July 6th, 2020 - Category: Marriage, Divorce and Family
Once a Last Will and Testament is made, it is good until you die, change it, or revoke it. If you make a will today and die fifty years from now without making any changes to it, the property will be distributed according to the will you made a half-century earlier. [...]
June 17th, 2020 - Category: Marriage, Divorce and Family
Estate planning is usually thought of as a luxury reserved for the very wealthy with lots of resources to give away. However, estate planning can be beneficial for most people. [...]
June 17th, 2020 - Category: Daily Life
Traveling with children, whether for winter or summer vacations, school or church field trips, visiting grandparents or other relatives for a long weekend, or going with a choir or band to perform, can be a great experience for kids and families. Children traveling abroad continues to become more common as we embrace living in a global community with myriad cultures and opportunities for learning. [...]
June 17th, 2020 - Category: Marriage, Divorce and Family
Even for parents who are no longer married or romantically involved, child custody and visitation are complicated issues only if both parents want custody of the children. If the parents can agree on who gets custody, the judge will almost always accept their decision without second-guessing it. [...]
June 17th, 2020 - Category: Marriage, Divorce and Family
All parents are required to support their children, either by maintaining custody or paying support to the parent who does have custody. Child support is a monthly allowance that is paid from one parent to the other to help cover the child's expenses. [...]
June 17th, 2020 - Category: Marriage, Divorce and Family
A Prenuptial Agreement, commonly known as a "prenup," is an agreement entered into before marriage that sets out what happens to assets and liabilities and lays out any spousal support obligations or waivers if a couple divorces or one of the parties dies. Marriage laws stipulate certain defaults upon death or divorce, but a prenup is an easy way to modify those defaults. [...]
June 17th, 2020 - Category: Marriage, Divorce and Family
There are two parts to every divorce. The first part is the termination of the marital relationship itself by a court decree. [...]
June 17th, 2020 - Category: Marriage, Divorce and Family
There are two parts to every divorce. The first part is the termination of the marital relationship itself by a court decree. [...]
June 17th, 2020 - Category: Housing and Real Estate
From finding a new job in another state to returning home to care for a sick family member to taking the big step of moving in with a new partner, many people find themselves in a situation where they need to cancel their existing lease so they can move somewhere else. Unfortunately, many landlords are reluctant to cancel existing leases, since that puts them in the position of potentially losing money while they look for a new tenant to fill the space. [...]
June 16th, 2020 - Category: Intellectual Property and New Technologies
Intellectual property, or "IP," is everywhere you look. In fact, these days, much of a business's worth is in its intellectual property. [...]
June 3rd, 2020 - Category: General Business Documents
A Non-Disclosure Agreement (which is also sometimes known as a Confidentiality Agreement) is an absolute necessity in many business relationships. In fact, it is one of the key protective measures you can take when entering into new business relationships, especially when you have valuable information you'd like to protect. [...]
June 2nd, 2020 - Category: General Business Documents
A limited liability company, or LLC, is an attractive form of business for many individuals and small companies. This is because a limited liability company allows for the possibility of rapid growth, while ensuring the owners of the LLC remain protected from personal liability. [...]
May 22nd, 2020 - Category: Taxes and Finance
Recent years have seen the rise of the independent contractor, also known as a freelancer or gig worker, in the American workforce. Contractors perform all kinds of jobs, from driving for rideshare services, to shopping for and delivering groceries, to performing advanced graphic design. [...]
May 19th, 2020 - Category: Business Structure
If you are new to owning your own business, you may be feeling lost about all of the different legal requirements you need to meet. If you've never worked in a small business, or never been exposed to the information you might need to open your own business, it can be challenging to figure out what's what. [...]
May 15th, 2020 - Category: Business Structure
Starting a small business can be one of the best things you can do for your life and your career. Often, starting a business is incredibly fulfilling because you get to call all the shots. [...]
May 14th, 2020 - Category: Commercial Activity
It's likely you've made or received a loan at some point in your life. Even if you've never signed a formal document stating as much, you have probably granted a friend or family member's request to let them borrow a few bucks. [...]
May 4th, 2020 - Category: Leave Requests
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), provides important rights to employees who need to take time off from work in order to attend to personal or family needs, also known as family or medical leave. In addition to federal FMLA, many states have enacted their own family and medical leave laws, which cover more workers or provide better benefits than existing federal laws. [...]
May 1st, 2020 - Category: Daily Life
Imagine the following scenario: a friend or family member has asked you for money to buy a car, make their rent payment, or help pay an overdue bill. You're okay with providing the loan, but you aren't sure if you need a formal document. [...]
April 22nd, 2020 - Category: General Business Documents
As the novel coronavirus continues to hit the U.S. [...]
April 10th, 2020 - Category: Human Resources and Employment Law
As a business owner or entrepreneur, you may be wondering how the new Families First Coronavirus Response Act, or FFCRA, will impact you. The world is in a period of great uncertainty, and many people are worried about both their health and their economic stability. [...]
February 28th, 2020 - Category: Marriage, Divorce and Family
Most grandparents cherish the time they are able to spend with their grandchildren and find the building and maintaining of those relationships vitally important. In nearly all 50 states, grandparents have certain rights concerning seeking custody or visitation with their grandchild when circumstances otherwise get in the way. [...]
February 24th, 2020 - Category: Marriage, Divorce and Family
Children often form close emotional bonds with their grandparents. Families can experience rifts and divisions for many different reasons such as divorce, the death of a parent, addiction issues, or incarceration. [...]
January 16th, 2020 - Category: Commercial Activity
If you are a service provider who has many different clients, it's likely you've signed a Service Agreement before. If you are an individual or have a small business without permanent employees, you may hire service providers a lot. [...]
December 18th, 2019 - Category: Intellectual Property and New Technologies
If you are a photographer or videographer who has used other people in your work, chances are you've heard of a Model Release Form. If you are a new artist, you may know that you require specific documentation from the individuals you use in your work, but aren't sure exactly what that documentation is supposed to be. [...]
December 11th, 2019 - Category: Housing and Real Estate
Evictions can be a convoluted and complicated process as there are many misconceptions about what the landlord can and cannot do related to this process. An eviction must always start with the landlord giving the tenant an eviction notice. [...]
December 10th, 2019 - Category: Marriage, Divorce and Family
Issues surrounding children can often be the most contentious and difficult to resolve during the process of divorce or separation. When parents separate or divorce, the term "custody" serves as shorthand for "who lives with and cares for the children" under the divorce agreement or child custody agreement. [...]
November 20th, 2019 - Category: Commercial Activity
At some point in our lives, we will all hire a service provider. In fact, you may already have hired a service provider without really thinking about it. [...]
November 14th, 2019 - Category: Daily Life
A child travel consent form is an important document used when a child is traveling alone, with only one parent/legal guardian, or with an authorized group to show any authorities or other interested parties that the child is traveling with the consent of their parents. The letter acts as an explanation and proof to any border officials, law enforcement, or other authorities who may be concerned that the parent or guardian not present with the traveling child is aware of the situation and consents to the child's travel without them. [...]
November 8th, 2019 - Category: Marriage, Divorce and Family
Although they are both essential estate documents with similar names, last wills and living wills serve entirely different purposes. As such, it's important to think of these documents as two distinct parts of a comprehensive estate plan. [...]
November 8th, 2019 - Category: Business Structure
Starting a business is very exciting. Most people that start businesses have had their ideas for their company in their heads for a long time. [...]
October 17th, 2019 - Category: Marriage, Divorce and Family
Many people feel intimidated when confronted with the task of planning for their future by creating an estate plan. However, having an up to date estate plan is one of the most loving things a person can do for their family. [...]
October 14th, 2019 - Category: Housing and Real Estate
Living with roommates can be a truly amazing experience. If you live in a big city like New York, or Los Angeles, or Chicago, sometimes your roommates become your family. [...]
October 10th, 2019 - Category: Commercial Real Estate
For most business owners, at some point during the life of their business, they will probably find it necessary to evaluate the terms and conditions of a Commercial Lease while trying to secure a space from which they can operate the business. Commercial leases are much more subject to negotiation and pitfalls than residential leases, which are more tightly regulated in most states. [...]
October 9th, 2019 - Category: Work and Employment
These days, it's not very common to start at one job in your teens and twenties and then stay there for life. Although generations prior might have done that, today's workers are more likely to move between workplaces, either to continue to progress their career or simply because they want different things. [...]
September 19th, 2019 - Category: Daily Life
Is it better to buy or lease a car? These days, with so many options, it can be hard to know what the best choice is for you. [...]
September 6th, 2019 - Category: Marriage, Divorce and Family
A last will and testament, otherwise known simply as a will, is a way to dictate how your property and affairs will be handled after you die. All wills are different and what you include in your will depends on what property you have, whom you want it to go to, the dynamics of your family and friends, and many other factors unique to your particular situation. [...]
September 5th, 2019 - Category: General Business Documents
These days, if you work for a private employer, especially one that might be running an internet business (as so many of us are), you might have been asked to sign a Non-Compete Agreement. It's become so commonplace and easy for people to steal intellectual property and client/customer information from others that most savvy business owners with information to protect have started to ask employees and potential employees to sign Non-Competes. [...]
August 23rd, 2019 - Category: General Business Documents
Starting and operating a business can be one of the most fulfilling things on earth! Especially when you may have been building towards owning your own business for a long time, finally getting to do so is often very rewarding. [...]
August 7th, 2019 - Category: General Business Documents
Among business owners, there is often some confusion as to the difference between Non-Compete Agreements (often just called "Non-Competes") and Non-Disclosure Agreements (often just called "NDAs"). Although these two documents can both be essential for a business, they are quite different. [...]
July 24th, 2019 - Category: Housing and Real Estate
A Roommate Agreement may seem like a significant formality for something that usually isn't that formal - after all, people live together all the time without having a written agreement between them. Especially for those individuals who shy away from lawyers and legal documents, a Roommate Agreement can seem not only unnecessary but also like it's a big hassle. [...]
July 10th, 2019 - Category: General Business Documents
It's become quite common for employers to ask their employees to sign Non-Compete Agreements, especially in the age of the internet where information travels quickly and jobs may only last a few weeks to months. A question for employers to consider, however, is the following: are all of these Non-Compete Agreements enforceable and effective? [...]
June 25th, 2019 - Category: Daily Life
Many people that decide to sell their vehicle focus on one thing: the asking price! Often, vehicles are sold so that we can buy new ones or to make a little extra cash on a car that is no longer being used. [...]
June 11th, 2019 - Category: Daily Life
Selling a car can be both a really fun thing to do and also a really stressful thing to do. Although most of us sell our old cars when we're ready to purchase or lease a new one, it can be a lot of work to prepare everything needed for the sale and find a good buyer. [...]
May 23rd, 2019 - Category: Housing and Real Estate
If you're leasing a property and something goes wrong, who has the duty to fix it? In general, who has a duty to maintain the premises in good condition? [...]
May 7th, 2019 - Category: Housing and Real Estate
As a landlord, one situation you never want to find yourself in is chasing down your tenants for rent. Many landlords rely on their rent payments as a form of income, so when a tenant falls behind on their payments or refuses to pay, it can be a real headache. [...]
April 23rd, 2019 - Category: General Business Documents
Having a debtor that refuses to pay isn't just a headache: it can be a major financial loss, especially for a creditor with multiple loans out. Being a "creditor" doesn't have to mean that you are a big business that's constantly giving out money, it can be as simple as being the type of person who loans friends and family money for items that they may need. [...]
April 12th, 2019 - Category: Business Structure
Owning, or being part of, a business can be great. Having a piece of the pie in any successful business, whether that means full ownership or just owning some interest, can be very financially rewarding. [...]
March 25th, 2019 - Category: Business Structure
Deciding on a specific type of legal structure when you've just started your business journey can be complicated. It's hard to know exactly what the differences are, how the different structures can benefit you, and what any risks might be. [...]
March 25th, 2019 - Category: Human Resources and Employment Law
Work culture in the United States has been rapidly changing over the past several years. Because of this, many companies are choosing to create a workforce based on what works for them, rather than the traditional model of employment. [...]