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On June 5, 2020, President Trump signed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (the Flexibility Act) into law, after lawmakers passed it almost unanimously. The original Payment Protection Program (PPP) – a key component of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act signed in...

For many people, a revocable living trust is a valuable tool to ensure that their finances are well managed during periods of incapacity and that their loved ones are financially secure upon their passing. However, signing the trust agreement doesn't end the estate planning process: To work prope...

Many small business owners contend with collecting, reporting, and paying sales tax. Although there is currently no federal sales tax, 45 states, and many localities, as well as the District of Columbia, have a sales tax. Different taxing authorities have their own regulations, tax rates, exempti...

You have worked hard for years, have family members and friends you care about, and have approached a time in your life when “estate planning” sounds like something you should do, but you are not exactly sure why. You may feel that you are not wealthy enough or old enough to bother or care. Or, y...

Most people think of probate (the process of collecting, managing, and distributing a deceased person's money and property) as a private process. However, because wills are filed at the courthouse, probated estates become a matter of public record. That means your nosy neighbor Nellie can simply ...

Time is a truly non-renewable resource – once it's passed, there's no hope of getting it back. This can be especially true if you are one of our nurses or frontline healthcare workers. You work tirelessly caring for others and may not have a lot of free time to work on your estate plan. If you ar...

To all front-line and “essential” workers: Thank you for all of your hard work day in and day out (and often evenings, nights, and weekends). You tirelessly give of yourself to care for some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Whether you are caring for them in a hospital, therapy room,...

Uncertainty and unrest have defined 2020. From COVID-19 and record-breaking unemployment to ideological, political, and societal conflicts, business owners have faced significant challenges to their survival and success. Regardless of their current political views or health and financial statuses...

Conversations about data privacy policies and website terms of use have become more common in recent months. Large companies like Facebook, Expedia, and Dick's Sporting Goods have been involved in litigation involving agreements that address these very issues. The questions on most business owner...

Almost all business owners eventually must make the difficult decision to terminate an employee. Whether that decision arises from failure on the employee's part or economic turbulence, one thing is clear: How a business handles this delicate situation can either increase or decrease the risk of ...

According to Total System Services, Inc., 80 percent of the consumers questioned in a 2018 survey responded that they preferred making payments using credit or debit cards. If you accept credit or debit card payments, you may not know that you are subject to a set of standards created by the Paym...

If you are considering expanding your physical business or starting a home-based business, selling your products online is a great way to reach additional customers. Before you begin to sell products online, there are several legal issues you should be aware of to ensure that your business is com...

One of the major provisions of the CARES Act is the Payment Protection Program (PPP), a loan program created to incentivize the retention of employees in small businesses. Under the PPP, small businesses can obtain loans to pay for payroll, mortgage interest, rent, and utilities. The deadline for...

The post-COVID-19 world will likely see a major shift toward companies maintaining remote workforces. Due to government-mandated business closures and stay-at-home orders, many owners and employees of small businesses have been forced to work virtually, and they have seen the benefits. Studies sh...

If you have an active interest in starting your own business, you probably heard somewhere along the way that you should start your business in Delaware. This tiny state is home to so many of the country's Fortune 500 companies (well over 50 percent, in fact). The common refrain from many busines...

As a business owner, you may be considering leveraging social media to enhance your business's engagement and reach. One way to do this is to employ the use of social media influencers. Social media influencers are individuals who have amassed large followings of people on various social media pl...

On May 4, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published questions and answers regarding retirement provisions in Section 2202 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. In addition to providing aid for individuals and businesses, the CARES Act increases accessibility ...

Limited liability companies (LLCs) are one of the most popular types of business entities. The LLC's flexible taxation options are one reason it is preferred; LLC members can, for the most part, choose how they would like to be taxed. The LLC enjoys this flexibility because the Internal Revenue S...

If you own a small business, developing your succession plan is a critical element of business planning. Many business owners fail to appreciate the complexities and time involved in successfully transitioning a business. Entangled in the day-to-day management of their companies, they neglect thi...

Most people understand that having some sort of an estate plan is a good thing. However, many of us don't take the steps to have an estate plan prepared because we don't understand the nuances between wills and trusts – and dying without either. Here's what will generally happen if you die, intes...

Original creative material, including music, provide priceless value to society; this is apparent now more than ever as those under quarantine and stay-at-home orders turn to works of art for entertainment value and numerous benefits to mental health. At its core, though, the music industry is ju...

As an entrepreneur or artist, the most important thing is creating and sustaining a business enterprise that brings in a profit. Selling a useful product or service is obviously crucial for that purpose, but equally important is registering your business's intellectual property (IP). Otherwise, o...

Businesses across the globe have experienced unprecedented interruptions and closures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and government responses to curb its spread. As a result, many businesses and individuals are finding it difficult to perform their contractual obligations to each other. Con...

In light of the current pandemic, many Americans are becoming aware of the importance of creating or updating their estate planning documents. With the extension of some states' stay in place orders, it may be tempting to create your own documents all on your own. Whether you are considering writ...

Having an updated last will and testament is more important than ever, especially now. However, a will that is poorly created or not frequently updated can be vulnerable to contestation. What is contestation? It is the formal objection to a will's (or trust's) validity because it either: a) doesn...