As an estate planning attorney, I frequently hear people tell me that they put off their estate planning because they don't have time to address it.  Now, however, with the COVID-19 pandemic, many people do have more free time, so why not use this time to get your affairs in order?  It is advisab...

 Congress recently passed significant legislation to aid businesses during these unprecedented times.  The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) receives much of the media's attention, but there are other aspects of the Act available for use by employers.  One of those is the Employee Retention Credi...

We are pleased to announce that Nikki K. Nobbe has been named as a Partner in the Firm. Nikki joined the firm as an associate attorney in September of 2014, after graduating from the University of Nebraska College of Law. Nikki grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota and earned her Bachelor's Degree...

Maureen Brown Heffernan, a partner with the Sioux City law firm of Moore, Heffernan, Moeller & Meis, L.L.P.,  has been selected by her peers for inclusion in the 2020 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, in the area of Education Law. Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the def...

This past year has shown us the power of the mighty Missouri River and the consequences of owning land near it and its tributaries.  If you own property that has been the subject of flooding in recent years, you may be entitled to recovery options through the federal Natural Resource Conservation...

Karrie R. Hruska of Moore, Heffernan, Moeller, & Meis, L.L.P., is newly certified as an Accredited Estate Planner® (AEP®) designee by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC). Karrie is a partner at Moore, Heffernan, Moeller, & Meis, L.L.P. and practices primarily in estate...

Karrie R. Hruska, a partner with the Firm, has been voted into the Iowa Academy of Trust and Estate Counsel (“IATEC”).  IATEC is invitation only membership that is limited to 250 Iowa attorneys.  IATEC seeks members who are “passionate about improving, maintaining, and using high quality practice...

Many people are not equipped to represent themselves in our increasingly complex society, making legal representation a necessity.  To address this need, the Iowa Judicial Branch encourages all Iowa attorneys to devote at lease 50 hours of pro bono legal services each year.  Pro bono legal servic...

A Living Will and Medical Power of Attorney can put you in control about the care and treatment you receive when your health deteriorates. That is why it is important to know what these documents are. A Living Will informs your health care provider that when you are in a terminally ill or perman...

Moore, Heffernan, Moeller, Johnson & Meis, L.L.P is pleased to announce that Kaitlin Boettcher has joined the firm as an associate attorney.  Kaitlin currently provides general practice for the firm, including Family Law, Employment Law, Estate Planning, and Litigation. Kaitlin grew up in Des Mo...

On July 10, 2017, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finalized a new rule banning arbitration agreements that prevent class action suits against banks and other financial institutions.  The rule will be effective 60 days after its publication in the Federal Register and is expected t...

Summer Employment Tips:  Special Rules for Employing Minors Employers who hire high school-aged employees for summer jobs should be aware that the employment of minors is regulated by state and federal child labor laws. Depending on the age of the minor, different rules may affect the types of j...

Moore, Heffernan, Moeller, Johnson & Meis, L.L.P is pleased to announce that it is sponsoring the open skate at the Battle of the Badges Hockey Event.  In honor of its continued tradition of  providing civic and pro bono services to the community, the firm has made arrangements so that the open s...

There are two major estate tax reforms that could potentially be enacted in 2017.  The first is a repeal of the Federal Estate Tax.  The second is a repeal of the step-up in basis at death. The Federal Estate Tax/Gift Tax is currently imposed on estates with a value of more than $5,490,000.  In ...

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has recently published a revised version of the I-9 Form.  This is the form that employers must use to document their employees' identification and eligibility to work in the United States.  The form must be completed within three business day...

Partner Karrie Hruska  has been selected to join the Siouxland Estate Planning Council. The Council consists of over sixty Siouxland Professionals including attorneys, accountants, insurance agents and appraisers. Members meet monthly to discuss estate planning issues and advise of best practices...

Moore, Heffernan, Moeller, Johnson & Meis, L.L.P is pleased to announce that it is launching a new website for persons suffering from a Vaccine Injury and seeking representation in the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP).  Vaccine Injury Pros, at vaccineinjurypros.com, explains t...

The Moore Heffernan Law Firm is seeking a qualified Legal Assistant to add to its professional support staff.  Experience is preferred.  Candidates must be detail oriented, organized, and able to effectively multi-task.  Knowledge of Microsoft Office, Outlook, Excel and Adobe Acrobat and prior ex...

Attorneys from Moore, Heffernan, Moeller, Johnson & Meis attended the annual Briar Cliff University Scholarship Luncheon on October 5, 2016. The lunch provided the opportunity for the firm to meet with its scholarship recipient, Ashley Van Cleave. Ashley is a senior from Mapleton, Iowa who plans ...

“… in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”   -Benjamin Franklin One of the most common questions I am asked by my estate planning clients is how much tax will be owned at the time of death.  There can be two levels of taxation at the time of death: federal tax a...

Attorney Dan Moore celebrates 39 years of practicing law with the Moore Heffernan Law Firm today.  Dan remarked, “It was generally business as usual around the office for me today. Except, I celebrated my anniversary with some hot dogs from one of my favorite local landmark restaurants – The Milw...

A farm lease can be either oral or written. In Iowa, an oral lease for the tenancy of a farm is enforceable for up to one year.  While it seems that an oral lease for the tenancy of a farm is the easier route to take, and perhaps the oral lease option may have the least expensive up-front cost, ...

Dan Moore has been selected to the 2016 Great Plains Super Lawyers list. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the region are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. Mr. Moore has been the recipient of this honor continuously since 2009. Super Lawye...

Richard Moeller, partner at Moore, Heffernan, Moeller, Johnson & Meis law firm, has been appointed by the Iowa Supreme Court to serve a three-year term on the Court's Grievance Commission. Along with the Attorney Disciplinary Board, the Commission was established by the Supreme Court to supervise...

While there are a number of different estate planning mechanisms available, one of most popular is an inter vivos (living) trust.  Like a will, an inter vivos trust can transfer your assets at your death, but there are also many differences. Key advantages of a trust include that, so long as all...