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Iowa follows the "reasonable compensation" standard for trusteesIowa Code §§ 633A.4109, 633A.4111, 633A.4202Verified May 31, 2026. Courts decide what's reasonable on a case-by-case basis, looking at trust size, complexity, and the trustee's actual work. Family-member trustees often waive the fee entirely. Professional trustees (banks, trust companies, attorneys) typically charge between 0.5% and 1.5% of trust assets per year, with corporate fiduciaries usually applying minimum annual fees. The Iowa trustee compensation calculator breaks it down by trust situation.
Trust administration in Iowa is typically faster than probate because trusts don't require court supervision. The main floor is the creditor claim period — 4 months in Iowa — during which the trustee can't safely make final distributions. Simple trusts often wrap up in 6-9 months; trusts that hold business interests, real property in multiple states, or that need to file estate tax returns can take longer. See the Iowa trustee checklist for the full process.
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.
23 firms
Since 1985, this Burlington firm has focused on practical legal solutions and personalized service throughout southeast Iowa and west-central Illinois, offering comprehensive estate planning including wills, trusts, and probate administration.
Location
524 N Main StreetBurlington, IA 52601
Phone
(319) 754-7585
Established
1985
Service Area
4 counties
A Davenport firm serving Scott and Muscatine counties in the Iowa Quad Cities. Handles estate planning, wills and trusts, probate and trust administration, guardianships and conservatorships, and Medicaid planning for families and executors. Established in 2001; AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell.
Location
5505 Victoria Avenue, Suite 100Davenport, IA 52807
Phone
(563) 344-4900
Established
2001
Service Area
2 counties
David J. Franks has been practicing in the Iowa and Illinois Quad Cities since 1990, focusing on estate planning, trust administration, probate, small business formations, and agricultural law with emphasis on contested wills and trusts. The firm has grown to five attorneys.
Location
3345 Utica Ridge RoadBettendorf, IA 52722
Phone
(563) 359-4351
Service Area
2 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
A Dubuque general-practice firm serving the tri-state area of northeast Iowa, southwest Wisconsin, and northwest Illinois. Works with executors, administrators, and heirs on probate and trust administration, guardianships, and contested estate matters across Dubuque, Delaware, Clayton, and Jackson counties. Has practiced under the Fuerste and Carew names since 1965.
Location
890 Main Street, Suite 200Dubuque, IA 52001
Phone
(563) 227-5650
Established
1965
Service Area
4 counties
A locally-owned Ottumwa firm with over 75 years of experience providing full estate services from will drafting and probating to trust creation, distribution, and estate closures.
Location
111 W. Second StreetOttumwa, IA 52501
Phone
(641) 682-7579
Established
1949
Service Area
6 counties
A women-owned and women-led Midwest law firm founded in 2009. Licensed in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota with offices in Sioux City, Sioux Falls, and Omaha. Estate planning services include wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and business succession planning.
Location
410 5th StreetSioux City, IA 51101
Phone
(712) 226-4000
Established
2009
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
Founded in 1938, Laird Law Firm has 11 attorneys across three offices in north central Iowa. Listed in U.S. News Best Law Firms, they handle estate planning, wills, trusts, beneficiary designations, powers of attorney, estate tax planning, and probate administration.
Location
11 4th Street NEMason City, IA 50401
Phone
(641) 423-5154
Established
1938
Service Area
5 counties