In life, there are opportunities to punt or go for the first down. Early in my practice of estate planning, I often saw individuals who started the will drafting process but would continually punt and not finalize the will. Ad hoc questions would be sent in 3-4 separate e-mails or the person would not commit to a signing date once the will was final. In Iowa, a will that is not signed is as useful as no will at all.

Should you write your own will or consult an attorney? Here’s the low-down on the requirements for a valid will in the state of Iowa, what complications you need to consider, and what value an attorney can provide.