© 2026 SimplyTrust Software Inc.
Elder law attorneys in Iowa focus on the legal issues facing aging adults and their families: Medicaid planning for long-term care, drafting and updating durable powers of attorney and healthcare directives, guardianship and conservatorship proceedings, special needs trusts, and asset protection. Many also handle probate and estate planning, but elder law is the specific subset focused on care planning and benefits eligibility. See the Iowa healthcare proxy and financial power of attorney forms.
Federal law (and Iowa's implementation) imposes a 5-year lookback period for Medicaid long-term care eligibility. Any uncompensated transfers (gifts, transfers to family members, transfers to a non-Medicaid-qualified trust) within the 5 years before applying for Medicaid can trigger a penalty period during which Medicaid won't pay for nursing home care. This is the main reason Medicaid planning needs to start years before care is actually needed — and the main reason elder law attorneys exist as a distinct practice area.
Estate planning attorneys in Iowa average $288 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025 for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $864–$1,728 for a simple individual will and $3,140–$4,710 for a basic revocable trust. Online and DIY services cost $30–$300 for the same documents — see the will cost calculator for a side-by-side comparison.
Iowa allows estates under $50,000 to use a simplified Small Estate Affidavit procedure, which is a form rather than a court case and typically doesn't require an attorney. For larger estates, formal probate is involved enough that retaining counsel is usually practical — the procedural work is what they're there for. Use the Iowa probate calculator to estimate the costs.
In Iowa, the situations where retaining counsel is typically worth the cost are: blended families with children from prior relationships; ownership of a business, rental property, or significant investment assets; special-needs dependents who need a special-needs trust to preserve benefits; substantial property held in multiple states. If none of these describe your situation, the simpler online and DIY tools are often enough.
Search 3,941 estate law firms across 51 states.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to discuss your situation and verify their current practice areas and availability.
14 firms
Since 1958, Ball, Kirk & Holm has represented Iowans in estate planning and probate matters. Their attorneys assist with drafting wills, trusts, beneficiary designations, powers of attorney, guardianships, and healthcare directives throughout Iowa.
Location
3324 Kimball AvenueWaterloo, IA 50702
Phone
(319) 234-2638
Established
1958
Service Area
Statewide
A combination of two longstanding Newton firms -- Brierly Law Firm LLP (founded 1927) and Caldwell, Caldwell & Caldwell, P.L.C. (founded 1976) -- providing estate and trust planning, elder law, real estate, and family law services in Jasper County and central Iowa. All attorneys are rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell.
Location
211 First Avenue WNewton, IA 50208
Phone
(641) 792-4160
Established
1927
Service Area
3 counties
Formed in 2024 from the merger of Dickinson Mackaman Tyler & Hagen and Bradshaw Fowler Proctor & Fairgrave, Dickinson Bradshaw has nearly 60 attorneys with over 190 years of collective legal experience. Their estate planning practice includes wealth preservation, asset protection, gift and estate tax minimization, and farm succession planning.
Location
801 Grand Avenue, Suite 3700Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone
(515) 243-4191
Service Area
Statewide
Founded in 1995, Duffy Law Office concentrates exclusively on estate planning and related financial matters. Dennis Duffy earned his J.D. with distinction from the University of Iowa in 1989 and is a member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys. Licensed in Iowa and Illinois.
Location
1840 East 54th StreetDavenport, IA 52807
Phone
(563) 445-7400
Established
1995
Service Area
2 counties
Northwest Iowa elder law and estate planning firm founded in 2010, concentrating in estate planning, Medicaid planning, asset protection, nursing home planning, long-term care planning, trust administration, probate, special needs planning, and business succession planning.
Location
118 2nd St NWOrange City, IA 51041
Phone
(712) 737-3885
Established
2010
Service Area
5 counties
Serves Marion County and the surrounding central Iowa area from Knoxville, with more than 80 years in the community. Handles wills, trusts, estate planning, probate, and elder-law matters alongside real estate and tax work. AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell.
Location
113 East Marion StreetKnoxville, IA 50138
Phone
(641) 828-7373
Service Area
3 counties
Founded in 1970, the firm has decades of experience in estate planning, probate, and elder law, assisting clients with wills, trusts, powers of attorney, guardianships, conservatorships, and Medicaid planning for those transitioning into assisted living or nursing home care.
Location
920 South Dubuque StreetIowa City, IA 52240
Phone
(319) 351-8181
Established
1970
Service Area
3 counties
A niche elder law and estate planning firm opened in 2013. Cynthia Letsch earned her J.D. from Drake University Law School in 1995, graduating with honors, and became a Certified Medicaid Planner (CMP) in 2024. VA-accredited attorney. Licensed in Iowa, Nebraska, and Missouri. Multiple Certified Medicaid Planners on staff.
Location
112 NE Ewing Street, Suite DGrimes, IA 50111
Phone
(515) 986-2810
Established
2013
Service Area
3 counties
Located just east of the Woodbury County Courthouse in downtown Sioux City, Mayne, Hindman is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell with over 100 years of combined experience. Licensed in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota.
Location
701 Pierce Street, Suite 300Sioux City, IA 51101
Phone
(712) 277-1434
Service Area
Statewide
Practicing law in the Carroll County area since 1901, Minnich, Comito, Neu & Hawley provides a full range of legal services including wills, trusts, estate planning, probate, and elder law. Combined legal experience of 130 years.
Location
721 N. Main StreetCarroll, IA 51401
Phone
(712) 792-3508
Established
1901
Service Area
6 counties