Credit Repair

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If you have ever made a large purchase with a boyfriend or girlfriend, you probably know what a nightmare it can turn out to be.  It is an even bigger hassle if the big purchase is a house and the other party doesn’t contribute to the payments after the breakup.  If you would like to get married some day, I would not recommend making any large purchases with someone you are not related to or married to; however, just like a lot of advice coming from an attorney: this may be too little too late.
If you purchased a home with someone who is no longer contributing to the payments, there are a few options.  Do not consider foreclosure just because you want closure with the person (believe it or not, clients have suggested this option).  Do not panic.  It is understandable that you want this person to be removed from the loan and title; however, it is not imperative that you act (irrationally) today.  You should not be too concerned about getting them removed from the loan (since this is an obligation and not necessarily a right) unless the person is insisting that they be removed from the loan in exchange for being removed from the title.  You may be able to get the person removed from the loan by refinancing.  If you are unable to refinance due to a low credit score, you should call Credit Smart Solutions owned and operated by Joe Frey, a credit specialilst.  Joe can evaluate your situation in a free consultation and tell you whether he can help and by how much.  Once your credit score has improved and reached the goal score, Joe can put you in contact with a mortgage company that he does business with that should be able to help you refinance.
If you are unable to refinance, you should not panic.  If you sell the home, or otherwise pay off the home, an attorney should be able to prepare a quit claim deed for around $100-$150 to send to your significant other.  If the other party refuses too sign the quit claim deed, the attorney can explain your other options.

Transfer on Death and Probate

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I got into probate practice on accident.  It all started when I worked for my previous employer as a law clerk (after I had taken the bar but before I had received my results).  Our firm had received a telephone call from a client/investor.  Our client had an investment property and the person staying in the property had passed away.  Our client needed us to somehow get the property released from administration so that our client could re-rent the property without having to foreclose (actually, you have to open probate to foreclose but that is a long, complicated story.  He definitely did not want to foreclose if he could avoid it).

Since working on that case (and since receiving my license) I have worked on several similar cases, I have administered several estates and now my firm is expanding into estate planning.  A very common question that I am asked (usually from financial advisors) is about retirement accounts and probate.  People want to know the following: if they set up their retirement account to transfer on death to the designated beneficiaries, will the beneficiaries still have to pay “probate fees and taxes” on that money?

If a retirement account is set up to transfer on death, that money is still taken into consideration for federal and state estate tax purposes.  However, setting up the account so that it transfers on death, still keeps a considerable amount of money in the beneficiaries’ pockets.  Attorneys fees are generally calculated as a percentage of the probated and non-probated estate.  The percentage paid for non-probated property is much lower than for probated assets because the amount of legal work required to liquidate and distribute non-probated assets is much less.  In addition, the fiduciary of the estate gets paid according to a percentage of the probated and non-probated assets.  By keeping large accounts outside of probate, you are paying less to the attorneys and the fiduciary.

Transfer on death designations keep money in the family in other miscellaneous ways as well.  Less paperwork will be required for filing, which saves the family money because probate courts generally charge per page.  Also, if a bond is required, the bond will cost less.  Bonds are required to be secured for double the amount of the probated assets; the more in probated assets, the more the bond will cost.

Life Insurance and Divorce

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Recently, I was contacted by two insurance agents regarding life insurance.  Both insurance agents had similar questions regarding life insurance and divorce.  First, they wanted to know whether courts require child support obligors to obtain and hold life insurance policies for the benefit of the children, in the event that the obligor passes away.  Basically, the answer to this question, as written, is “no.”  The insurance agents were taken aback by this.  They were appaulled by the fact that if something happened to the obligor, the parent caring for the children would be left with no support or help.

While I certainly understand their concern, my response is that many of my clients (and their ex-spouses) can’t afford to pay their court ordered child support, let alone an additional insurance premium each month.  If an untimely death occurs, the beneficiaries of the obligor’s estate may have a wrongful death suit, which would reduce or eliminate the need for the life insurance policy.   (Of course, the insurance agents could probably come up with a list of the benefits of having the insurance policy in place, despite the above statements.  I’m not saying there aren’t any, I just have to keep in mind that my clients have budgets & priorities).

There are many shortfalls of our court system and especially our domestic relations divisions; however, I would not categorize this as a shortcoming of the court system.  If you believe this to be a short coming, it is really a short coming of the attorneys working in the domestic relations court system.  When I am filing a divorce for a client that is asking for custody and child support, the opposing party either has a life insurance policy in place or he/she does not.  If they do have a life insurance policy in place, I usually include in the decree that the party is required to keep the life insurance policy for the benefit of the children until the youngest child turns 18.  When this is included in the decree, the court will generally grant this request.

If the opposing party does not have a life insurance policy, I do not usually address whether he/she wants the other party to be required to obtain one.  Often times, if there is not a policy in place already, that is because there is no money for a policy.  It is not guaranteed that the court will grant the request for the order requiring the other party to obtain a life insurance policy and it may cost more in legal fees to persuade the court that such a provision is necessary.  In addition, as with any provision in the decree, such a provision is only enforceable by contempt of court.  This means that even if the court grants an order requiring that the opposing party obtain a life insurance policy for the benefit of the children, if he/she chooses not to get one, the plaintiff can only enforce it by filing a motion to have the other party held in contempt and by doing so, will incur more legal fees.

My personal opinion regarding insurance is that you can’t insure your entire life.  Bad things are going to happen, unexpected tragedies are going to occur, and losses will result.  I personally don’t like the idea of paying a premium every month to minimize that damage because there are always going to be aspects of your life that you cannot insure, or that you don’t insure (and with my luck, those are the aspects that will be affected when bad things happen).  However, I did appreciate that these insurance agents brought this issue to my attention.  Just because I personally don’t beleive in insuring all aspects of my life, it doesn’t mean that my clients may not benefit from discussing this issue with a knowledgable professional.

In the future, I will be discussing life insurance with my divorce clients and hopefully, they will learn and benefit from it, even if they choose not to request that the other party obtain a life insurance policy.

The Memory of Memorial Day

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Like most american families, I have close family members that have served in the military.  Specifically, my grandfather served in the Army when he was in his 20s.  I was lucky enough to have a great-grandmother (my grandfather’s mother) who lived until 2002, she died only a few days before my 18th birthday.  My grandmother used to sit around and talk about how my grandfather didn’t take his duty to serve very seriously and went AWOL with his brother (also in the military) on several occassions.  I don’t remember all of the specifics of the stories she told since it has been almost 10 years since I have heard any of these stories but I do know that there were many and I know that based on the number of times I have probably heard these stories, I should know more details.

On this memorial day, I would like to dedicate this blog to thanking all members of our military for their service.  I’m pretty sure that my grandfather will never read this (I don’t even think he has a computer or the internet); however, I’m not thanking him or any other service member because I want any recognition for doing so.  To me, just saying thanks is enough.  If you know any service members, pass my words of thanks along, I am thanking them too.

Why Probate?

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I have never met a law student that left law school thinking, “I want to be a probate attorney!”  It just doesn’t happen.  Mainly because many other practice areas catch our eye before we even get to that subject in school but also because it just isn’t a “sexy” subject.

I got pulled into probate practice by chance.  When I worked for my previous employer, our firm represented investors and banks that owned property where the purchaser/occupant had passed away.  Our client wanted possession of their property back and although there were several ways of achieving this, all options included the participation of the probate court.

In one case, we were contacted by a real estate agent who had already found a buyer for a property where the owner had passed away.  We were able to get the property released from administration within two months and as a result, the sale was completed.  This is why I recommend that every real estate agent make a connection with a good probate attorney.  You never know when your next sale will depend upon being able to get the property released from administration so that you do not miss that sale.

One of the reasons that I like this area of the law is because the probate process was developed so that all people could maneuver the probate system in order to administer the estate of a loved one and wrap up their affairs without the help of an attorney.  No other practice area is this user-friendly.  I find that because it is more user-friendly than other areas, my clients are much more receptive to my advice and guidance.  Although probate is user-friendly, I would still recommend retaining an attorney in many cases, including cases were real property and motor vehicles need to be transferred or sold and cases where there are over $500,000 in assets.

After helping investors, real estate agents, and banks get back possession of their property, I continued practicing probate and as it turns out, I like it.  I have expanded my probate practice into creating trusts, administering estates, and some estate planning.

The best compliment we could receive is a referral to a friend or family member

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There have been many instances where a client has retained me to fix something that their prior attorney didn’t do right the first time; or even worst, they were their own attorney and they didn’t do it right the first time.  If there is one piece of advice I would give all of my potential clients, it is that you should not do it yourself without seeking the advice of an attorney.  Many attorneys will be willing to give you advice on how to do it yourself and then, at least you can contact that attorney to help you if things are not going well in the DIY world.
When you are preparing to enter into a contract, it is always better to have your attorney look at it.  The attorney will point out where the contract should be more specific to protect you (especially with dates) because there are almost no circumstances under which having a vague contract will protect you better.
If you find that your attorney did a good job for you, you should refer your attorney to your friends and family members.  I am an attorney that does not have a presence in the phone book and getting referrals is the best “thank you” I can get.  If you know an attorney that has been honest with you and has done a good job informing you of your rights and obligations, you should tell your friends and family members so that they are not left playing eenie meenie miney mo through the endless list of attorneys in the phone book.
I get all of my clients through face-to-face introductions and referrals from my existing clients (along with a small presence on the internet i.e. this blog).  A yellowpages ad is just too expensive for my taste and I am able to keep busy with my current system.  My personal belief is that if an attorney has to advertise in the phonebook to get clients, that attorney either has such a small niche that it is difficult to find prospective clients, or that attorney’s previous clients are not satisfied enough to recommend that attorney to others.

Mother’s Day Gift- the gift of peace of mind

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Perhaps the best gift you can get your mother (and yourself) for Mother’s Day is an estate plan.  I tell my clients that it is their responsibility to make sure that their parents have estate plans.  Why?  Because when your parent dies, as the child, you (and your siblings) will have to organize and wrap up their affairs.  You can make your job much easier and you can save a lot of money by making sure that they have a well thought out estate plan. 
Estate planning does not just mean preparing a will.  A good estate attorney will not only prepare a will, but will also help you decide which property should pass outside of probate by way of transfer on death designations and can prepare a living will, power of attorney and health care power of attorney in the event that the testator becomes incompetent or incapacitated. 
Transfer on death designations are viewed as an easy way to save money and time because they give the beneficiaries immediate access to those assets rather than having to wait for a distribution through the probate court; however, transfer on death designations are not right for all people and all property and legal counsel should be sought before filling out any TOD paperwork.
Estate planning can keep family assets in the family in several ways.  You can express your wishes about how your assets should be divided after you are no longer able to make that determination by having a will prepared.  When the decedent’s wishes are expressed in a will, family members are less likely to fight over how the assets should be divided.  This will cut down on attorney’s fees and court costs that would arise if there were a dispute.  In addition, a testator can ask that the court waive a bond which can be costly depending on how large the estate is.  TOD designations are difficult to contest successfully and any assets transferred by TOD will go to the beneficiaries regardless of whether someone contests the testate or intestate distribution in probate court.
Estate planning will not only make your life easier if the worst should happen, but it will also give your parents peace of mind that they didn’t have before; something that every parent deserves.

Royal Prenup

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If you are anything like me, you were glued to your television this morning, to catch a glimpse of the royal bride before you headed off to work.  It has been reported that Will and Kate did not sign a prenup before getting married.  Although I would recommend a prenup for most couples (Crystal and Hef), I don’t necessarily think a prenup for Will and Kate is essential, especially considering the laws in Great Britain.  While prenups are common in the states, they are not nearly as common in Britain.  Although prenups carry some weight, they are not 100% binding in Britain. 
Prenuptuals are all about bargaining power.  Once the royal couple got engaged, the only bargaining power each of them had, was their willingness to walk away from the marriage; something that neither of them were likely to do considering the short length of their engagement and the media coverage surrounding the wedding.  If you aren’t willing to walk away, you don’t have any power because you will do whatever it takes to get to the wedding day.   Perhaps Will realized that he was already asking Kate to give up her life as she knows it and it would be too much to ask her to decide how much that was worth right now. 
The difference between Will and Kate and the rest of us commoners is this:  Will and Kate are both very wealthy at a young age, whereas the rest of us are not so lucky.  Our society tends to view prenuptial agreements as something only the wealthy do.  That should not be the case.  One purpose of a prenuptial agreement is to predetermine how assets would be divided and support would be ordered in the event of a divorce.  However, prenuptial agreements also serve a very important second function: to declare assets that are already acquired as pre-marital assets.  Sometimes attorneys spend more time trying to determine what each of the parties had prior to the marriage (or the value of their assets) than they do trying to figure out what to do with what was acquired during the marriage (this is actually a very simple equation- you divide marital assets equally).  
One of the factors that should be considered when having a prenuptial agreement prepared is age.  The younger you are when the prenuptial agreement is being drafted, the less ability you have to foresee what you might need in the future, especially if other circumstances change.  For example, Will and Kate might have a difficult time negotiating what they may need if they divorce because they do not yet have children and they do not know how much time they are planning for (they do not know how long the marriage may last).
To be enforceable, both parties must fully disclose their financial picture, and the agreement must be entered into without coercion by either party.  Each party should seek separate counsel to advise them on their rights when contemplating a prenuptial agreement, in fact, our office will not participate in drafting or reviewing a prenuptial agreement unless the other party is also represented by counsel.  And remember, you only have as much power as your willingness to walk away.

LLC Formation

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If you are considering forming an LLC, there are many steps you have to take.  You have to check to see if your business name is available, you have to fill out the Articles of Organization, and then you have to send the completed form, along with the filing fee to the Secretary of State.  I often tell my friends and family that this is something they can do on their own if they wish to save money; however, when I form an LLC for a client, my services include much more than just filling out a form and filing it.

If you retain me to form your next LLC, I will check to see if your business name is available for you.  I will fill out the Articles of Organization form and prepare more complete Articles of Organization to be filed with the Secretary of State form.  My Articles will include the names and addresses of the owners as well as the percentage of ownership of each.  This is advisable because the form that is provided does not have a space regarding the identity and address of the owners.  So basically, if you do not supplement the provided form, anyone can come along and claim that he is the owner of your LLC and no one would know the difference.  Some clients choose to opt out of this offered service and that is fine too.

Clients that are forming an LLC usually need a Federal Tax ID number.  I obtain my client’s federal tax ID number as part of the LLC formation service.  I do this because it allows my client to begin operating his/her LLC sooner than if the client has to obtain it his/her self.

I offer to serve as the statutory agent for my LLC clients.  This means that if the LLC ever gets sued or served with other important legal notices, those documents will come to my firm, rather than the members of the LLC.  This will help protect the LLC in the case that the LLC runs into legal issues.  We notify our clients and provide copies of all documents (as long as you keep a current mailing and email address with our firm).  We can help guide you through the process and provide expertise, if necessary.

Clients that are setting up an LLC with more than one member usually need an Operating Agreement which outlines the terms of their relationship to the company and with each other.  I provide my LLC clients with an operating agreement for an additional flat fee.  An operating agreement is a dense and often complicated contract; however it could save business or personal relationships if the business goes downhill.   We recommend an Operating Agreement to any LLC with more than one member.

Some popular legal form websites encourage people to expedite their LLC application.  I do NOT recommend expediting your application because in my experience, it is a waste of money.  Once you send in your application, the Secretary files it and then sends you the business recording information that you need to open a bank account.  What some people do not know is that once the application is filed, you can access that information via the internet, even if you have not received that information in the mail.  Expediting your application does not get your application filed noticeably quicker than the regular filing.  If you file your application without expediting it, it should only take a few days before you can access your certificate online.

The Tax Holiday

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With taxes due in exactly one week, procrastinators everywhere are scrambling to finish their taxes so as to avoid the IRS radar.  My initial advice is to not wait until the week before taxes are due before starting them.  However, we are a busy society and if you find that you are a procrastinator, that advice is too little, too late.  As an attorney, many of my family members have asked me if I do taxes.  The truth is that I was never very good at numbers and I dread doing my taxes more than the average person.  Being an attorney and having some knowledge of the tax laws, you would think that I would be willing to endure that torture in order to avoid paying an accountant.  The truth is that the process and anticipation is too painful. This year, I hired an accountant to do my taxes.

It is not that I don’t know how to fill out a 1040, its just that my taxes are no longer simple and even if they were, I don’t enjoy filling out a 1040.  My disdain for doing my own taxes is such that I encourage our government to change the income based tax system to something less citizen-accountant driven.  The only problem with that kind of extensive overhaul is that it would put all accountants out of business, which might be counter-productive.

Although attorneys are capable of doing your taxes, an average attorney is not necessarily going to do a better job than an accountant, and the attorney is probably going to charge more.  If you do have an attorney complete your taxes, my advice is to choose an attorney that practices tax law.  Find an attorney that you know has done yours or someone else’s taxes in the past.  Although you won’t find me preparing individual tax returns for clients, other attorneys market that practice area and are good at it.  Remember: Just because your attorney agrees to do the work, does not mean that your attorney is good at it or has experience doing it.  It is your job to check credentials, if you don’t, you may find yourself in an expensive, intrusive, & exhausting audit.