Rachel Boyd
(Karen's Assistant)
rachel.boyd@fmjlaw.com

Karen's Bio

As an estate planning attorney, Karen Schlotthauer is driven to deliver an exceptional client experience. She is well-versed in what clients need: high-quality legal representation, creative solutions, and great customer service. Karen counsels and advises clients on all aspects of estate planning, from basic to complex matters, and she helps clients with all of their estate planning needs, including wills, trusts, pet trusts, charitable planning, retirement plan distribution planning, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, guardianships and conservatorships, and estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax strategies. In addition, a significant part of her practice involves estate and trust administration matters, including representing individual fiduciary clients with the preparation and filing of estate tax returns and fiduciary income tax returns, and advocating for beneficiaries involved in contested administrations.

Prior to joining FMJ, Karen was a shareholder at a firm in downtown Minneapolis and a principal in a Wayzata firm. She has frequently been a guest speaker and writer on the topic of estate planning for various organizations around the Twin Cities.

University of Minnesota (B.S. Business, Carlson School of Management)
William Mitchell College of Law (J.D.)

Minnesota

  • Hennepin County Bar Association, Member
  • Minnesota State Bar Association, Member
  • Minnesota Camp Fire Foundation, Former Board of Trustees and Treasurer
  • Wayzata Chamber of Commerce, Member

“I love learning about my clients’ unique situations and individual stories because everyone has differing estate planning needs. To be effective, it is important that I listen carefully, evaluate strategies, and come up with a creative approach to make sure my clients implement an estate plan that meets their goals in the future. No matter what level of sophistication is required, I pride myself on explaining complex topics in plain English. I’ve even been told that I make the process fun!”

Karen is not only fluent in legalese, but she is pretty good at giving unsolicited advice to her two sons. She lives in the west metro and is a noted outdoor enthusiast who only puts away her inline skates when the ski season starts. She feels lucky that her book club has not enforced a reading requirement to maintain her membership.

Videos

News About Karen

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October 2025

2025 FMJ Women Uncorked: An Evening of Women, Wine, and Wisdom

The firm hosted another great event celebrating women in business. Read more

August 2025

18 FMJ Attorneys Selected for the 2026 Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch Lists

Congratulations on this well-deserved honor! Read more

December 2024

2025 Estate Tax Exemptions and Planning Considerations

Let's connect soon to discuss strategies for the next year! Read more

August 2024

16 FMJ Attorneys Recognized on the 2025 Best Lawyers Lists!

Please click here to learn more about this honor. Read more

August 2024

Estate Planning for Young Adults and College Students

Back to school? Make sure those estate planning documents are in order! Read more

May 2024

Cabin Planning and the Corporate Transparency Act

Why you need to review your cabin plan now! Read more

October 2023

FMJ Hosts Another Successful FMJ Uncorked Event!

The women of FMJ hosted a very successful FMJ Uncorked event earlier this month. More than 140 women registered for an evening of connection,... Read more

August 2023

14 FMJ Attorneys Named to the 2024 Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch Lists!

We are proud to announce that 14 of our attorneys have been recognized in the 2024 editions of Best Lawyers in America® and Best... Read more

December 2022

Preview of 2023 Estate Tax Exemptions and What to do Now

2022 is drawing to a close, and the end of the year will be here before we know it. There are some estate tax... Read more

October 2022

FMJ Hosts Another Successful FMJ Uncorked Event!

The women of FMJ hosted a very successful FMJ Uncorked event on October 12, 2022.  More than 120 women gathered for an evening of... Read more

May 2022

Estate Planning for Cabin Owners: Why Cabin Owners Need to Have a Plan

It’s almost time when Minnesotans head north for the summer and cabin season is officially upon us. Since the pandemic in 2020, even more... Read more

December 2021

Estate Tax Exemptions 2022

Following our September posting of a preview of the 2022 estate tax exemptions, the IRS recently released the inflation-adjusted amounts that will apply in... Read more

September 2021

Preview of 2022 Estate Tax Exemptions and What to Do Now

The end of the year will be here before we know it and there could be some large estate tax law changes on the... Read more

August 2021

A College Student’s Back-to-School Checklist

After a year like 2020, many college students are eager to head off or return to college for a new and exciting year. Their... Read more

May 2021

It’s That Time of Year Again: Cabin Planning 101

Memorial Day will soon be upon us and will mark Minnesota’s “unofficial” start to summer as many head to their cabins and lake homes.... Read more