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(Legal) Word* of the Day: ILIT

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GoFisch blog

Mark Twain famously said, “A classic is something everybody wants to have read, but no one wants to read.” Life insurance is a little like that. Everyone needs it, but we don’t like to talk about it much.

Life Insurance as Key Estate Planning Tool

Life insurance is an amazing estate planning tool. I cannot stress enough the importance of life insurance. I, of course, don’t sell it, so I have no economic stake here. It’s just that life insurance is generally reasonably and affordably priced, yet still so helpful with so many financial goals. Replacing a breadwinner’s earnings is one of the most commons ways it is utilized. But, it can also provide liquid assets for a small business when a key partner dies. Life insurance can also cover costs that you might forget about, like funeral costs or unpaid taxes. While there are many advantages to life insurance, and you most definitely need it, life insurance can also create estate planning issues.

Expert Interview: Life Insurance & Your Estate Plan

Three Estate Planning Issues Life Insurance May Create

The major issue created by life insurance is that of the “sudden windfall” to your beneficiary. Do you really want, say, your 19-year-old to inherit several hundred thousand dollars at once? Even oldsters with experience managing finances may find a huge influx of cash to be overwhelming.

Another issue to consider: does your beneficiary receive government benefits? If so, proceeds from your life insurance policy might make your beneficiary ineligible for further benefits. By the way, don’t think that those receiving government aid are all elderly. Quite the opposite! A vast majority of Medicaid recipients are under age 44. Regardless of age, any beneficiary on Medicaid, or similar government aid program, is at risk of losing benefits without careful estate planning.

Finally, for high-net-worth (HNW) individuals and families, there is the issue of the federal estate tax. Everything owned in your name at death is included in your estate for estate tax purposes. Yes, that includes the death benefit proceeds of your life insurance policy. Considering that many policies carry quite hefty death benefits (several hundred thousand dollars, or more, not being unusual), this is definitely something for those with HNW to carefully consider.

Back to School: Economics of Charitable Gifts of Life Insurance

In Trusts we Trust

I’ve explained trusts generally before. A quick primer: in simplest terms, a trust is a legal agreement between three parties: grantor, trustee, and beneficiary. This allows a third party (the trustee) to hold assets for a beneficiary (or beneficiaries).

There are a nearly infinite variety of trusts. One type of trust is an irrevocable life insurance trust or ILIT.

So, what IS an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust?

Think of an ILIT as an “imaginary container,” which owns your life insurance policy for you. This provides several benefits. An ILIT removes the life insurance from your estate, i.e., lowers estate tax liability. Like other trusts, an ILIT allows you to decide how, when, and even why your named beneficiary receives life insurance proceeds.

Latest Iowa Lawyer Issue: Read GFLF’s Article on Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts

Wait, what was that about the three parties?

The grantor is you, the purchaser of life insurance.

The trustee can be anyone you, as grantor, chooses — an individual(s) or a qualified corporate trustee (like the trust department at your bank). But, note a major difference between an ILIT and other kinds of trusts – with a large number of other trusts, you can name yourself as trustee. With an ILIT, you wouldn’t want to do so, because the IRS may then determine that life insurance really hasn’t left your estate.

Who can be a beneficiary of an ILIT?

Most often, spouses, children, and/or grandchildren are the named beneficiaries of an ILIT. But really, it can be any individual(s) you, as grantor, choose.

Your beneficiary and your life insurance proceeds

The conditions under which a beneficiary receives distributions from an ILIT is up to you. You can, for example, specify that your beneficiary receives monthly or annual distributions. You can decide the amounts. You may even dictate that your beneficiary receives distributions when s/he reaches milestones which you choose. For example, you can provide for a large(r) distribution when a beneficiary reaches a certain age, graduates from college or post-graduate program, buys a first home, marries, or has a child. Or, really, just about any other condition or event that you decide is appropriate.

You also have the option to build in flexibility, so that your trustee has the discretion to provide distributions when your beneficiary needs it for a special purpose, like pursuing higher education, starting a business, making an investment, and so on.

And, of course, if your beneficiary is receiving government benefits, an ILIT can account for that, as well.

Good gosh, is there anything an ILIT CAN’T DO?

Once again, an ILIT is irrevocable. While an ILIT provides a great deal of flexibility, there’s one action for certain you can’t take — you cannot transfer a policy owned by an ILIT into your own name. So, if you think that someday you may need to access the policy’s cash value for your own purposes, you probably shouldn’t set up an ILIT.

Options for “ending” an ILIT

Now, I suppose, there’s nothing requiring you to continue making insurance payments into your ILIT. Depending on the kind of policy you have, your policy may lapse as soon as you miss your premium payment. Or, if your policy has cash value, these funds may be used to pay premiums until all the accumulated cash is exhausted. So, that’s an option for “ending” an ILIT.

101 Assets You Could Place in a Trust

I bet you have some questions. Let’s talk!

An ILIT can provide you, your loved ones, and your estate with significant benefits. To learn more, contact me at my email, gordon@gordonfischerlawfirm.com, for a free consultation, without obligation. You can also give me a call at 515-371-6077.

*Yes, you’re right – ILIT is really not a word, but an acronym. You caught me. It’s just that Legal Word of the Day sounds more exciting than Legal Acronym of the Day. Also, congratulations to you for being the kind of person who reads footnotes.

**In 2019 an individual must have an estate of more than about $11.18 million, and a married couple an estate of more than $22.8 million, before they need to worry about federal estate taxes.

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Avoid the Worst Case Scenario: Litigation over an Estate Plan

Here’s the worst-case scenario: You’ve passed away and your family falls, expectedly or unexpectedly, into a tumultuous state. They all have different opinions on how your estate plan should be interpreted, and one or more beneficiaries want to contest the distributions. While everyone knows it’s all about the money, there are easily enough legal “hooks” on which to hang a lawsuit: it can be contested that there has been undue influence, document forgery, breach of fiduciary duty, or that the deceased testator was not of sound mind.

woman and man talking about litigation

Litigation over an estate plan is terrible for everyone involved. For the sake of your family’s well-being work now to avoid this problem in the future—I really cannot express this enough.

Three Best Ways to Avoid Litigation

  1. Have a plan. Having an estate plan that is carefully planned and well thought out, created by an experienced estate planner, and completed well in advance of any death or disability is the single best way to avoid litigation.
  2. Talk about it. It’s critically important to discuss your final wishes with your loved ones and beneficiaries. Clear the air now. Don’t leave it up for future interpretation.
  3. Include a clause that discourages litigation. An experienced estate planner can include a provision in your estate plan to shut out a beneficiary if s/he brings litigation. (This is also important why you need an actual lawyer to help craft your estate plan.)

I would love to discuss your individual estate planning needs; contact me via email at gordon@gordonfischerlawfirm.com or give me a call at 515-371-6077. Want to get started on your estate plan? My free, no-obligation estate plan questionnaire is a good place to start.

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(Legal) Word of the Day: Trust

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In my ongoing efforts to break down the legalese barriers that tend to separate lawyers from the real world, and have increased quality communication, here’s another Fun with Legal Words post. Today’s word is “trust.”

In this context, and in the simplest terms, a trust is a legal agreement between three parties: settlor, trustee, and beneficiary. Let’s look at each of these three parties, and then delve more into how a trust works.

Settlor

All trusts have a settlor, sometimes called the “donor” or “trustor.” The settlor creates the trust, and also has legal authority to transfer property to the trust. 

Three Parties to a Trust & the Doctrine of Merger

Trustee

The trustee can be any person or entity that can take title to property on behalf of a beneficiary. The trustee is responsible for managing the property according to the rules outlined in the trust document and must do so in the best interests of the beneficiary.

Beneficiary

The beneficiary is the person or entity benefiting from the trust. The beneficiary can be one person/entity or multiple parties (true also of settlor and trustee). Multiple trust beneficiaries do not have to have the same interests in the trust property. Also, trust beneficiaries do not have to even exist at the time the trust is created (such as a future grandchild, or charitable foundation that hasn’t been set up yet).

Trust Property

A trust can be either funded or unfunded. By funded, we mean that trust property has been placed “inside” the trust. This property is sometimes called the “principal” or the “corpus.” A trust is unfunded until property are transferred into your name as trustee of the trust.

Any Asset

(Legal) Word of the Day: Property

Any asset can be held by a trust. Trust property can be real estate, intangible property, business interests, and personal property. Some common examples of trust property include farms, buildings, vacation homes, money, stocks, bonds, collections, personal possessions, and vehicles.

“Imaginary Container”

We speak of putting assets “in” a trust, but assets don’t actually change location. Think of a trust as an “imaginary container.” It’s not a geographical place that protects something (such as a garage protects your car), but a form of ownership that holds it for your benefit. For instance, on your car title the owner blank would read “The John Smith Trust.” It’s common to put real estate (farms, homes, vacation condos) and entire accounts (savings, checking, credit union, and brokerage accounts) into a trust.

After the trust is funded, the trust property will still be in the same place before the trust was created—your land where it always was, your car in the garage, your money in the bank, your stamp collection in the study… The only difference is the property will have a different owner: “The Jane Jones Trust,” not Jane Jones.

imaginary container

Transfer of Ownership

Putting property in a trust transfers it from personal ownership to the trustee, who holds the property for the beneficiary. The trustee has legal title to the trust property. For most purposes, the law treats trust property as if it were now owned by the trustee and trusts have separate taxpayer identification numbers.

But, trustees are not the full owners of trust property. Trustees have a legal duty to use trust property as provided in the trust agreement and permitted by law. The beneficiaries retain what is known as equitable title: the right to benefit from trust property as specified in the trust.

Assets to Beneficiary

The settlor provides terms in a trust agreement as to how the fund’s assets are to be distributed to a beneficiary. The settlor can provide for the distribution of funds in any way that is not against the law or against public policy.

Types of Trusts Almost Limitless

The types of trusts are almost limitless. Trusts may be classified by their purpose, duration, creation method, or by the nature of the trust property.

Benefits of Trusts

The potential benefits of trusts are immense. The benefits include avoiding probate (and other costs savings), privacy, and helping with every family’s unique needs. 

Avoid Probate

A major benefit of trusts is avoiding probate. This is because, upon death, the trust dictates how trust property will pass. Avoiding probate saves your loved ones both time and money as the probate process is time-consuming, taking anywhere from several months to a year to complete. Sometimes, depending on the size of the estate, it can take even longer. Probate can also be expensive. Attorney’s fees alone can amount to two percent of the total estate, or even more in extraordinary cases. For some, two percent of their assets can be a very high number. Often, the cost of creating a trust is considerably less expensive than the cost of probate would have been.

Privacy

When a will is filed with an Iowa court upon death, the will becomes a public record. Trusts, on the other hand, remain private documents. Many folks, especially in small towns, have a strong desire to keep business affairs private.

Second Marriages and Blended Families

dad swinging children on beach

Trusts are also helpful in situations involving second marriages or blended families. When married couples have children from previous relationships, the surviving spouse has the ability to disinherit stepchildren. A trust can remedy this situation by providing lifetime benefits to the surviving spouse but, after his or her death, leaving assets to children and stepchildren.

Special Needs Trusts

Families with members who have special care needs must take a careful estate planning approach. For example, when a person receives government assistance due to a disability, a gift or inheritance might result in denial of benefits. However, assets can be left in certain types of trusts (for example, a special needs trust), to provide for supplemental needs while still allowing persons with disabilities to continue to receive benefits.

Smart Estate Planning: Special Needs Trust

Let’s Get Started

You probably still have some questions on trusts…which is why I’m here! Don’t hesitate to contact me. I offer a free one-hour consultation at which point we can discuss your personal situation, see if a trust is right for you, and set up the steps to take for success.

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What Is a Trustee & What Do They Actually Do?

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Three Parties to a Trust

There are three parties to a trust: (1) the settlor (sometimes called the donor or grantor); (2) the trustee; and (3) the beneficiary. Let’s talk about the “middle man” of this arrangement – the trustee.

(Legal) Word of the Day: Settlor (AKA Donor or Grantor)

Definition of Trustee

The trustee is the person who receives the property and accepts the obligation to hold the property for the benefit of the beneficiary. There can be one, two, or many trustees.

two people talking

General Duties of Trustees

A person who accepts the role of trustee has numerous responsibilities. In particular, trustee owes several duties, which may be fairly summarized as follows:

  1. The duty to be prudent, especially with respect to the investment of trust assets.
  2. The duty to carry out the terms of the trust.
  3. The duty to be loyal to the trust and administer the trust solely for the benefit of the beneficiaries.
  4. The duty to give personal attention to the affairs of the trust.
  5. The duty to provide regular accounting to the beneficiaries.

Court Can Choose Trustees

If the trustee chosen by the settlor is unwilling or unable to serve, and if the settlor has not chosen a successor trustee, a court will appoint a trustee to carry out the terms of the trust. ”A trust will not fail for want of a trustee.”

Individual Trustees & Corporate Trustees

discussion over table with laptop

A trustee can be one or more people or can be what is known as a corporate trustee. Many banks, other financial institutions, and even a few law firms have trust departments to manage trusts and carry out the duties of the trustee. These are professional trustees and, of course, charge fees for services rendered. But, there are no formal requirements for being a trustee, and individuals still often serve as trustee for family members and friends.

Questions? Let’s Talk.

This hopefully clarified the important role of the trustee to assist your estate planning decisions, but you may have questions…which is great! Contact me to discuss further the status of your estate plan and your trustee decisions. Reach me by email at gordon@gordonfischerlawfirm.com or phone at 515-371-6077.

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Estate Planning: What About Trusts?

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brown books on shelf

When you hear the word “trust” it’s usually in the context of a belief of reliability of someone, such as: “I trust her to read about the past legal word of the day, quid pro quo.” Trust in the world of estate planning is entirely different, although you can certainly put trust in a well-crafted trust to maximize the benefits of an estate plan!

What is a Trust?

In simplest terms, a trust is a legal agreement between three parties: grantor, trustee, and beneficiary. This allows a third party (the trustee) to hold assets for a beneficiary (or beneficiaries). Trusts can be set up in a variety of ways and specify the details of when and how the assets will pass to the beneficiary. Trusts are a part of a well-crafted estate plan and can be used to minimize fees, costs, and taxes.

Let’s break it down further by looking at each of the three parties to a trust.

Grantor

 

All trusts have a grantor, sometimes called the “settler” or “trustor.” The grantor creates the trust, and also has legal authority to transfer property to the trust.

Trustee

The trustee can be any person or entity that can take title to property on behalf of a beneficiary. The trustee is responsible for managing the property according to the rules outlined in the trust document, and must do so in the best interests of the beneficiary.

What Is a Trustee & What Do They Actually Do?

Beneficiary

The beneficiary is the person or entity benefiting from the trust. The beneficiary can be one person/entity or multiple parties (true also of grantor and trustee). Multiple trust beneficiaries do not have to have the same interests in the trust property. Also, trust beneficiaries do not have to even exist at the time the trust is created (such as a future grandchild, or charitable foundation that has been set up yet).

Trust Beneficiary: Break it Down

Trust Property

A trust can be either funded or unfunded. By funded, we mean that property has been placed “inside” the trust. This property is sometimes called the “principal” or the “corpus.”

Legal Words of the Day: Tangible Property & Intangible Property

Any Asset

Any asset can be held by a trust. Trust property can be real estate, intangible property, business interests, and personal property. Some common examples of trust property include farms, buildings, vacation homes, money, stocks, bonds, collections, personal possessions, vehicles, and so on.

101 Assets You Could Place in a Trust

“Imaginary Container”

We speak of putting assets “in” a trust, but assets don’t actually change location. Think of a trust as an “imaginary container.” It’s not a geographical place that protects your car, for example, but a form of ownership that holds it for your benefit. For instance, on your car title the owner blank would simply read “the Jane Smith Trust.” It’s common to put real estate (such as farms, homes, vacation homes) and entire accounts (like bank, credit union, and brokerage accounts) into a trust.

After the trust is funded, the trust property will still be in the same place before the trust was created—your land where it always was, your car in the garage, your money in the bank, your stamp collection in the study, and so on. The only difference is the property will have a different owner: “The Jane Smith Trust,” not Jane Smith.

Transfer of Ownership

 

 

Putting property in a trust transfers it from personal ownership to the trustee, who holds the property for the beneficiary. The trustee has legal title to the trust property. For most purposes, the law treats trust property as if it were now owned by the trustee. For example, trusts may have separate taxpayer identification numbers.

But trustees are not the full owners of trust property. Trustees have a legal duty to use trust property as provided in the trust agreement and permitted by law. The beneficiaries retain what is known as equitable title: the right to benefit from trust property as specified in the trust.

Assets to Beneficiary

The grantor provides terms in a trust agreement as to how the fund’s assets are to be distributed to a beneficiary. The grantor can provide for the distribution of funds in any way that is not against the law or against public policy.

game of chess

Types of Trusts

The types of trusts are almost limitless. Trusts may be classified by their purpose, duration, creation method, or by the nature of the trust property.

One common way to describe trusts is by their relationship to the life of their creator. Those created while the grantor is alive are referred to as inter vivos trusts or living trusts. Trusts created after the grantor has died are called testamentary trusts.

Another way you can describe trusts is by whether they are revocable or irrevocable. A revocable trust can be modified by the grantor; an irrevocable trust cannot be modified or terminated without the beneficiary’s permission.”

But again, there are so many types of trusts, and the aforementioned are just a few examples.

Calling all Word Nerds: 9 Terms to Know About Trusts

Do YOU need a trust?

If you have substantial or complicated assets (for example, you own more than one piece of real estate), own part or all of a robust business, or have any other special circumstances, a trust may be incredibly helpful.

Great Place to Start: Estate Planning Questionnaire

A great place to start is with the estate plan questionnaire, provided to you free, without any obligation. Also, feel free to reach out at any time by email, gordon@gordonfischerlawfirm.com, or on my cell, 515-371-6077.

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July GoFisch Book Club Read: The Nest

Wraparound bookshelf

Last month’s GoFisch book club pick was a real life soap opera-esque story of estate planning, inheritance, and complex affairs tied to extreme wealth. This month’s read is also about estate planning, but is a fiction story with the quick pacing of a comedy and dialogue of a melodrama. I bet you could fly though this one while lounging poolside or swinging in the backyard hammock!

The Nest book

The Nest, by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, follows the dysfunctional Plumb Family siblings around New York City as they deal with the unexpected fallout from the eldest Plumb’s major, costly mistake. All the while, the four adult siblings are the beneficiaries to a trust fund they have deemed “the nest” (like a nest egg, so to speak). The “nest,” thanks to sound investing and a generous market, grew larger than the grantor (the Plumb’s father) ever expected. Indeed, he intended for it to be helpful, but not a pot of gold to depend upon.

Leo’s accident (the oldest brother) and the unintended consequences that follow, puts a “crack” in the nest egg all had come to count on. (All four siblings had to wait to have access to their share of the funds until the youngest child turned 40.) Tensions flare, grudges are dredged up, and each of the Plumb siblings will have to reckon with their own poor financial decisions. Indeed, they were all depending on the trust fund in different ways to help bail them out of their own missteps.

This New York Times bestseller masterfully sets an engaging domestic drama filled with familial love and letdowns midst important estate planning elements. The Nest (at least for me) naturally leads its readers to want to learn more about different types of trusts, explore why estate planning is super important, and to whom they’re leaving their money to and how. It also reminds us that it’s super important to honestly discuss estate planning decisions and intentions with your loved ones who are named in the estate plan, so everyone is on the same page.

I would love to hear your thoughts about this book in the comments below! Did you love this book or not so much? Do you have any recommendations of books (fiction or non) related to Gordon Fischer Law Firm’s core services of estate planning; nonprofit formation and guidance; nonprofit employment law; or donations and complex gifts? Let me know in the comments or contact me by email or phone.

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12 Things Every Iowan Should Know About Estate Planning

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Gordon Fischer working hard to make sure a proper estate plan is in place for you and your family
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Trust Beneficiary: Break it Down

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Stacked books and notebook

What’s It All For?

In Hamilton: An American Musical, a perplexed Alexander Hamilton asks Aaron Burr, “What was it all for?” Regarding trusts, we know that all the work is for the beneficiary.

Classic Definition of “Trust” and “Beneficiary”

A trust is created when a property owner transfers property to a person with the intent that the recipient hold the property for the benefit of someone else. There are three parties to a trust: (1) the settlor (also called donor or grantor); (2) the trustee; and (3) the beneficiary. Every trust must have at least one beneficiary – a person for whose benefit the trust property is being held and who therefore has legal rights to enforce the trust.

Beneficiaries Must Be Sufficiently Definite

 

two people standing against white wall laughing

The beneficiaries must be described with sufficient detail that their identities can be determined. If the description of the beneficiaries is too vague or indefinite, then the trust will fail and the property will be returned to either the settlor or the settlor’s estate.

Let’s take two simple examples.

  • Alan establishes a trust for the benefit of his then-living children. The beneficiaries are sufficiently definite.
  • Sara establishes a trust for the benefit of all her friends. The beneficiaries are insufficiently definite.

Easy, right?

Exception: Charitable Trusts

There is one narrow, but critically important exception to the rule beneficiaries of a trust must be sufficiently definite. Charitable trusts–trusts established to fulfill a recognized charitable purpose – can be for the benefit of an indefinite group. For example, a charitable trust set up to provide scholarships to disadvantaged youth will be held valid.

Multiple Beneficiaries: Concurrent Interests or Successive Interests

Trusts can have more than one beneficiary and they commonly do. In cases of multiple beneficiaries, the beneficiaries may hold concurrent interests or successive interests. An example of concurrent interests is a group of beneficiaries identified as grandchildren of the settlor, who all receive distributions after their grandparents’ deaths. An example of successive interests is a trust in which one beneficiary has an interest for a term of years, and the other beneficiary holds a future interest, to become possessory only after the present interest terminates.

 

dad swinging children on beach

Special Remedies for Beneficiaries

There are several remedies available to an aggrieved beneficiary in the event of a breach of trust by a trustee. Such remedies include claims for damages, injunction to restrain a breach, tracing and/or recovery of trust property, among others. A beneficiary may be able to recoup damages, perhaps even from the trustee’s personal assets. If the trustee wrongfully disposes of trust property, the beneficiaries may be able to reclaim the property from a third party. Again, legal remedies for a breach of trust by a trustee are broad.

Let’s Talk More About Trust Beneficiaries

Interested in establishing a trust or having difficulty deciding on beneficiaries? Don’t hesitate to reach out; email me at gordon@gordonfischerlawfirm.com. I offer a free one-hour consultation to everyone, without any obligation. I’d be happy to talk to you any time.

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From a Client: Why we Chose to Hire Gordon Fischer to Create our First Estate Plan

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Although well-meaning, my husband and I are perpetually running late. We are late for everything—missing the first two minutes of a movie, showing up 30 seconds too late to see the balloon drop at a New Year’s Eve party, showing up to a physical therapy session five minutes late… Sound familiar?

When it came to finances, my husband and I managed to keep up on bills and our credit scores were decent, but we were always just doing the minimum to keep our heads above water. Saving enough funds for a couple trips, enough to pay the bills, and maybe throw a couple bucks into long term savings.

There is a game changer in this equation: our daughter.

Photo by Aditya Romansa on Unsplash

She has been the single greatest catalyst in our lives and has forced us to address the facts about sound financials and estate planning. We were especially concerned about the potential for an accident involving both me and my husband.

We decided to create an estate plan with Gordon because we needed reassurance that should anything happen to us, she would be cared for with as minimal amount of legal hiccups as possible.

Gordon set us up with a complete estate plan. It wasn’t nearly as complicated (nor as expensive) as we would have thought.

My husband and I took special care selecting her guardians, should something happen to us, as well as setting up a trust for her to gain access to assets after her 18th birthday.

We plan to revisit the estate plan annually, just to make sure that everything is current. In addition to her college fund, it is our way of taking her financial security seriously and planning for the unexpected. Maybe she’ll forgive us for the chronic lateness she inherited with the knowledge that she has also inherited a strong financial support system in place to help her, no matter what.

Note from Gordon: If you’re like this client (who wished to remain anonymous), children and grandchildren can mean you’ll pursue legal and financial actions you never thought of before to ensure piece of mind that they’ll be taken care of if something happens to you. There’s no harm in giving me a call or shooting me an email to at least talk about what you may need in terms of an individualized estate plan. I look forward to working with you!

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Can my Wife Disinherit Me? The Answer may Surprise You.

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Marriage document

In Iowa, Spouses Can’t Disinherit Spouses

Can Monica, my wife, disinherit me? In a word, no.

Assuming a valid marriage in Iowa, a spouse cannot disinherit a spouse. Even if a spouse wants to do so, even if that’s the spouse’s true intent—nope.

What If…?

What if in a legal will, the first-to-die spouse includes the following clause:

“I acknowledge that I have a spouse, named Gordon Fischer, who is not provided for in this will. It is my specific intention to not provide for my spouse Gordon Fischer under the terms of my will.”

Even with a clear clause like this, I, Gordon, am not disinherited. Why is this so?

Statutory “Forced Share”

Iowa Seal

An Iowa statute allows spouses to take a “forced share” against the will. In short, the surviving spouse has a choice; the spouse can inherit any property bequeathed to him/her under the will, OR the spouse can take a forced share. So, even if a will leaves nothing for the surviving spouse, the surviving spouse can take a forced share against the will.

Under Iowa law (specifically, Iowa Code § 633.238), a surviving spouse that elects against the will is entitled to:

  • One-third of the decedent’s real property;
  • All exempt personal property that the decedent held; and,
  • One-third other personal property of the decedent that is not necessary for payment of debts and other charges.

In other words, a surviving spouse can choose (elect) after your death to basically ignore your will or trust that doesn’t provide for said surviving spouse, and take approximately one-third of your estate.

For example, if you left your entire estate to your children and not your spouse, your spouse can say, “You know, I don’t like this at all. I’ll take one-third of my dead spouse’s estate. Thank you!” And, pretty much just like that, boom, the surviving spouse can do so.

Oral Agreement to Disinherit

What if Monica and I talk about this matter and come to an oral agreement. Something like this:

Monica: I want to disinherit you. Should you be the surviving spouse, you should get nothing.

Gordon: Wow. That hurts. But if that’s what you want honey, I agree.

Is this agreement enforceable? No, for several reasons. First, it’s not written and oral agreements are generally unenforceable. Also, it doesn’t and can’t displace the plain language of an Iowa statue which allows a spouse to elect a forced share against the will, and gain one-third of the estate. You can’t orally agree to ignore a statute’s clear intent!

Written Agreement to Disinherit

But what if Monica asked me to agree, in writing, to not take a spousal share? Say, we write up a formal contract stating I’m essentially not getting anything under Monica’s will, no how, no way. I also agree in the contract that under no circumstances will I take a statutory share.

Would such a written contract be enforceable? No.

While Iowans have a great deal of freedom to contract, just like the above oral agreement example, you can’t contract in direct opposition to a clear statute.

Postnuptial Agreements

Also, interestingly, Iowa courts have ruled postnuptial agreements are not enforceable.

Married penguin cake toppers

Postnuptial agreements are written contracts between spouses that are executed after the couple has married (as opposed to the prenuptial agreements you usually hear about). Iowa courts have struck down postnuptial agreements for nearly a century, since 1912 when the Iowa Supreme Court first found postnuptial agreements to be of no validity. In re Kennedy’s Estate, 135 N.W. 53 (Iowa 1912).

But Monica, it’s OK. Very likely you’ll be the surviving spouse anyway.

Beyond just your spouse, it’s important to have an updated estate plan to define all of your beneficiaries and wishes for your estate following your death. Have questions or need more information? Feel free to reach out any time. You can contact me by email at Gordon@gordonfischerlawfirm.com or give me a call at 515-371-6077.

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