As you may have heard, trusts can play a valuable role in an estate plan for a multitude of reasons. With a trust, a person transfers ownership of assets to the trust in order to fund the trust. Those assets form the trust principle. The trust is then managed by a...
What to Consider Before Buying a Business
Buying an existing business can be a great investment and entrepreneurial adventure. As opposed to starting a business from the ground up, buying an established business can come with trained employees and an established base of customers. It can also come with existing cash flow which means you can start earning...
Should I Have a Buy-Sell Agreement in Place?
There may seem like an endless number of legal documents to consider, have drafted, and executed for your business. Yes, there can be a significant amount of paperwork, but there is also a great deal in business that you will want to protect, including the business itself. Planning for contingencies, for instance,...
What Is an Elective Share?
Did you know that Pennsylvania has laws in place that protect a spouse’s right to inherit? It is true. For instance, should a person die without a valid will in place, he or she is said to have died “intestate.” The Pennsylvania intestate law will then direct the process of distributing the...
Why You Should Think Twice About DIY Estate Planning
You may have seen the ads. You may have had several websites pop up when researching your estate planning options. There seems to be an ever-growing number of websites that tout DIY estate planning as the answer to any problems you may have with the estate planning process. The online estate...
What You Should Know About the Elective Share
Why would you want to disinherit your spouse? There can actually be a number of reasons why a person would want to do so, but those who attempt to do so may prove unsuccessful in this endeavor. While the law usually works to protect personal freedom regarding the disposition of property upon...
What Is an S Corporation versus a C Corporation?
Named for the respective parts of the Internal Revenue Code that they are taxed under, C corporations and S corporations have similarities and both can be solid choices for business incorporation. While they may share some important similarities, they also have important differences. Prior to selecting a C corporation versus an...
Selecting the Right Business Structure
When you start a business, it can be an exciting time, but also one filled with important decisions to make that will impact your business for the indefinite future. One such decision will be how to structure your business. There are a number of significant factors you should take into account...
PA Supreme Court Narrows The Test For Independent Contractor In A Special Touch V. Department Of Labor And Industry, 2020 WL 1932622 (PA. 2020)
Employers are generally obligated to pay unemployment compensation taxes for all employees. Significantly, independent contractors are not included as employees, therefore, the unemployment tax for a company with independent contractors is lower. Yet, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in the recent Decision of a Special Touch v. Dept. of Labor Industry, has narrowed the...
Title IX Regulations Provide Mandatory Cross-Examination During Hearings Regarding Sexual Harassment On Campus
On May 6, 2020, The United States Department of Education issued the final rule describing the new regulations governing institutional response to sexual harassment and assault allegations under Title IX.
The new regulations impose a number of requirements that will significantly affect the way educational institutions respond to complaints...