Tips to Know Before Borrowing from Family to Start a Business
In today’s stricter financial markets, one of the fastest ways to start a business is to turn to family and friends instead of the neighborhood bank. But before you look to your parents and extended family to be private investors, you should think long and hard about whom to approach and if you are ready […]
Employee Handbooks are Critical – No Matter what Industry!
Employee handbooks should serve a purpose: to protect employers and their employees and explain each party’s mutual responsibilities. They shouldn’t be sitting on a desk or out of-the-way shelves collecting dust. More importantly, they need to be distributed to employees (yes, many employers forget to do this). And, they need to be updated from time […]
Buyer Beware: Online Legal Services May Cut Corners
Getting legal help today can be as quick as typing “legal advice” into a Google search. However, if you are purchasing legal forms online, don’t forget the old fashioned rule: Buyer Beware! You could wind up shelling out more money than expected to rectify legal problems that result from inappropriate guidance provided by online legal […]
Business Start-Up and Entities
Most business owners know that they should have a business entity such as a corporation, limited liability company, or registered partnership, but many business owners don’t understand exactly why they should file or create an entity. In the vast majority of cases, asset protection continues to be the primary reason for incorporating or forming a […]
Doing Business for a Cause Can Attract Consumers
The holidays always remind us to get in the charitable mood and think of those less fortunate. Companies such as TOMS shoes, Kashi and Whole Foods are all examples of profitable businesses that also promote a social purpose. This allows consumers to be charitable while purchasing products they want or need and helps buyers feel […]
50 Shades of Contract
The “50 Shades of Grey” movie is a good reminder that we’re sometimes faced with the need to negotiate a quick and dirty contract without a lawyer. Although the movie’s characters, Christian and Anastasia, probably couldn’t get a judge to enforce the unusual agreement proposed, a simple contract can handcuff the respective parties. While lengthy documents […]
One Wrong Digit Could Nix Your Tax Refund
Delayed tax refunds and false tax returns are common problems. But your tax refund could also be delayed – or even permanently misrouted – if you’re off by just one digit on your account number provided to the IRS. This could also hold true for other “Automated Clearing House” deposits, though the focus of this […]
Don’t Let False “Sharks” Turn Your Business Into Bait
Television shows like “Shark Tank” and fundraising portals like Kickstarter have inspired many with a great idea to believe the modern adage, “if you build it, they will come.” But startups should take notice: the scammers will come calling too. While “Shark Tank” may have you believe that investors are waiting in line to fund […]
Medical Theft is Closer Than You Think
Medical identity theft is a billion-dollar “industry” that hits a lot closer to home than you think. It generally involves fraudulent use of personal information (name, social security number, insurance information) for the purposes of obtaining medical services or devices, insurance reimbursements, or to get prescriptions illegally. But the motivation and method of exploitation of […]
How Private is Your Email?
Email is not as private as you think. While most of us know that work email can be monitored by our employers, what we may not know is that providers and “third-parties” who store your data – such as Google, Yahoo and Hotmail and the companies that store their data – can be monitored and […]