Legal

Estate planning is the legal and financial planning you do to prepare for your future. It involves working with a lawyer and an accountant to help you decide what assets you want to leave behind when you die, how much money you want to give away, and how much money you want to pass on to your heirs.

Estate planning services can help protect your family from future financial hardship and provide tax benefits in the form of charitable gifts. You can also fill out a will, which outlines who will inherit what property if you die without a will or don’t have time to write one.

Estate planning involves a range of legal, tax, and financial issues that you need to consider when you have children or other family members who will inherit from you.

Here are some questions you should ask an estate planning attorney.

Do I have any debts or liabilities?

If you have a mortgage, it’s a good idea to have a home equity line of credit or cash-out refinance that can be used to pay off your mortgage. Otherwise, you will have to pay taxes on loan. You should also ensure that you have enough money in the bank to cover at least six months of living expenses in a cash emergency. If you don’t, then you may need to sell something of value just so that you can afford food and shelter.

Who has power of attorney for me?

This person can make decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated and unable to do so yourself. They must be someone you trust and feel comfortable with, such as a family member, friend, or trusted attorney. The person named in this document will be responsible for making all financial and legal decisions on your behalf should something happen that prevents you from doing so yourself. In addition, they will manage funds that are already yours when you die until your estate settles. It is important to name a person who can do this because many people find it difficult to come up with such an arrangement themselves when they may need help most.

Conclusion

Estate planning is the process of devising a plan for your wealth to be distributed upon passing. It’s important to get into the habit of estate planning as early as possible while at a relatively young age. It’s best to think of estate planning as an element of financial planning rather than in isolation, as most people do, so that you can be sure that all aspects of your life will be taken care of in your absence. As it is important to plan your finances so that your business lasts beyond your lifetime, it is equally important to plan out how your wealth will be distributed when you are no longer here to assume those duties yourself.

Proof Coin vs Uncirculated: What’s the Difference?

When investing in precious metals, you will often hear the terms “proof” and “uncirculated” coins. Experienced silver bullion buyers will know the difference at first glance but if you are new to the silver market you need to educate yourself about them and how the difference impacts their price. On the surface, these look the same but they are not. Experienced coin collectors and bullion buyers will be quick to notice a silver coin for what it is. Here are just some basic things you need to know before your buy silver bullion coins for investment purposes your retirement plans.


The Minting Process

Proof coins are the first blank coins that are run through a minting press. Uncirculated coins that are produced but never circulated for some reason or other. These coins are valuable because of their silver content. They are very liquid and can be sold virtually anywhere in the world. The biggest difference between the two is the minting process.


Double-Strike Proof Coins

Traditionally, proof coins are the first coins to go through minting. They are struck twice at the beginning of a minting press run to make sure that the die creates a perfect design before any other coins are produced. The action of striking coins twice gives them a shiny mirror-like background. In addition to that, proof coins are hand polished during the minting process and individually packaged to preserve this signature finish.

Mints now only produce proof coins for collectors looking to buy silver bullion that has a certain extra appeal. This has increased the value of these items even more.


Single-Strike Uncirculated Coins

As the name suggests, a mint uncirculated coins only once. Specially burnished blanks are used for these coins which makes them look shinier than regular coins that are in circulation to make these coins so that they appear shinier than regular coins in circulation. An uncirculated coin are put in a special encasement to protect it. They also come with a certificate of authenticity.

The Mintage of a Proof Coin vs. Uncirculated Collector’s Items

Proof silver coins are rare because mints produce a small number of these coins. This rarity makes them more valuable and sought-after by coin collectors. It is more expensive to buy silver bullion or specially designed commemorative silver coins than it is to buy proof coins but in the world of coin collectors, some uncirculated coins can fetch a higher price because of their low mintage. The lower the mintage the higher the value of these coins.

Comparing Prices and Face Value

Proof and Uncirculated coins do not have a face value because governments do not intend to have these coins as legal tender. Their value is more symbolic and numismatic.

Proof and Uncirculated Coins V.s Bullion coins

Proof, uncirculated, and bullion coins can all be produced by the same mint. Mints strike a bullion coin once just like they strike uncirculated coins. These coins represent a legitimate short-term investment. However, bullion coins are more tradeable or liquid. When all has been said and done investing in any kind of silver coins is a great way to store wealth over time. It may boil down which product you can afford to buy.

Because of their rarity, Proof coins can cost more than the spot value for bulk purchases. When you have a choice to buy bullion silver or proof coins consider whether you are in the investment game for the long term or a short term. The rarity of proof coins increases over time but when it comes to storing and safeguarding delicate coins bullion coins are not as complicated and they hold their value rather well.

There can be many benefits to being your own boss. Hours are flexible so you can work around times that suit you and there’s no one to report to other than yourself so you can manage workloads that you know you can complete easily without hassle. Because of this, many individuals are choosing the route to go self-employed.

Whilst it can be a great option for you, it also means that you have to consider more important aspects to cover your business. It’s a big responsibility that requires some proper attention. Here are 3 legal aspects that you need to consider if you’re choosing to become self-employed.

Gain an understanding of the legal implications for your business

As a business, you’ll be likely offering a service or product in some way. What you provide will have some restrictions and implications of how you can offer it and risks with the product themselves. With this being the case, it’s important that you do your research around what you can and can’t do as part of the product and service that you offer. Hiring corporate solicitors Manchester based is one way to get help in such circumstances.

Customer health and safety is extremely important in all forms of business. Legislations are constantly being reviewed by organisations to make sure the services and products being offered are legitimate. Failure to follow these legislations can put your business at a big risk.

Tax registration

When you’re employed through a business, tax deductions are automatically dealt with through your employer and wage. As you’re self-employed, the onus will be on you to declare your tax and deal with tax registrations. Failure to register will put you at risk of tax evasion, which could potentially lead to imprisonment.

Thankfully, in recent years it’s now extremely easy to register for tax through online services. It provides the option of how you wish to set up your business so it’s worth considering what stage your business is at. Setting up your business as a limited company can be beneficial for future estate planning with contentious probate solicitors Manchester based.

Business insurance

Not investing in business insurance can provide a heavier loss in the future. It’s understandable that you wish to save money towards the early stages of your business, but this is one expense that you should definitely take out.

There may be a time when a customer isn’t happy with their service or an employee feels unfairly treated. In which case, they may wish to take legal action against you. Because you’re unlikely to have the funds to deal with it yourself, taking out business insurance can give you a safety net for such situations.

Ensure you protect your business

When you first start out with a business, protecting yourself legally should be the most important aspect you should think about. Big losses can occur from legal actions which could bury your business in debt or even cause your business to close. Protect your business as quickly as possible.

If you have run into some legal difficulties and you need to lawyer up then it is important that you spend the time on finding the very best lawyer for you. Regardless of whether you have been slapped with a DUI, gotten yourself caught up in a dispute with your employer or are about to file a petition for divorce, the things to look for in a great lawyer remain the same. I have a friend who works for Kersh law firm and he has helped me to put together a quick checklist of what you should be looking for in a great lawyer.

Reputation

A good reputation in law is hard to earn and easy to destroy which is why if you can find a lawyer with a great track record, you are going to be well on your way to getting yourself the very best legal representation. When looking for a lawyers rep focus on the law firm that they work for rather than their individual reputation. The reason for this is that there are many brilliant young lawyers who haven’t had a chance to build a reputation just yet, but the law firm that they work for understands their capabilities and if their reputation is great then you know that you can trust their team.

Communication

Many lawyers fail to realize that their clients don’t know as much as they do and as a result their communication skills can be terrible. The truth is that very few of us actually know anything about the law or how cases are tried and this is why you need to know that you have a lawyer who is going to keep you in the loop with everything that is going on. Regardless of the case you will no doubt be going through some emotional turmoil which is exactly why you need a lawyer who will inform you of everything going on in the case, and to put your mind at ease.

Empathetic

When you find a great lawyer you will find that they are incredibly empathetic to what you are going through and they will act as both a support to you and a lawyer. Some lawyers just don’t have empathy and whilst they believe that it helps them to win cases, the truth is that their clients are not always happy with their approach. A great lawyer will do both, they will present a strong case on your behalf and they will be empathetic towards your issues.

Competitive Price

As you can imagine the very best lawyers cost the highest amount of money but at the very least these prices should be competitive. A greta lawyer should be able to offer you a great service and do so without taking your eyeballs out when it comes to price.

Make sure that you invest a lot of time in finding yourself the very best lawyer for whatever case it is that you are dealing with.

Today in this world, there are many people who are experiencing discrimination, despite what some might say. First of all know that discrimination can come in many forms, such as gender, race, religion, color, etc. Just because you are not facing color discrimination, doesn’t mean there are no such things.

If you find yourself in a situation where you are experiencing discrimination, a lawsuit might be in your best favor. You will need several things to find a good lawyer like Ravi Sattiraju who will help you out in the case of discrimination. There are many things that should be taken into consideration while you are looking for the best lawyer. Because finding the right lawyer is 90% of the struggle for winning your case. The rest 10% will be to tell the lawyer all the things that you know about the company or the person. Once you have done all of these things. You will surely get a lot of money in the claim once the case is finished.

Tip to find the right lawyer

Below are some of the tips you can make use of to find the right lawyer for your case.

• Take a look at the education of the lawyer
• Experience of the lawyer’s matter in all the cases. So, make sure you choose an experienced lawyer
• Make a google search and check out the reviews and ratings of the same
• See how they communicate, ask them a lot of questions, ask them any doubts or queries you have. Do not hesitate. You are paying them for the case. It is their duty to answer them all
• Check their website, you will come to know about various things
• Ask them if they are willing to take the case further in front of the jury if there is no settlement done. Although the settlement is seen in most cases it is always the best option to keep the path open.
• Check the total amount of money they have claimed in discrimination cases. Ravi Sattiraju has claimed $2.8 Million in a single discrimination case. Therefore, you need to find such a lawyer that can claim a lot of your money
• Ask your friends and family if they have been in any similar situation. Ask them about the lawyer they worked with.

These are some of the tips you should keep in mind while you are choosing a lawyer for a discrimination case. Once you have found the lawyer, make sure you tell them about every single little detail that you know. Tell them everything about how discrimination is seen and all the things that a company or the person did to you. In this way, you will get proper justice for what has happened to you.

Sadly, thousands of patients will be injured this year because of errors committed by medical providers. Institutions and licensed medical professionals have a legal and ethical duty to adhere to reasonable standards of care when treating patients. As a patient, you have the right to expect and receive competent treatment and care. When you suffer an injury because of negligence, a medical malpractice lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and the responsibilities of a medical provider.

Patients Hurt by Medical Negligence, Errors and Mistakes Deserve to Be Compensated for Injuries

All medical providers and healthcare institutions owe a duty of care to their patients. Medical providers include, but are not limited to, family doctors, hospitals, pharmacists, specialists, surgeons, nurses, and technicians. If a medical provider fails to meet the healthcare industry’s acceptable standard of care because of negligence or a deliberate act, the result may constitute a breach of that duty.

Under the medical malpractice laws of Texas, the provider may be held liable for the pain, suffering, and injuries caused by the breach of the medical professional’s duty of care. When you trust a healthcare professional to provide the care you need when you are injured or sick, it can be difficult to know what to do when the person you trusted causes an injury.

Hiring a Texas Medical Malpractice Lawyer to Protect Your Legal Rights

Unfortunately, most people are unprepared for incidents of medical malpractice. Most individuals and families are overwhelmed when a medical provider’s negligence causes severe injury or death. The psychological, emotional, physical, and financial consequences and hardships can cause people to delay contacting an attorney.

However, the right to file a claim or take legal action is not an indefinite right. You must act before the deadline set by the Texas statute of limitations or lose your right to file a medical malpractice claim. Therefore, one of the first steps for a victim of medical malpractice is to consult with a lawyer to protect the victim’s right to seek compensation for losses, but how do you know which Houston medical malpractice attorney to hire.

Searching for a Medical Malpractice Attorney in Texas

Step One: Hire a Law Firm with a Full-Time Doctor on Staff

One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a medical malpractice law firm is whether the law firm employs full-time medical professionals on staff. You have a better chance of recovering the compensation you deserve for your injuries when trained medical professionals and highly competent medical malpractice lawyers work together on a full-time basis to investigate your claim. In addition, when you hire a law firm that employs a full-time doctor and nurse on staff, you receive the expertise of trained medical professionals and seasoned medical malpractice lawyers for one fee.

In many cases, a critical piece of evidence could be missed because an attorney does not have medical training. Without medical training, it can sometimes be difficult to recognize preventable errors and discrepancies in care or treatment as medical malpractice. However, to recover compensation for a medical malpractice claim, you must have evidence that demonstrates the provider’s negligence or mistake was the cause of the patient’s death, injury, or illness.  Therefore, a doctor is needed to review each piece of evidence diligently and meticulously in a case to determine if the provider breached the standard of care. The doctor can then assist the attorney in gathering the evidence required to prove the provider committed medical malpractice.

Step Two: Understand the Qualities You Should Look for and What to Avoid When Searching for a Medical Malpractice Law Firm in Texas

When you search for a Houston medical malpractice lawyer, it is important to understand the qualities of a competent, skilled, and highly-trained attorney.

Qualities that you desire in an attorney include:

• Uses Plain English — An ability to explain complex legal theories and processes in easy-to-understand terms.
• Trustworthiness — You want an attorney who displays honesty when discussing your legal options. You need an attorney who provides realistic expectations instead of promises of high-dollar verdicts and settlements.
• Access — Ability to contact the attorney directly with questions and concerns instead of being passed off to other staff members on a consistent basis.
• Positive Communication Skills —You need to have a good rapport with your attorney because you will be working very closely with this person to hold a negligent doctor or other provider accountable for his or her actions.

It is also helpful to understand the traits and characteristics to avoid when hiring an attorney. Some of the warning signs that you should watch for that may indicate you may not receive personalized, dedicated representation include:

• Offers unrealistic guarantees of the outcome in your case;
• Requires an upfront retainer fee;
• Fails to follow-up when you call or email with additional questions;
• Ignores your questions or gives vague answers using legalese; and,
• Does not remember the details of your case when you have a second meeting with the attorney to discuss retaining the law firm.

Step Three: Interview the Attorneys — You are Hiring a Law Firm to Work for You

The law firm that you retain works for you. Therefore, you should interview the law firm and the attorney just as you would any other person you wanted to hire to perform a job. Your interview should cover important factors, including:

• Experience — Search for medical malpractice attorneys who have decades of experience handling these types of personal injury cases.
• References — Do not be shy about asking for references.
• Reasonable Fees — Compare the fees of several firms but remember that hiring an attorney based on the lowest fee may result in a less than acceptable outcome in your case.
• Practice Area — Search for a law firm that focuses its practice on medical malpractice instead of all areas of personal injury law.
• Reputation — Research the law firm and each of the attorneys online.
• Resources — Ask about the law firm’s resources. Experienced medical malpractice firms have developed a network of experts and resources the attorneys can rely upon to assist with cases. Law firms with a full-time MD and nurse on staff are focused on proving medical negligence. They are extremely serious about pursuing medical malpractice claims because they have hired the full-time personnel necessary to investigate claims of medical malpractice fully and completely.
• Success — Ask about past medical malpractice settlements and jury verdicts. While the results in other cases do not guarantee a positive result in your case, a proven successful track record is a must when hiring a Houston medical malpractice law firm.

Trust Your Instincts!

In the end, trust your feelings about an attorney. While you should be diligent in researching and interviewing a medical malpractice attorney, you must also feel comfortable and at ease with the person. It is okay to trust your feelings when searching for a medical malpractice law firm to represent you as you seek justice from the medical provider who caused your injury.