Our Practice Areas
Life’s most important decisions — protecting your family, planning for the future, navigating a divorce — deserve more than a one-size-fits-all approach. At Flatiron Legal Advisors, we provide focused legal representation in the areas of law that matter most to Nebraska families: estate planning, probate administration, and family law.
Every case we handle is shaped by Nebraska’s specific statutes, court procedures, and legal standards. Whether you’re creating a plan to protect your assets, settling a loved one’s estate, or working through a custody dispute, our attorneys bring the knowledge and experience your situation demands.
Schedule a consultation to discuss your legal needs with a Nebraska attorney who understands what’s at stake.
Nebraska Estate Planning Attorneys
A good estate plan does more than distribute property. It protects the people you care about, keeps your family out of court, and ensures your wishes are carried out — not the state’s default rules.
Nebraska is one of only six states that imposes an inheritance tax on beneficiaries. The tax rate and exemption amount depend on the heir’s relationship to the deceased. Immediate family members pay 1% on amounts exceeding $100,000. More distant relatives pay 11% on amounts over $40,000. Unrelated beneficiaries pay 15% on amounts over $25,000. Without proper planning, these taxes can take a meaningful bite out of what you leave behind.
Nebraska also requires probate for estates exceeding $50,000 in personal property or real estate — a process that typically takes 6 to 12 months and becomes a matter of public record. A properly structured estate plan, including tools like revocable living trusts, can help your family avoid probate entirely.
Our Nebraska estate planning services include:
- Last Wills and Testaments — naming guardians, directing asset distribution, and appointing a personal representative
- Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts — avoiding probate, minimizing inheritance tax exposure, and protecting assets for future generations
- Powers of Attorney — designating someone you trust to manage financial and medical decisions if you’re unable to act
- Advance Directives — documenting your healthcare wishes so your family never has to guess
- Inheritance Tax Planning — using gifting strategies, trust structures, and proper asset titling to reduce or eliminate Nebraska’s inheritance tax for your heirs
Whether you’re a young parent naming guardians for your children, a business owner protecting your life’s work, or someone approaching retirement who wants everything in order — we build plans around your actual life, not a template.
Talk to a Nebraska estate planning attorney today.
Nebraska Probate Lawyers
When someone passes away, their estate must be settled — debts paid, assets distributed, and legal obligations fulfilled. In Nebraska, this process is handled through the county courts under the Nebraska Probate Code (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2201 et seq.).
If the deceased person’s estate exceeds $50,000 in personal property or real estate (after subtracting liens), formal probate is required. Smaller estates may qualify for a simplified affidavit process that bypasses court proceedings. Under Nebraska court rules, standard estates should reach final disposition within 18 months of filing, and estates requiring a federal estate tax return have 24 months.
The personal representative — the person appointed to manage the estate — carries significant legal responsibilities. They must inventory and value all assets, notify creditors, pay outstanding debts and taxes, file inheritance tax returns with the county, and distribute remaining assets to the rightful beneficiaries. Mistakes during this process can create personal liability.
We help families and personal representatives with every stage of probate in Nebraska:
- Filing petitions for formal and informal probate in the appropriate county court
- Personal representative guidance — fulfilling fiduciary duties, managing estate assets, and meeting court deadlines
- Creditor claims and debt resolution — notifying creditors, evaluating claims, and paying debts in the order required by Nebraska law
- Inheritance tax filings — calculating and remitting taxes owed to each applicable county within the 12-month deadline
- Will contests and estate disputes — representing clients when a will’s validity is challenged or beneficiaries disagree over distribution
- Intestate estate administration — guiding families through the process when a loved one dies without a will
Losing a loved one is hard enough without the weight of legal complexity. We handle the legal burden so you can focus on your family.
Speak with a Nebraska probate attorney about your situation.
Nebraska Family Law Attorneys
Family law matters carry higher stakes than almost any other legal issue — because the outcomes affect your children, your finances, and your daily life for years to come. Nebraska has its own set of rules governing divorce, custody, child support, and property division, and understanding those rules is the difference between a fair outcome and a costly mistake.
Divorce in Nebraska
Nebraska is a no-fault divorce state. The only legal ground for dissolving a marriage is that it is “irretrievably broken” with no reasonable prospect of reconciliation (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 42-361). Neither spouse needs to prove adultery, abandonment, or any other wrongdoing.
Before filing, at least one spouse must have been a bona fide Nebraska resident for a minimum of one year (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 42-349). After the respondent is served, there is a mandatory 60-day waiting period before the court can finalize the divorce.
Nebraska follows equitable distribution principles when dividing marital property. This does not mean a 50/50 split. Courts divide assets in a manner they consider fair and reasonable based on the length of the marriage, each spouse’s contributions (including nonmonetary contributions like homemaking and child care), earning capacity, and the economic circumstances of each party at the time of divorce. Nebraska courts often apply what’s referred to as the “one-third to one-half” guideline when awarding property to each spouse (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 42-365).
Child Custody and Parenting Plans
Nebraska courts determine custody based on the best interests of the child under the Nebraska Parenting Act (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 43-2923). There is no automatic presumption of equal parenting time. Judges evaluate factors including:
- Each parent’s relationship with the child before the case began
- The child’s wishes, if mature enough to express a preference based on sound reasoning
- The child’s general health, welfare, and social behavior
- Credible evidence of abuse or neglect involving any household member
Both parents must submit a parenting plan to the court. If parents cannot agree, Nebraska requires mediation before a judge will rule on contested custody matters. The age of majority in Nebraska is 19 — the highest in the country — meaning custody and parenting time orders remain enforceable until the child turns 19.
Our Family Law Services
- Divorce and dissolution of marriage — contested and uncontested proceedings, property division, and spousal support
- Child custody and parenting plans — negotiation, mediation, and litigation to protect your parental rights
- Child support — establishing, modifying, and enforcing support obligations
- Modifications — adjusting existing custody, parenting time, or support orders when circumstances change
- Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements — protecting assets and setting clear expectations before or during marriage
Family law decisions made today shape your life for years. We help you make them with clarity, confidence, and a full understanding of how Nebraska law applies to your specific situation.
Talk to a Nebraska family law attorney about your case.
Why Nebraska Families Work With Flatiron Legal Advisors
We don’t take a volume approach to legal representation. Every client gets direct access to their attorney, a strategy built around their goals, and honest guidance about what to expect — including the parts that are hard to hear.
Our approach is straightforward: we learn your situation, explain your options in plain language, and fight for the outcome that protects what matters most to you. No unnecessary complexity. No billing for work that doesn’t move your case forward.
If you’re dealing with an estate planning question, a probate matter, or a family law issue anywhere in Nebraska, we’re here to help.
Contact Flatiron Legal Advisors today to schedule your consultation.
