Monthly Archives: April 2018

IOWA CREATES FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER SAVINGS ACCOUNTS

April 24, 2018

A new law went into effect this year that provided for the creation of First-Time Homebuyer Savings Accounts (FTHSA.) These accounts are special savings accounts that allow for tax deductions to the account holder. In order to qualify as a FTHSA, the account holder, upon opening the account, must designate a beneficiary of the account […]


WHY A HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT MIGHT BE FOR YOU

A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a “triple-tax-advantaged” medical savings account available to taxpayers enrolled in High-Deductible Health Plans (HDHP.) It allows taxpayers to use funds from the account to pay for certain qualified medical expenses. An HSA is simply a special type of savings account that can be used to pay for qualified healthcare […]


STANDARD DEDUCTION CHANGES

In December, President Trump signed a new tax bill into law. One noticeable change was the doubling of the standard deduction. This means that for single taxpayers, the standard deduction has increased to $12,000. For married taxpayers who file a joint tax return with their spouse, and for taxpayers who file as a “Surviving Spouse,” […]


IOWA SUPREME COURT HOLDS NO EXCEPTION TO EXCLUSION UNDER ALL-RISK POLICY APPLIED

April 23, 2018

In November, 2014, a squirrel entered an electrical substation owned by the City of West Liberty, Iowa and, after climbing on equipment, caused a completed circuit and thereafter electrical arc resulted in substantial damage to the City’s electrical substation.  Following the damage, the City submitted a claim to Employers Mutual Casualty Company (EMC).  EMC denied […]


CORPORATE EMPLOYERS DO NOT HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS

Patricia Georgesen started a small business named Derby Insurance Agency (Derby), a subchapter S corporation, in 1991.  Her husband also worked at Derby Insurance.  In 1998, Joanne Cote began working at Derby as a customer service representative.  On October 12, 2012, Derby sold its assets, goodwill, and book of business to Derby Insurance Services, Inc. […]


A NEW FACE AT GREFE AND SIDNEY

Please join us in welcoming to Grefe and Sidney’s Litigation Division, AnneMarie Spellman McDevitt. Her practice includes general civil litigation and workers’ compensation matters. AnneMarie represents employers, insurers and claimants before the Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner. She is a graduate of the University of Iowa and a graduate of Creighton University School of Law. AnneMarie […]


ATTORNEY’S INVESTIGATORY NOTES AND COMMUNICATIONS ARE DISCOVERABLE IN DISCRIMINATION SUIT

April 19, 2018

Oliver Fenceroy was employed at Gelita USA, Inc., where he began working in 1975.  In 2013, he left the company and filed an administrative complaint and ultimately a civil suit charging Gelita with race discrimination.  Fenceroy alleged that there were a number of workplace incidents involving racially disparaging comments by employees. During Fenceroy’s employment, Gelita […]