2025 Iowa Legal Aid Impact

Each and every year, Iowa Legal Aid helps low-income individuals and families access legal representation, advice, and information, along with the support needed to resolve civil legal issues affecting their income, housing, safety, and health care.

In 2025, staff and volunteer attorneys at Iowa Legal Aid closed 14,133 cases, directly impacting 34,394 Iowans, including 14,263 children. This is an increase from the previous year, when we closed 13,734 cases, and directly impacted 31,789 Iowans, including 13,531 children.

Among the clients served, 71.2% were women, 33.4% were people of color, 20.4% were seniors, and 34.8% had a disability. Additionally, 3,602 clients identified as survivors of domestic violence, regardless of whether that issue was the reason they sought assistance from Iowa Legal Aid. Another 513 clients had limited English proficiency, and 766 reported having veterans in their household. The total financial benefit secured for clients was $9,660,499.62.

Housing Stability

Approximately 47% of closed cases involved housing issues. Iowa Legal Aid assisted clients in restructuring debt, eliminating deficiencies or other obligations, securing or maintaining housing assistance, and avoiding loss of housing through eviction or foreclosure. We also helped tenants obtain necessary repairs and reasonable accommodations.

Sixty-four percent of housing cases were resolved through legal advice or limited action. The remaining cases required full representation, including negotiation with opposing parties or their counsel, appearances before administrative agencies or in court, or more extensive legal services. In 99% of cases, clients achieved a favorable outcome.

Family Stability

Family cases totaled 26% of closed cases. We prioritize family cases involving domestic violence. In 2025, 3,558 clients reported experiencing violence, although not all sought assistance related to that issue. Of the family cases closed, 3,202 cases (86%) involved requests for family law assistance. Staff helped clients obtain custody of their children, secure divorce and protective orders, address guardianship, paternity, and child support matters. With assistance from Iowa Legal Aid, 201 survivors obtained protective orders in 2025.  

Financial Stability

Iowa Legal Aid promoted financial stability by addressing the consumer, tax, and public benefits issues that comprise 17% of our cases. We helped Iowans discharge and restructure debt, stop unfair debt collection practices, avoid garnishment, and prevent utility disconnections. We also helped clients in obtaining or maintaining Social Security retirement, Social Security Survivors’ benefits, Social Security Disability, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and unemployment benefits. In cases involving benefit overpayments, we helped clients secure a waiver or negotiate realistic and manageable repayment plans. In addition, we helped Iowans claim the Earned Income Tax Credit, complete tax returns, and improve their overall financial well-being.

Self-Help & Community Legal Education Events

We projected that approximately 1,500 individuals would attend self-help clinics and community legal education events. Approximately, 1,869 people attended Iowa Legal Aid’s self-help clinics, eviction help desks, Community Schools Project clinics, and expungement clinics. Community legal education events addressed a wide range of topics, including fair housing and housing discrimination, tenant rights, advanced directives, powers of attorney, wills, homeowner education, domestic violence relief and protection orders, SSI and Social Security Disability benefits, debt collection, Medicaid, tax credits, and disaster relief.

Volunteer Attorney Participation

We projected that approximately 250 volunteer attorneys would provide over 5,000 hours of free civil legal assistance. In 2025, 237 volunteer attorneys significantly strengthened our capacity by contributing just over 4,114 hours of pro bono legal services, valued at approximately $1,073,796.

Impact by County