seven paintings of Grant Wood in 1976 by the Eppley foundation to Coe College in Cedar Rapids.  The gift letter stated that the paintings would be given to the college “and that this would be their permanent home, hanging on the walls of Stewart Memorial Library”. The college treated the paintings on its books as an unrestricted gift that could be sold or otherwise alienated.  In 2016 an

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Final Regulations on Increased Gift and Estate Tax Exclusion Amounts

On December 23, 2019   /   Business Law West Des Moines, Estate & Trust Administration, Estate Planning West Des Moines, Legal Resources West Des Moines, Taxation Law West Des Moines  

The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service issued final regulations on November 22, 2019, confirming that individuals taking advantage of the increased gift and estate tax exclusion amounts in effect from 2018 through 2025 will not be adversely impacted after 2025 when the exclusion amount is scheduled to drop to pre-2018 levels. The final regulations largely adopt the proposed regulations from last year.  The final regulations also contain four examples which illustrate the impact of inflation adjustments.  Individuals who are planning to make large gifts between 2018 and 2025 can make such gifts without concern that they will lose

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