Beliveau Attorney's Blog | Waltham Attorneys| Salem, NH Lawyers

Living with your parents (or adult children)

The way families are living in the day to day has changed dramatically over the past several months due to the pandemic. Most families have one or more parents working remotely, and many have one or more children in school remotely, part-time if not all of the time. The situation has also made it challenging to spend time with parents and grandparents who life in different households. As a result, some older adults are exploring or

Addressing PPP loans in ownership transitions

By the end of June 2020, the U.S. Small Business Administration had approved nearly 4.9 million Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. Some of the businesses that applied for those loans are either in the process of a “change in ownership” or see the current climate as an opportunity to transfer value to their heirs. Estate tax exemptions are high, interest rates are low, and business valuations may have dipped. These are all factors that make this

The issue of too much money in one investment

Some households find themselves with a large investment in one single stock. That can happen when a great investment takes off (think: Apple or Amazon). But concentrated equity positions can also occur through employee compensation arrangements or inheritance. This can be both good fortune and significant risk. Past performance of a stock is no guarantee of future results, and if that one stock were to tumble, it could have serious repercussions for your financial wellbeing. If

Your 401(k) limits may be much higher than you think

If you participate in an employer-sponsored 401(k) plan, you can contribute up to $19,500 to your retirement in 2021. But did you know some plans allow you to contribute up to $38,500 more? If you’re looking for increased savings options, find out if your existing plan allows additional after-tax 401(k) contributions. In 2021, after-tax 401(k)s have a total plan maximum of $58,000, including traditional contributions, employer contributions and after-tax contributions. As is true for traditional 401(k)s, these limits are higher ($64,500) if you’re age 50

What sort of licensing do you need in Massachusetts before renting out a residential property? What basic regulations do rental properties need to follow?

Who? Me? A Landlord? Real estate can be the key to financial independence and success. While TV might have popularized the “flipper” model of real estate transaction, in which infusions of cash and elbow grease transform run-down properties into glossy sources of resale profit, the old-fashioned practice of landlording is still an attainable, affordable, and profitable. To be a landlord (or landlady, though the law uses the generic term landlord to refer to property owners), you

Protecting trade secrets when your team works from home

Any proprietary information that belongs to your business might be a “trade secret” or protected confidential information. Trade secrets are a type of “intellectual property” owned by your business and they are protected by law. You can require people who work for you to keep trade secrets confidential. Under federal law, a trade secret is defined as information from which your business gains “independent economic value” and which is not generally known to others. Also, you,

Tips for executing agreements electronically

Electronic execution of agreements is quickly becoming more commonplace in most businesses. But how can you obtain authorized e-signatures and be sure it is a sound agreement? Contract formation is generally governed by state law rules, and the requirements are similar for a virtually executed contract: The agreement must state that the customer consents to enter into the agreement electronically. There has to be a way to identify the individual electronically signing the agreement. The process

Let’s Zoom: The legal challenges of the videoconferencing explosion

Videoconferencing isn’t exactly new, and many people have been using Skype or FaceTime for face-to-face conversations for quite some time. But it’s no secret that the pandemic opened many more businesses to regular videoconferencing through a host of readily available tools, including Zoom. What many business owners might not be thinking about are the possible legal risks associated with the widespread use of these platforms. Generally, the tools companies are using were intended for more casual

Remember to consider transfers as an ADA accommodation

Under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act an employer cannot fire, demote, refuse to hire or take other negative actions against a worker based on his or her disability. Additionally, employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations to enable otherwise qualified employees to do their job. A recent decision by a federal appeals court suggests that employers, in seeking to reasonably accommodate a worker with a disability, must look beyond simply modifying the worker’s current position

‘Fair Chance Act’ to take effect next December

If, like a lot of businesses, your company does contract work for the federal government, you should be aware of the Fair Chance Act, a new federal law scheduled to take effect in December 2021 that bars the federal government and federal contractors from asking job applicants about their criminal history early on the hiring process. This new measure follows a trend of cities and states passing “ban the box” laws that prevent employers from using

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