Solid Estate Plan | What Is Estate Planning | Wills & Estate Planning | Trust and Estate Planning

Should I Mediate My Employment Law Case?

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:37:55 CDT

A commonly misunderstood aspect of litigation for people is alternative dispute resolution and mediation. In some cases, mediation is mandatory and court-ordered and in others it is merely optional and merely encouraged. In employment law cases, mediation is usually optional and at the discretion of the parties. What is Mediation? Mediation is a tool of alternative dispute [...]

Just How Bad IS an IRS Wage Garnishment?

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:37:50 CDT

Can the IRS take your whole paycheck? What percentage can they take? Can't I just work overtime to make up for the money they take out? I hear these questions all the time and I'm amazed at how misinformed people are regardingIRS wage garnishments. No, the IRS can't take your entire paycheck. They can, however, take an entire 1099 check from someone you contract for. However, for regular W2 workers, the IRS has to leave you with something...since they will continue to garnish you every pay period until your debt is paid in full or you have reached some sort of legally binding agreement with them.What percentage with they take? They don't take a percentage. They figure out how much they will leave you with every month. So, no matter how much overtime you work or whether you get a raise, you'll still be left with the same meager amount. If you get another job, it is entirely likely that the IRS will garnish that position as well. I talk to people all the time who work at multiple positions and the IRS is garnishing all of them at the same time.It's time to get informed! If you believe there's a chance theIRS may garnish your wages, look at the updated 2012 IRS Publication 1494 Wage Levy Chart below. Figure out how much you'll be left with to:Pay your utilitiesCover your mortgage or rentTake care of medical expensesPut gas in your carProvide food for your familyImage taken from theIRS Publication 1494 for 2012available on their site.Don't let awage garnishmenthappen to you, thinking it's not a big deal. Most people live paycheck to paycheck. Even if you've got plenty of funds socked away somewhere, there's nothing to stop the IRS from emptying that out as well. Call888-415-1337orfill out the formnow for a free consultation. TheIRS Hitman Teamis skilled preventing and evenSTOPPING wage garnishments!

What Is A 401k? How Much Can You Contribute?

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:21:09 CDT

What is a 401k? A 401k is a tax deferred retirement savings plan for employees. So how much can you contribute to your 401k every year?11 Tips (http://www.youtube.com)

Ann Romney trust invested in fund that exited sex-site firm - Reuters

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:46:26 CDT

Ann Romney trust invested in fund that exited sex-site firmReutersBy Greg Roumeliotis NEW YORK, April 2 (Reuters) - A blind trust in the name of Ann Romney, wife of Republican US presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, was an investor in a fund run by Goldman Sachs Group Inc that had invested in a media company which ...and more »

Shodair Receives Grants - KFBB NewsChannel 5

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:39:05 CDT

Shodair Receives GrantsKFBB NewsChannel 5The Murdock Charitable Trust has donated $225000 as the hospital plans to build the Shodair Family House. The building will accommodate about 6 to 8 families to stay at the hospital. It will allow them to stay for a week at a time.and more »

Legal heirs for unit holders of funds - Myiris.com

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:20:08 CDT

Legal heirs for unit holders of fundsMyiris.comFor an amount more than Rs 1 lakh, a notarised copy of the probated will, or legal heir certificate / succession certificate / claimant`s certificate issued by a competent court, or letter of administration, in case of intestate succession, ...

Article on Social Security Reform and Trust Fund Returns

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:04:13 CDT

Benjamin A. Templin (Associate Professor, Thomas Jefferson School of Law) recently published his article entitled, Social Security Reform: Sovereign Wealth Funds as A Model For Increasing Trust Fund Returns, 35 Fordham Int'l L.J. 98 (2011). The introduction from the article...

Estate Taxes, Not Just Imposed By The Federal Government

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:25:16 CDT

The Wall Street Journal recently had an article about how states are getting rid of their state estate taxes. The purpose of the article was to show how states are chasing away potential revenue sources through having a state estate tax.

The state estate tax is a tax that most Americans do not think about because they really only hear about the federal estate tax. Recently, Ohio abolished its estate tax and Indiana passed a bill that will phase out their state estate tax by 2021. Twenty-eight other states currently have abolished their state estate tax, including Florida. Other states, such as Nebraska and Oregon are currently working on getting the issue put onto their ballots for their residents to vote on.

Most Americans who are against the estate tax view it as a punishment as most of the assets being taxed have already been taxed once (and sometimes twice) by the federal government. However, the same can be said for the state estate tax.

The article discussed the differences between the states of Florida and Tennessee (both of whom I am very familiar with). Studies have shown that Tennessee has lost out on economic growth due to their estate tax because wealthier residents are leaving for Florida where there is no income or estate tax. Further, a Tennessee estate plan is more complex due to the differences in the taxes imposed by the federal government and state government.

Remember though, the estate tax only affects about 1% of Americans. However, those who oppose the tax have been very successful at spreading the message to everyone so that everyone fears the tax. The message to everyone is that it kills the “American dream” and is really the government stealing from one sect of the population to distribute the wealth to another sect of the population.

I recommend reading the article as it shows, in an easy to read format, how different states are attempting to abolish the estate tax and how it has hurt Tennessee economically.

What Does Your Credit Score Really Mean?

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:21:58 CDT

Your credit score is important if you plan on borrowing. It indicates the risk you represent for lenders, compared with other consumers.15 Tips (http://www.boomerandecho.com)

Coffee: How it May Save the School and Your Career! - Motions Online

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:10:39 CDT

Motions OnlineCoffee: How it May Save the School and Your Career!Motions OnlineWell never fear, while you sit in Wills and Trusts looking through “Pinterest” to decide what to have for dinner, what breed your next dog will be, what to wear to the Barrister's Ball, where to get married, or what ottoman table to buy, USD School of ...and more »

Financial Advice For the Right and Left Side of the Brain

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:00:00 CDT

To best help clients with stress that results from major life transitions, advisors should understand the basic structure of the brain. The right side of our brain is holistic and nonverbal while the left side of the brain tries to...

Estate related words and phrases

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:56:00 CDT

Are you having trouble reading and understanding your will without a lawyer standing next to you translating the latin and the legalese? Plain English has its advantages, but sometimes the unusual-sounding wills words have been used for so long and have been polished so nicely to mean exactly one thing that using them has its advantages too. I noticed a blog post from http://

Free workshops on health care directives set for April 16 - Westseattleherald.com

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:38:47 CDT

Free workshops on health care directives set for April 16Westseattleherald.comAccording to a study by the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, fewer than 50 percent of severely or terminally ill patients had an advance directive in their medical record. And between 65 percent and 76 percent of physicians whose patients ...Health care decisions examinedElmwood Park Elm Leavesall 5 news articles »

Shaker Heights task force urges income tax hike - Cleveland Jewish News

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:13:05 CDT

Shaker Heights task force urges income tax hikeCleveland Jewish NewsShaker Heights leaders say the city, reeling from the elimination of the Ohio estate tax, state budget cuts, and a persistent economic downtown, needs a half-percent income tax increase to pay for services to residents. The city's income tax rate would ...

BayTrust grants help keep community working - The Bay of Plenty Times

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:08:50 CDT

BayTrust grants help keep community workingThe Bay of Plenty Times... Headway Brain Injury Association $5000, NZ Response Team Trust $9700, Omokoroa Community Policing Group Charitable Trust $1500, Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust $7500, Parent to Parent $10000, St Peters Care and Counselling Charitable Trust $15000, ...

Talk radio host Holland withdraws from Etowah race - Sand Mountain Reporter

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:56:05 CDT

Talk radio host Holland withdraws from Etowah raceSand Mountain ReporterThe Republican candidate for Etowah County probate judge withdrew from the race Friday, citing a federal rule that clashed with his job. In a statement issued Friday, J. Holland, an on-air talk radio host at WGAD in Gadsden, addressed his withdrawal.

Forty applicants seek Jackson trustee seat - Canton Repository

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:54:45 CDT

Forty applicants seek Jackson trustee seatCanton RepositoryIf they can't agree, Stark County Probate Judge Dixie Park will appoint the new trustee. The deadline to apply for Burger's seat was 4:30 pm Monday. The overflow field does include a past candidate, Theodore Deremer, who was beaten by Walters in last ...and more »

Consider Filing a Tax Return -- Even If You Don't Owe Anything

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:33:09 CDT

Many people assume that it’s not worth it to file a tax return if no tax is owed. You might be surprised, though, to find that it is worth it, in certain circumstances, to file a tax return even if you wouldn’t normally think to.16 Tips (http://financialhighway.com)

Estate planning is crucial for young families - Calgary Herald

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:06:36 CDT

Estate planning is crucial for young familiesCalgary HeraldThe legal fee for a proper estate plan was going to set them back $1000 or so. It seemed like a waste. Brad wanted to buy a new guitar. One of the first questions the lawyer asked was who should take over parenting their child if they both died.

Lottery Winners Not as Rich as They Seem

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:00:00 CDT

The mega millions jackpot was estimated at $640 million and if each of the winners took out the lump-sum payout, the checks would total about $150 million. After state and federal taxes are taken out, each winner would have about...