A recent survey by senior-living focused website Caring.com, quoted in USA Today, revealed that 78 percent of Americans under the age of 36 don’t have a will or trust in place. But even with youth on their side, the millennial generation needs to be planning for the unforeseen. If most would consider the following three issues, they’d be off to a good start: Incapacitation provisions: No one expects to be incapacitated, but there are at least
Medical and financial powers of attorney are a critical aspect of effective estate planning, but did you know they must be kept up to date? It is recommended to have them reviewed every 2-3 years. Several legislative changes over the years have given financial institutions and healthcare providers reasons to reject powers of attorney. As new laws are enacted, necessary provisions must be incorporated into your power of attorney, as failing to including certain language could
There are many lessons to be learned about estate planning from the bad experiences of some of the world’s most famous people. The AARP recently gathered their stories, and here are the highlights: Florence Griffith Joyner: Before her death in 1998, Olympic gold medalist Florence Griffith Joyner never told anyone the location of her will. Without the original document, it took four years to close her probate estate due to a long battle among her relatives.
In recent months, at least four companies have gotten into trouble for failing to provide Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) notices to health plan participants. Suits of this nature can lead to big damages. Since 2015, courts have approved settlements ranging from $290,000 to $1 million. Damages include statutory penalties of $110 per day, awards to qualified beneficiaries as relief for damages that occur due to the failure to provide an adequate COBRA
Regardless of the size of your business, it’s critical that you work proactively to protect the sensitive and private information of your customers, clients and employees. While you might hear more often about data breaches at bigger companies, the reality is that smaller companies and organizations are often targeted and typically have limited data security protections in place. Your approach to protecting your company from a data breach must be comprehensive.
Under a new federal law, individuals have a right to post truthful negative reviews about a product or service provider. That’s the case even if they previously signed an agreement that prohibited such reviews. Over the past few years, this controversial business practice of including non-disparagement clauses in contracts or terms of service has led to a number of lawsuits. These so-called “gag clauses” are intended to deter customers from writing negative reviews, and require them
Over the past couple of years, more than 200 plaintiffs have sued businesses nationwide arguing that their websites fail to provide access to people with certain disabilities, alleging a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. More recently, a law firm based in Pittsburgh sent demand letters to businesses, banks and others saying that they were willing to “work constructively” toward compliance for a fee. While court rulings on whether the ADA applies to websites have
It’s becoming popular for companies to pay social media users with big followings to endorse their products or share content about their brand. It’s a great way to get your message out to a wider network of target customers in an authentic way. But the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is paying attention and enforcing rules that say you can’t do it without disclosing the relationship. Recently, the FTC reached settlements with such brands as Lord &
Is a worker an independent contractor or an employee? As an employer, getting this wrong could land you with an IRS audit and cost you plenty in many other ways. Here’s what you should know: As the worker: If the worker is a contractor and not considered an employee, he/she must: Pay self-employment taxes (Social Security and Medicare-related taxes). Make estimated federal and state tax payments. Handle his/her own benefits, insurance and bookkeeping.
There are nearly 1,000 different tax forms used by the IRS to report tax obligations. It’s no wonder the IRS faces thousands of tax returns with errors each year. Here are some of the most common: Wrong names and Social Security numbers. Taxpayers regularly make mistakes by entering incorrect information for their spouses and dependents. If you recently married or divorced but haven’t yet changed your name with the Social Security Administration, you’ll need to file under
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