Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Iowa

Where to start? There is no way to "acquire" a power of attorney at this point. The power of attorney must be signed by the principal, and from the information you have provided, the principal has died. In addition, even if there was a power of attorney in existence, it terminated at the father's death. If the son in law signed a document agreeing to pay the cremation expenses, then likely he is responsible for that. Son in law likely is not responsible for any of the other debts, but if the father had any assets--house, car, bank accounts, etc.--those debts would need to be paid from the assets before anything could be distributed to the father's heirs. Son in law should contact a probate attorney for additional guidance.