You don’t need to have a summer house in the Hamptons or a private art collection big enough to rival MOMA to consider yourself the owner of an estate. In fact, virtually anyone who owns anything has an “estate” in the eyes of the law. Although the term may conjure images of expansive country properties, expensive cars, or other symbols …
What To Do After a Loved One Dies
If you’ve been appointed an executor of a loved one’s estate, or a successor trustee, and that person dies, your grief – not to mention your to-do list, including tasks ranging from planning the funeral, coordinating relatives coming in from out of town and (eventually) meeting with a trust administration or probate lawyer – can be quite overwhelming. First and …
Episode #3 of Ag Law Today: Agriculture Mediation Programs
Episode #3 of Ag Law today is now live! I’m talking all things agriculture mediation with Missy Greathouse of the Illinois Agriculture Mediation Program. You can listen to the podcast here. I’m a member of agriculture mediation roster for New York, New Jersey and Illinois. I’m a big believer in mediation (in general) as a dispute resolution mechanism. If you …
Illinois Family Law: Can I Limit Visitation for a Parent
Generally, a non-custodial parent is entitled to reasonable visitation. 750 ILCS 5/607. However, if a court finds that the parent “seriously endangered the child’s mental, mortal, or physical health or…significantly impaired the child’s emotional development, the court shall enter orders as necessary to protect the child.” 750 ILCS 5/603.10. Actions that limit, restrain, or confine visitation include the following: a requirement ofsupervised visitation; …
8 Simple Cost Saving Measures for Small Business Owners
All successful businesses do their best to save money, improve efficiency, and increase profits whenever and wherever possible. This is especially necessary for small businesses on a tight budget. While there are numerous ways to save money, these eight cost-saving measures are among the easiest to implement: Bargain. Bargaining with vendors is one way to save money. Examples are working …
How A Living Trust Helps Your Family
There are several parts to an estate plan, one of them being a living trust. Common factors that prompt someone to create a trust include privacy, tax benefits, avoiding probate, and caring for family members with special needs. Estate planning also lets you dictate how your assets will pass on to future generations after your death. Avoiding Probate One of …
Illinois Divorce Law: Can My Spouse See My Medical Records?
Medical records are required to be produced if they are relevant for spousal maintenance. If the spouse requesting maintenance is claiming he or she cannot work because of a medical condition, then the other spouse is entitled to the medical records. During the discovery phase of litigation, the parties may request documents that are relevant to the divorce, including spousal …
Managing the Money Aspect of Your New Business: It’s Easier Than You Think
Coming up with a great idea that can be turned into a prosperous business venture takes a certain talent. Knowing how to get your great idea financed and properly managed, takes another. However, it may be easier than you think. What You Need, What You’ve Got, and Where to Get the Rest If you think you’re in over your head …
Pre-Employment Background Checks: 10 Tools to Consider
Employers often need to perform pre-employment background checks on applicants to assess honesty, criminal background, credit history, military service, school records, and other related matters. While the type of job will generally determine whether to perform a pre-employment background check, and what kind, the following 10 tools should be considered: Credit Reports. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, businesses must …
Ask Cari: Can You Bequeath Your Frequent Flyer Miles?
If you’re a frequent airline traveler, one of your estate planning concerns may be what will happen to your accumulated miles once you’re gone. They could be worth thousands of dollars, so you probably don’t want them to just disappear, but some airline policies say that’s exactly what will happen. The law doesn’t consider airline miles assets that can be …
Ask Cari: What is the Wine Label Approval Requirements and Process by the Food and Drug Administration?
The Food and Drug Administration does not regulate labeling for wine containing over 7% of alcohol. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (“TTB”) regulates labeling. However, foreign alcohol manufacturers must register with the FDA per the FDA Food Facility Registration Regulation. Regarding the FDA, when importing into the United States, commercial imports of all food and beverages (including …
Illinois Family Law: Relocation
When a divorced or separated parent who has physical custody of the child(ren) wants to relocate, he or she is required to give at least sixty (60) days’ prior written notice of the change of residence (“relocation”) to the other parent, unless such notice is impracticable or unless otherwise ordered by the court. See 750 ILCS 5/609.2(d). This notice must …