Testing Select Practices Select Select Area of PracticeAdoptionsAgribusinessAssisted Reproductive Technology LawBusiness and Corporate LawCriminal LawEstate PlanningEstate & Trust AdministrationJuvenile LawLitigation and Trial LawMunicipal LawReal Estate LawTaxation LawAt De Koster & De Koster, we are proud to help people grow their families. Whether through a private or agency adoption, our team diligently walks families through the steps of the adoption process.We represent farmers and farm businesses in all manner of their operations. Our attorneys negotiate and draft leases, help navigate complex government programs, and draft contracts and easements to enhance business operations.We draft contracts to help create families using a gestational carrier. After a child is born, our team works with the parties and the State of Iowa to ensure the child’s birth certificate properly reflects their parentage. For a reference guide on surrogacy laws in various states, visit http://www.surrogacymap.com/.We advise clients regarding creation and maintenance of entities, such as corporations and limited liability companies. When starting a business, there are many considerations. As small business owners ourselves, we have experience helping clients get started with the right plan in place.We provide knowledgeable representation to adults who have been charged with simple, serious, or aggravated misdemeanors and certain low-level felonies. We help our clients navigate the criminal justice process by making sure they understand the charges they face and the potential outcomes. While creating the best defense strategy, we ensure our client’s civil rights are preserved for their specific circumstance. We assist clients in creating an estate plan, which allows them to transfer their wealth to the individuals or organizations that match their desires. Documents such as wills, trusts, and powers of attorney implement the plan. At De Koster & De Koster, we also advise clients about structuring their estate to minimize or avoid federal and state taxes. We help create succession plans for small businesses and farming operations that allow loved ones or trusted partners to continue the business for years to come.After a loved one has died, we provide comprehensive estate and trust administration services. Our attorneys assist in every step of the process, including items not typically part of a standard estate. With our clients, we work to discover assets, transfer them to the beneficiaries, and complete all of the obligations required by the law.We represent children who are accused of committing a delinquent act and work to help them navigate the justice system. We also assist children who have become involved with the Department of Human Services as a result of action or inaction by their parents. In both cases, we provide caring counsel to the children and work to bring healing to families.We handle contested cases and work to bring our clients a successful resolution, whether through trial or settlement. We employ a team approach, often consulting with other highly-regarded firms in the state to bring the best result for our clients.We represent the City of Hull and the City of Boyden. At De Koster and De Koster, we provide advice to city employees and counsel with contracts, real estate acquisition, and policy matters.Our clients trust us to handle real estate transfers anywhere from a house in town to hundreds of acres of farm land. We also represent clients in tax deferred exchanges of land and serve as the intermediary for these transactions. Our team works to ensure a prompt turn around for real estate transactions to keep closings on schedule. We also assist with new development, including preparing covenants and title opinions for plats.We prepare tax returns for individuals, farming operations, and small businesses. We counsel clients in matters of tax planning and assist with disputes before the IRS. We also have experience reconstructing financial records to prepare tax returns for past years.