News & Resources

Student Loans And Divorce There are currently more than 43 million student borrowers in the United States that are in debt to the tune of a total of $1.73 trillion dollars, according to the Education Data Initiative. This means that on average, students owe just over $39,000 each. This can be a staggering amount of debt for couples, especially if both spouses have student loans. If one spouse incurred student loan debt is the other […]

Unique Challenges Of A “Gray Divorce” Gray divorce has been on the rise in recent years according to the Pew Research Center which claims the trend is led by baby boomers. While the divorce rate is higher than in the past 25 years for those over 50 years old, married couples 65 years and older have seen the divorce rate nearly triple during the same time period. What are the reasons for this sharp increase, […]

What To Do If You Think Your Spouse Is Hiding Assets Divorce is never pleasant, and in many cases is bitter and contentious. It is not unusual for one spouse or the other to attempt to hide income or other assets not only from their spouse, but from the court as well. Iowa is an equitable distribution state, which means that courts divide assets and other property in a way that is deemed equitable or […]

What Are Your Rights If You Leave The Marital Home During Your Divorce? When one spouse or the other files for divorce it can be very difficult to continue to live in the same house together until the divorce becomes final. Some couples remain friendly and amicable during the process, but this is not often the case. There are certain factors to take into consideration when making the decision on whether to stay or move […]

Valuing Artwork And Collectibles For Your Divorce When a couple gets divorced, the division of marital property can be stressful and complicated. Because Iowa is not a community property state but instead one that uses equitable distribution in divorce matters, it can be even more difficult for couples who have antiques, coin collections, rare pieces of art, and other items of substantial value. Those with questions or concerns about valuing artwork and collectibles for your […]

Dividing a Professional Practice in a Divorce Couples in Iowa who divorce often experience significant stress. Divorce can be complicated on its own, but when a professional practice is involved, it becomes more legally complicated and challenging. There are several factors that may determine the outcome in what can be a lengthy and costly divorce when a business is involved. Dividing a professional practice in a divorce can create the necessity for complex decisions, but […]

            One of the main components of any divorce case is the equitable division of property, i.e., the assets and liabilities of the parties.  The property is classified as either separate or marital property, assigned a value, then allocated to one spouse or the other.  The value of the property is usually the fair market value as of the date of separation.  Some types of property, such as bank accounts or retirement accounts, are simple […]

Shannon Simpson has been accepted to the Council Bluffs Executive Women’s Partnership       The mission of the Executive Women’s Partnership, is bringing accomplished leaders together in an inclusive environment to grow and accelerate the role women play in Council Bluffs executive leadership, through mentorship, education and innovative programming.   Fostering diversity and inclusion among women leaders. Providing executive training and professional development that advances and adds value to female executives. Building confidence in female […]

                By Scott Stewart of The Daily Record   A Council Bluffs attorney is a member of a task force created to accelerate the safe return of family law trails to the state of Iowa. Shannon Simpson, owner of Simpson Legal Group LLC and a practicing family law attorney in Council Bluffs for the past two decades, was appointed to the Jumpstart Family Law Task Force by the […]

Understanding Dependency Exemptions and the Child Tax Credit        Under the changes to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) that took place in 2018, the child tax credit was expanded, but the dependency exemption was completely eliminated. This resulted in parents not being entitled to claim the exemption from 2018 to 2025. For years, parents had been entitled to this exemption for children which they provide support. The exemption reduced individual taxable […]