I enjoyed a long, successful career as a transactional attorney helping individuals, business owners, farmers, executives, and other professionals with tax-effective estate planning. This includes helping clients with:
-
Revocable living trusts
-
Transitioning investment ownership and managing within family-owned entities
-
Trusts for long-term management and protection of family-owned assets
-
Life insurance planning
-
Sophisticated wealth transfer techniques
-
Retirement planning
-
Diverse family estate planning (LGBTQ+, adoptive and foster families, blended families, etc.)
-
Premarital agreement
Personally, I currently live in West Des Moines, Iowa, and enjoy traveling (often on my partner's Harley Trike) and spending time with my daughter Rachel and her family. I have been active on many community and church boards over the years and enjoy gardening, golfing, hiking, knitting, and weaving.
About
Margaret Van Houten
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
-
American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC)
-
Iowa State Bar Association
-
Iowa Academy of Trust and Estate Counsel
-
Polk County Bar Association
EDUCATION
-
Iowa State University (B.A., 1974, Phi Beta Kappa)
-
University of Iowa College of Law (J.D., with distinction, 1979)
-
New York University School of Law (LL.M., Taxation, 1984)
AWARDS & HONORS
-
Chambers High Net Worth, Private Wealth Law, Band 2, 2020
-
AV® Preeminent™ rated by Martindale-Hubbell
-
The Best Lawyers in America© 2021, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates
-
Best Lawyers® 2015 Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law “Lawyer of the Year” in the Des Moines metro
-
Best Lawyers® 2010 Trusts and Estates “Lawyer of the Year” in the Des Moines metro
-
2018 Great Plains Super Lawyers, Estate Planning & Probate