Many people should consider converting a regular IRA or old 401(k) plan into a Roth IRA, as a result of a change that takes effect on January 1 of next year. With a regular IRA, contributions are often tax-deductable, but you have to take a certain amount of money out of the account each year once you turn age 701/2, and you have to pay income tax on the withdrawals. If you leave the IRA to
A new federal “identity theft” law prohibits merchants from printing more than the last five digits of a credit or debit card number on a customer’s receipt. The law is triggering a lot of class-action lawsuits against companies that haven’t updated their receipt systems. For instance, many companies still print credit card expiration dates on receipts, which is prohibited by the law and can easily lead to a lawsuit. These suits are dangerous – the law
If for any reason you become unhappy with the person you’ve appointed to make decisions for you under a durable power of attorney, you can revoke the power of attorney at any time. But you must take a few steps to ensure that the document is properly revoked. First, you should put the revocation in writing. This revocation should include your name, a statement that you are of sound mind, and your wish to revoke the
Although you can begin receiving Social Security benefits anytime after age 62, the longer you wait, the higher the benefit you will receive. Of course, many people need money right away and can’t afford to delay. But if you’re married, there is a strategy that might allow you to claim some benefits immediately and then claim more benefits later. First, a little background: You have three options for when to begin taking your Social Security retirement
Most people can’t afford to buy a gold-plated long-term care insurance policy that offers a large daily benefit and that will continue paying indefinitely. If premiums for this type of Cadillac plan are not in your budget, what should you cut – the daily benefit amount or the number of years of coverage? Most financial experts advise cutting the length of coverage. This is because if you don’t use the full daily benefit, you don’t lose
One of the major benefits of Medicare is its coverage of hospitalization. Medicare covers 90 days of hospitalization per illness (plus a 60-day “lifetime reserve”). However, if you’re admitted to a hospital as a Medicare patient, the hospital might try to discharge you before you are ready. While the hospital can’t force you to leave, it can begin charging you for services. Therefore, it’s important to know your rights and how to appeal. Even if you
Once you’re retired, your need for insurance changes. It is a good idea to look at your coverage options and figure out what you need (and don’t need) and where you might be able to achieve some savings. ● Life Insurance. You might no longer need life insurance. If your spouse or other dependents won’t lose any income when you die, life insurance may be unnecessary and your premiums may be better spent elsewhere. On the
The popularity of Twitter, Facebook, and other social networking sites has created a can of worms in divorce: These sites often contain evidence of a person’s whereabouts, “friends,” employment status and other information that can be used as evidence against them. People often forget that the pictures they post and the things they write about on these sites are public information. Anyone going through a divorce should be cautious about their actions online, especially on social
A nursing home supervisor took the home’s chef out for drinks after work one night in order to discuss work-related issues. The two had a fair amount to drink. The chef left the restaurant in his car and shortly afterward struck a 70-year-old pedestrian, who suffered serious injuries. The pedestrian sued the nursing home, claiming that it was responsible for the chef’s drinking. But the state Appeals Court shot down the lawsuit in a 2-1 decision.
An employee who was laid off from his job is entitled to be paid for any earned but unused vacation time, according to the state Supreme Judicial Court. A longtime employee was laid off by Electronic Data Systems, and didn’t receive any vacation pay even though he had only used one day of vacation all year, and the company had a written policy saying that employees were entitled to a certain amount of vacation time based
Attorneys licensed to practice in Florida | Massachusetts | New Hampshire
Business Law | Estate Planning | Probate & Trust | Real Estate | Tax
