Des Moines Family Law Attorney

When you experienced attorneys to fight for your rights and to protect your children and assets in Des Moines and Throughout Iowa

Family is important. Going through any type of family law dispute such as a divorce or custody issue, can be stressful. Divorce is never easy. The team at the Baer Law Office in Des Moines, Iowa has over 35 years of experience working with divorce and family law clients. We have experience with contested divorces involving the valuation of businesses, division of assets, child custody, visitation, alimony, and child support. We work as a team and our goal is to explain the process to you so that you can make educated decisions. That is the reason we have been voted BEST LAW FIRM in the Des Moines area for the last 10 years. If you have questions or concerns about a family law case, we are here to help. Contact us at our Des Moines law office for a confidential consultation with a top-rated Iowa family law attorney.

We Handle the Full Range of Family Law Issues in Des Moines, Iowa

Iowa law governing family law matters can be complicated. The attorneys at the Baer Law Office can work with the other side to resolve a case that needs to be put to rest. We can facilitate an amicable resolution if that is what you desire. We also can be aggressive and fight for what you need if the other party is not going to agree to reasonable terms. Preparation is key in your case. The Baer Law Office attorneys are known for being prepared and they are well respected in the legal community. It’s not unusual for an attorney going through a divorce to hire the Baer Law Office to help them. No matter the specific circumstances of your family law case, we have the experience you can trust. Along with other legal matters, our Des Moines family law attorneys have the skills and experience to assist you with:

Divorce: Divorce is the process of ending a marriage. It involves resolving many key issues like division of assets and debts, determining custody of the children, setting a visitation or parenting schedule, determining child support, and negotiating spousal support if it’s applicable to the case. The Court will take into consideration the length of the marriage, any inheritance, or gifts and what the parties owned before the marriage. We have extensive experience with all these issues. If the parties settle the case, then the Court will need to approve the Stipulation. If there is no agreement, then we will have a trial before the Court. Once the Court approves the terms either through an agreement or after a trial, both parties are divorced. If you are contemplating a divorce, call the Baer Law Office in Des Moines, Iowa. We will guide and counsel you from start to finish. No case is too big or small. Call for an initial consultation with an experienced attorney.
Mediation: Most people involved in a family law conflict have little desire to fight. Most of the counties in Iowa require the parties to attend mediation to try to resolve some or all the issues. We use a neutral third party as a mediator and work to help our client obtain a fair negotiated settlement. We have the skills and experience to help you navigate all aspects of family mediation in Iowa.
Spousal Support also known as Alimony: After a divorce in Des Moines, one party may be required to make support payments to the other so a set period or in some cases for life. You will hear this called spousal support or alimony. It is designed to provide financial assistance—often when one spouse earns far less that the other spouse. There are several different types of spousal support in Iowa. We are happy to help you navigate the law and your options.
Paternity. Sometimes people who are not married have had a child and later there is an issue as to whether the father is truly the biological parent. Or the mother has not added the father to the birth certificate. The Baer Law Office has experience working on paternity cases.
Child Custody: For parents, whether they are married or unmarried, figuring out custody of a child can be especially hard. There are three types of physical custody in Iowa and physical custody refers to the legal determination of who will have the children in his or her care primarily. Iowa also recognizes joint physical care or shared care which is a situation when the parents share time with the children on an equal basis or close to it. Iowa uses the best interests of the child standard for custody disputes.
Child Visitation: Visitation refers to the time a non-custodial parent is allowed to spend with their child following a separation/divorce. In Iowa, visitation will generally be set by an agreement or parenting plan or, if necessary, a court order. Iowa presumes it to be in the best interests of children to have an active, ongoing relationship with both parents when possible.
Child Support: Child support is a financial obligation paid by one parent to the other to contribute to the costs of raising their child. Child support is paid to the parent with primary physical care or to a parent who earns less if the parties agree to shared physical care of the children. Child support is meant to help the parent receiving the support pay for housing, food, activities, and other costs related to the child. We have decades of experience representing parents in Iowa in child support cases.
Contempt: Contempt in family law occurs when a party willfully disobeys a court order, such as failing to pay support or violating custody arrangements. It is a serious offense and can result in penalties like jail time or paying attorney fees. In Iowa, family law courts use contempt proceedings to enforce compliance with their orders.
Non-Payment of Support: Non-payment of support happens when a parent or spouse fails to make required child or spousal support payments. This can lead to legal consequences such as contempt.
Name Change: A name change is a legal process to adopt a new name, often done as part of a marriage, divorce, or for personal reasons. The process typically requires filing a petition and obtaining court approval. If you know you want to change your name, we try to take care of that as part of the divorce to avoid additional costs for you. If you have any questions about getting a name change in Iowa—either for an adult or a child—our Iowa family lawyers can help.
Prenuptial Agreements: A prenuptial agreement is a legal contract signed before marriage that outlines how assets and debts will be divided in the event of divorce. In Iowa, prenups are enforceable—as long as certain legal standards are met. The agreement should always be drafted and reviewed by an attorney. We usually draft these to protect premarital property, businesses, farmland, retirement accounts or inheritance. We work hard to make the process amicable so that it is not a point of contention leading up to a marriage. Give our Des Moines family lawyers a call if you need help with a premarital agreement.
QDRO: Dividing retirement savings is typically a part of most divorces. The Court will issue a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (“QDRO”). A QDRO is a court order that divides retirement benefits like a 401(k) or pension accumulated during a marriage. It allows one spouse to receive a portion of the other’s retirement plan without penalties or tax implications as long as the accounts are rolled over. QDROs are commonly used for pensions, 401(k)s, and other qualified retirement accounts.
Divorce for Business Owners: If you own and operate a business in Des Moines or elsewhere in Iowa, it will usually be treated as a marital asset subject to valuation and division in a divorce. It is imperative that you know your rights and your options. You need an attorney experienced in how to handle business valuations. The Baer Law Office regularly works with business evaluators and accountants to make sure we find the best deal for you and take into consideration the tax and valuation issues.
College Payments for Children. In Iowa, children of a divorce are entitled under Iowa law to financial support from their divorced parents for secondary education (college). We have experience navigating this issue and are happy to guide you through the process.

Our firm has the legal experience to handle all types of divorce cases—including both contested and uncontested divorces. We also work with clients who were never married who need help with paternity, custody, visitation and child support issues. We have experience litigating child support and alimony. Other lawyers have hired us to represent them in their own divorce. We know that family law issues can be very stressful. That is why we pride ourselves on customer service and that is why we have been voted Best Law Firm in the Des Moines are for the last 10 years in a row. We work on a team basis and understand you are part of the team. Our job is to educate you and explain your options. We also have experience drafting premarital agreements (also known as prenuptial agreements) to help engaged couples put things in order before the big day.

Why Clients Choose The Baer Law Office for Family Law Support in Des Moines

Handling a dispute in a marriage or over custody is very stressful and overwhelming. You do not have to handle everything on your own. Our founding attorney Kim Ba e r is committed to putting clients first. If you need to determine paternity, or set-up a parenting schedule we can help. Sometimes our clients have worked out most of the details and just need an attorney to finish up the case. Other times a client needs a strong aggressive advocate to guide them through the process and fight for their rights. Our clients have voted us the best law firm award for 10 consecutive years. We provide proactive, personalized legal advocacy. When you reach out to our Des Moines law office, you will have a chance to consult with an Iowa family law attorney who can:

Hear what you have to say and answer questions about your family law case;
Educate you about how the process works;
Explain the next steps and what information will be needed from you; and
Develop a comprehensive strategy focused on protecting your rights and your interests.

Contact Our Des Moines Family Law Attorney for Your Confidential Consultation

At the Baer Law Office, our Des Moines family law attorneys are aggressive, skilled, experienced, compassionate, and solutions-focused. We pride ourselves on being creative to find a solution that will work for everyone if possible. Give us a call at (515) 279-2000 if you have any specific questions or concerns about a family law case. Do not hesitate to contact us today to set up your confidential initial consultation. With a law office in Des Moines, we provide family law services throughout Iowa.