Those new to the business world often lack the first-hand experience of initiating and building healthy business relationships. But protecting these vital relationships with carefully crafted business agreements—such as those for co-owners, suppliers and clients—is essential to growing a new business without risk of being taken advantage of or of burning valuable bridges. To decrease…
Raising a grandchild (or even spending a lot of time with your grandchild while his or her parents work) can be fraught with legal and financial complications. Lacking many of the inherent rights parents have, grandparents who are responsible for the care of their grandchildren may encounter unexpected legal challenges. Even if you are your…
In part 1, we discussed the importance of knowing how to negotiate business deals and mitigate conflict whenever possible. Besides being a financial drain, business disputes can also create conflicts that require precious time and energy to resolve. Setting clear boundaries and realistic expectations when making professional agreements is essential in setting yourself up for…
In some meetings, clients really want to hear more about their lawyers and get me to open up a bit. So who is my attorney anyway? What does he do when he’s not lawyering? Why should I go with him? So, for better or worse, I am going to tell my clients and friends a…
Black Hollywood Live? Michael B. Wilson appears as a special guest on Black Holywood Live’s Justice is Served.
Learn about the new obligations starting January 1, 2018 Governor Brown recently signed six new statutory obligations into law that took effect on January 1st, 2018. AB 450 was among the new obligations, signed on October 5th, 2017, and among other things, it prohibits employers from voluntary consenting to allowing immigration officials to access non-public…
A large part of being a successful business owner is knowing how to make deals and facilitate conflict when it arises. When in a dispute over a deal or an agreement that has been made, the potential costs are endless. The potential cost of litigation, the potential cost of loss of reputation, the potential cost…
Keeping good records relieves stress and makes running your business easier and more enjoyable. But it may not look like what you think if you’ve run your business by saving receipts all year long and then trying to handle your bookkeeping all at once at tax time. First and foremost, don’t handle your bookkeeping yourself….
The average age of parents raising children in the US continues to rise, leaving many middle-aged Americans in a category commonly referred to as the “sandwich” generation. This growing population of professionals are often still raising kids at home when they become responsible for the care of their own aging parents. The stress and financial…
For those of us who have pets that would be left behind after we die, there may be a desire to make arrangements for their well-being. Making provisions for pets in your will can only be done through the establishment of a trust. Pets are considered property and, as such, cannot be left money or…
A trust is a legal creation set up to benefit someone or something. For example, some people set up trusts to benefit their children, their grandchildren, or even charities. It is easiest to understand if you think about three separate people being involved. One person, called the grantor, funds the trust somehow, by placing money…
Everyone needs an agent – and not the Hollywood type. An agent is someone you designate to handle your estate after you’ve gone or who can make decisions for you if you cannot make them for yourself. Here are the kinds of agents everyone needs: Executor – an executor is the person you designate to carry…
When you hear the words, “trust fund,” do you conjure up images of stately mansions and party yachts? A trust fund – or trust – is actually a great estate planning tool for many people with a wide range of incomes who want to accomplish a specific purpose with their money. Simply put, a trust…
If you have minor children and have not yet selected a guardian, you are not unlike many parents who put off this critically important task while waiting for the perfect solution to present itself. Or perhaps you and your spouse/partner cannot agree on who would be the ideal guardian for your kids. Here is your…
If you have a few minutes to kill, try doing this: Log onto Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Travelocity, Kayak, Priceline, or any of these related search engines. Search for a 1-night stay in a room on August 20, 2017 in one of the following cities: Madras, Oregon Idaho Falls, Idaho Casper, Wyoming Atchison, Kansas Carbondale, Illinois Gladstone,…
Protect your ideas. Protect your investment. Intellectual Property (IP): a work or invention that is the result of creativity, such as a manuscript or a design, to which one has rights and for which one may apply for a patent, copyright, trademark, etc. While IP has been a concern for many years now, the pace…
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 huge responsibility. You may have taken it on willingly or…
Selecting a trustee to manage and distribute trust assets to beneficiaries upon your death just became a little more complicated. If you are deciding whether to name an individual who is not a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident as a successor trustee, there are a number of factors to consider. To begin with, a trust…
There is much to be learned from the mistakes of others and the celebrity world abounds with cautionary tales when it comes to estate planning. Even with all the financial resources available to them, celebrities can neglect the basics when it comes to protecting assets. We come across sad tales all the time of “regular”…
Audits can happen to any business. Small businesses are no exception. The IRS can conduct an audit on your business when your tax filing contains questionable deductions, your business is of particular interest to the IRS or by random selection. Contrary to popular belief, being audited doesn’t necessarily mean you did anything wrong. And for…
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