Maria Shriver knows the devastation of Alzheimer’s disease firsthand. Her beloved father Sargent Shriver, founder of the Peace Corps and one-time candidate for Vice President of the United States, died of the disease in 2011 after being diagnosed in 2003. How to Prepare Yourself Often called “the long goodbye,” Alzheimer’s disease affects more than five…
Take Care of These 5 Things Before You Hit The Beach It’s no surprise that Americans spend more time planning their summer vacations than they do planning their estate. After all, a vacation is a trip you want to go on, while the eternal “trip” is not. However, wouldn’t you travel with more peace of…
If you have young children, chances are that your summer activities include some careful planning to keep them safe from harm. Unfortunately, even with proper precautions in place, accidents do happen and not just to children. Have you planned for what will happen to your children if you are the one involved in a tragic…
Legally Binding Contract Basics The Internet has changed the way businesses negotiate, review and revise their contracts. Sending emails back and forth can make the process faster and more convenient, but you should be aware that it can also lead to inadvertent liability. The use of electronic evidence or digital data has drastically increased in…
Protect Your Special Needs Family Member When you have a family member with special needs, it is important to understand that your estate planning strategy is unique and requires the assistance of an attorney experienced in creating Special Needs Trusts. If an inheritance is left directly to your family member with special needs, it could…
Benefits of an Operating LLC System Many business owners make the choice to operate as a limited liability company (LLC) for the personal liability protection this business entity provides. Beyond that, they may not give much thought to creating an LLC operating agreement since most states have LLC laws with default provisions that dictate how…
The passing of family heirlooms from one generation to another should be a welcome tradition in most families, but unfortunately, this process can cause long-lasting family rifts if not done properly. There are many stories of families that have split over a silver tea service or a portrait of a long-dead ancestor. In fact, you…
How to Avoid Legal Business Risks While there is no such thing as a business with no risk, most savvy business owners look for ways to mitigate risk as much as possible. Being aware of these three legal risks will create an understanding of the future of your business. Trusting a verbal or handshake agreement….
The Benefits of an Estate Plan Many parents believe that by adding a child’s name to a property deed, they can pass along the property outside of probate. Unfortunately, those who act on that belief often find they have invited more problems than they have avoided. This is because, in many states, when more than…
How to Prepare Your Children’s’ Life As a Single Parent If you are a single parent, life for you right now probably couldn’t get any busier. You are likely being pulled between work, school activities, sports teams and the inevitable emergencies that fill the lives of single parents everywhere. Being a single parent is a…
When To Hire a Personal Lawyer: Every business owner at one time or another needs legal advice. While it may be tempting to turn to the Internet for your legal needs, there are three important instances when you will want to have a lawyer on a payroll. Entity Formation When you are ready to start…
Planning for Leaving Your Legacy Behind The assets you leave to your loved ones can either be a source of relief or, sometimes, a source of panic if they don’t know how to manage those assets. Unless properly prepared, your loved ones may not know how to deal with sudden wealth. Even just fifty thousand…
How to Keep Your Digital Life Thriving If you’re like most Americans, you have a rich digital life. You may bank online, invest online and certainly interact socially online. But where do those assets go after you go? And how will your loved ones get access to them, if you haven’t left behind specific instructions…
A recent Inc. article authored by entrepreneur Kevin Daum brought to light one of the most prevalent questions asked by business owners: “How can I avoid being sued?” Although it may seen counterintuitive at first glance, the job of a Creative Business Lawyer™ is to help clients avoid litigation, so one of the best (and…
Asset protection is not something most people think too deeply about. Most of us are busy trying to accumulate assets to give considered thought to consider the importance of protecting what we have. A recent article on The Motley Fool investment website notes that there are a number of things that can harm an investor…
Estate Planning – The Proper Way Downton Abbey – the PBS drama about the fortunes and misfortunes of an aristocratic British family in the early 20th century that has taken American audiences by storm – gets most of its gripping plot twists as the result of a number of bad estate planning moves. For example:…
When you hear the name “Oprah,” you think of one person. Not only because the name itself is so unique, but also because billionaire entrepreneur and media mogul Oprah Winfrey has done such an outstanding job of protecting and promoting her brand. Oprah Winfrey’s Legal Strategies to Follow A recent article at Entrepreneur.com examined the…
Contrary to popular belief, estate planning is not just about money or taxes. Far from it. Today, it’s more about protecting your assets for yourself and your loved ones, achieving your financial goals and safeguarding your health care. Money and taxes aside, here are 7 good reasons you need an estate plan: What to Consider…
One of the biggest risks small business owners take is not properly protecting their personal assets from business liabilities or judgments. In a recent Entrepreneur.com article, Mark Kohler, author of The Tax & Legal Playbook, offered these 8 asset protection strategies for business owners: The Strategies to Protect Your Business Choose the right business structure….
It’s pretty amazing to think of all the things we do online today that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. But just because you can do something online doesn’t necessarily mean you should. And that certainly applies to fulfilling your company’s legal needs. Here’s What To Look Out For Here are three…
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