Blog

On August 7, 2020, President Trump issued four (4) executive orders related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[1]  The President identified that further temporary relief was necessary to support working Americans during these challenging times.  The order that has caught the most attention is a Payroll Tax Deferral. On August 28, the IRS issued a Notice explaining the Payroll Tax Deferral in more detail  What can be deferred? Employers and employees jointly share responsibility for a 12.4% levy that funds Social Security and a 2.9% tax to support Medicare.  The Payroll Tax Deferral only impacts the Social Security portion of employment […]

Every employer faces challenges to meet the market demands to retain good employees and the legal obligations governing that relationship.  This year continues to be a challenging year for employers for a number of obvious reasons, primarily COVID-19.  In June, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision that clarifies a socially sensitive issue on what discrimination based on sex (or gender) means.  Title VII was enacted to prevent discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.  In recent years, there has been a debate about whether Title VII protected lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. (“LBGT”) […]

A “living trust” is the name frequently given to a revocable trust used in estate planning as an alternative to a will.  The downside to a will is that for a will to be valid and effective to transfer property at one’s death, the will must be “probated.” Probate is a formal court proceeding that is expensive and often ties up the decedent’s estate for many months, while the beneficiaries wait for their inheritance.  A “living” trust avoids probate.  An individual can establish his/her own individual living trust, or spouses, if they wish, can establish one trust together called a […]

Scammers have been praying on the elderly for years but they are especially taking advantage of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.  Though the reason behind the scam is new, their methods are familiar.  Here are a few COVID-19 specific scams to look out for.Scams offering COVID-19 vaccine, cure, air filters, or testing.  At this time, there is no vaccine or cure for COVID-19.  There are no air filter systems designed to remove COVID-19 from the air in your home.  If you think you need a COVID-19 test, you should start by speaking to your doctor and getting a referral to an […]

In my estate planning practice, I find it very common for people of all ages to not have essential estate planning documents. These documents are crucial for a person’s loved ones in the event that person passes away, and even more important if that person becomes incapacitated and is not able to make important decisions regarding their healthcare and finances. Estate planning documents not only give comfort to your family after you pass away but also have a very real impact on your quality of life while you are alive. The estate planning documents that everyone should have, no matter […]

As the world wakes from its Coronavirus-induced hibernation, it has to take stock of the situation – both to count and mourn our losses and to assess new opportunities. One important task in both categories is a financial analysis. Many people have used up the cash on hand to simply survive the lack of steady income from jobs. Others have been fortunate enough to survive on the government stimulus projects and unemployment insurance. For many, however, especially those with Coronavirus-related medical bills, the short-term cash inflow hasn’t been enough. People are looking for other avenues, and in response, Congress passed […]

There is probably no more agonizing a problem than trying to convince a loved one that he or she can no longer drive safely. Cars have given all of us freedom and independence, and when someone is asked to stop driving and give up this source of independence, often the reaction is an absolute refusal. If you are unable to persuade your spouse, parent or other loved one that they are unable to drive safely and you are convinced that their driving exposes not only themselves but others to accidents and injuries, then the proper course of action is to […]

A power of attorney is a document that you sign to designate an individual or individuals to act on your behalf in the event that you become incapacitated. A durable power of attorney is one that survives even if you become incapacitated. A springing power of attorney is one that requires the documentation of a physician stating that you are incapacitated. An advance healthcare directive is a broad term that is used to describe various documents in place for someone to make health decisions on your behalf if you are no longer able to make these decisions for yourself. A […]

The Social Security Trust Fund (hereinafter, the “Trust Fund”), essentially, is the fund used to pay the benefits of retirees, their spouses, various dependents, and persons with permanent disabilities. The Trust Fund is composed of all the taxes earned on the income of American workers that have been collected and earmarked for this purpose, plus any interest gained on those tax revenues. The Trust Fund is sustainable as long as the tax revenues and interest are greater than the payouts. Whereas the Trust for your estate planning likely has one or two Trustees (in other words, those who administer the […]

Saturday, April 18, 2020 1:00 am ‘Largest classroom’ PBS offers assistance to from-home educators Bruce R. Haines Public television, which started life as “educational television” in the 1950s, is now providing emergency at-home learning services to assist students, families, teachers, administrators and school systems across Indiana now closed in response to COVID-19. The state’s eight public television stations, including PBS Fort Wayne, are partnering with the Indiana Department of Education to offer at-home learning experiences for students in grades K-12 that align with Indiana curriculum standards. This crisis response builds on years of public television’s success in education. PBS reaches […]