Finding an attorney who is a “real person” can be difficult. Many attorneys surround themselves almost exclusively with other attorneys and are accustomed to speaking in ivory tower legalese. You should be able to connect with your attorney on a personal level, and he or she should speak to you in plain language that you can understand. You will be working very closely with this person on issues that are very important to you. It is important that he or she be down-to-earth and someone that you connect with.
The most common complaint that clients have of their attorneys is that the attorney is unreachable, does not communicate with them regularly, or does not promptly return your calls. Your attorney should reach out to you about your case regularly and respond within 24 hours to calls and e-mails. An open line of communication between you and your attorney is essential to building trust.
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Your attorney’s goal should not be to win at all costs. Rather, it should be to achieve a favorable outcome for you as efficiently as possible. It is important that your attorney set realistic expectations at the outset as to the costs you should expect, the concerns that the attorney has about the outcome of your case, and the length of time that you should expect your case to take.
Regardless of the nature of your case, we have an experienced attorney who will focus on your individual needs. Our team of attorneys works closely together, bringing each of their different fields of experience to bear in order to optimize our client care.
Kevin's firm handled setting up my will and trust recently. They took something that seemed intimidating and made it easy to understand. I've also referred a couple clients to Kevin - he's trustworthy, approachable and very fairly priced.
"I've used Kevin and his firm's services since 2011. He gave undivided attention to my cases, advised me on different options and..."
"Kevin was extremely professional, responsive and knowledgeable when I came to him for help. I would definitely recommend O'Flaherty Law!"
We Are Affordable! We don't base our prices on what the market will bear. Instead, we base them on how long it typically takes us to meet with a client and prepare documents (which is not terribly long). If we are not the most cost-effective solution for your estate plan, we would like to hear about it.
We Go Above-And-Beyond! Many Estate Planning attorneys will prepare cookie-cutter forms, fail to explain them to you properly, and fail to assist you in properly funding the trust. We take the time to fully educate you about Estate Planning, walk you through your documents, and work with you free of charge to assist you in transferring your assets into your trust, cut through any red tape, and answer any questions you may have going forward.
We Know Our Stuff! Unlike many estate planning attorneys, we are experienced in cutting edge Estate Tax Avoidance Techniques, Special Needs Trusts, Creditor Protection Strategies, and other focused techniques to fit your situation. We are not selling forms, but instead providing real customized experience.
We are Comprehensive! You need an Estate Plan today, but you may need help with a different legal issue tomorrow. Wouldn't it be nice to work with the same trusted adviser for all of your legal solutions? At O'Flaherty Law, our team approach provides you with experienced in nearly every area of law. Regardless of your legal needs, you will get the same trusted quality of service and continuity of care.
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The purpose of a consultation is to determine whether our firm is a good fit for your legal needs. Although we often discuss expected results and costs, our attorneys do not give legal advice unless and until you choose to retain us.
Schedule a ConsultationLearn More About The Firm2716 Grand Ave., Ste. 2
Des Moines, IA 50312
I am personally committed to ensuring that each one of our clients receives the highest level of client service from our team. Our mission is to provide excellent legal work in a cost-effective manner while maintaining open lines of communication between our clients and their attorneys. Many of our clients are going through difficult times in their lives when they reach out to us. They should feel comfortable leaning on the experience and knowledge of our attorneys as their counselors and advocates. We are here to help!
In this video our Polk County estate attorneys explain the recent changes to Iowa state and probate. The Iowa State Legislature modified a Iowa Law as it relates to the transfer of real estate. A “transfer” under Iowa Law, for the purposes of real estate disclosures, is the transfer or conveyance by sale, exchange, real estate contract, or any other method by which real estate and improvements are purchased, if a property includes at least one but not more than four dwelling units. A written disclosure usually must be given by the transferor to the person interested in being transferred the real property.
The legislature created provisions for the creation of directed trusts. In traditional trusts, the trustee is the only party responsible for managing and diversifying investments. In directed trusts, the trustee is responsible for administrative duties, but another party manages the underlying assets and is responsible for how the investments perform. The new law creates methods for appointing trust directors and protectors through the creating instrument, who have fiduciary powers.
In this video, our Polk County probate attorneys explain how probate is the official manner in which an estate is settled under supervision of the court. When a person dies without an established will, an executor is appointed (typically a surviving spouse or adult child of the deceased) to gather and value owned assets, settle remaining debts, and distribute assets to heirs. Probate prevents fraud and theft after a death. Without it, debts could go unpaid and assets could be improperly distributed.
In this video, our Polk County estate attorneys explain how creating and executing an estate plan isn’t something many of us think of until we accumulate enough assets and/or have significant responsibility in the form of children or relatives. At some point, many people will ask themselves the question, “What happens to all my stuff if and when I die?” Well, the answer to that question is that it goes through probate, which can be a long and expensive process for your heirs. But having your assets pass outside of probate and go directly to those you designate as beneficiaries can be accomplished through a properly prepared estate plan. Furthermore, with the right Iowa estate planning attorney, the process is simple and takes little time: