Posts Tagged ‘Asset protection’
Should You Plan on Dying in 2012? [Part II]
In my last post, I described why if you’re a U.S. citizen or resident, and have a net worth more than $1 million, you need to give serious consideration to changes in U.S. transfer tax policies beginning Jan. 1, 2013. In 2013, the current $5.12 million exemption for estate taxes will revert to the 2002 [...]
If You Hire an Obese Worker, You May Have to Pay for Their Weight-Loss Surgery
Maybe it’s the bad economy. Or perhaps it’s just bad karma. But for whatever reason, there’s been a huge spike recently in what I can only characterize as unbelievable lawsuits. Let’s say you operate a restaurant. Now, restaurants fail at a high rate in even the best of times, but in an economic downturn, they [...]
You, Too, Can Sue Over Global Warming!
It’s time for another installment in my periodic postings on frivolous lawsuits. This one comes from the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled last month that landowners in Mississippi have “standing” to sue oil and coal companies for emitting greenhouse gases. In their class-action lawsuit, the landowners claim that these emissions contributed to [...]
Won the Lottery? Call Your Lawyer!
While the odds are against you if you play the lottery, you might get lucky and win the jackpot. But if you do, your first call shouldn’t be to friends or family to tell them of your good fortune. It should be to your lawyer. Once you tell others of your winnings—or they learn about [...]
Scalia: You Can Invade My Privacy—but I Don’t Have to Like It
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia doesn’t think you have a right to privacy in most aspects of your life. But he doesn’t like to have his own privacy invaded—although he admits it’s perfectly legal. Back in January, Scalia spoke at a privacy conference organized by the Institute of American and Talmudic Law. While his [...]
Will Your Insurance Company Survive the Global Financial Collapse? [Part 2]
In my last blog entry, I described the financial stresses under which many U.S. insurance companies are operating—and the very limited “safety nets” to bail out policyholders of insolvent insurers. How can you evaluate the financial health of the companies you rely upon for insurance? And what are your alternatives if they don’t pass financial [...]
Will Your Insurance Company Survive the Global Financial Collapse? [Part 1]
What would happen if your insurance company became insolvent, and wasn’t able to pay its obligations to you? As the global financial crisis began to unfold, I started asking that question in relation to my own insurance coverage. Two insurance policies were of particular concern: a professional liability policy issued by a subsidiary of American [...]
The Coming Lawsuit Tsunami [Part III]
In Part I and Part II of this post, I described how economic downturns always lead to people to sue each other out of anger and desperation. I also described some likely targets for litigation. How do you protect yourself? Consider the following “lifeboat strategies:” Review your business and personal liability insurance. Don’t stop at [...]
The Coming Lawsuit Tsunami [Part II]
In my last post, I described how economic downturns always lead people to sue each other out of anger and desperation. Both of these emotions are plentiful now, and will become more so as the depression deepens. Perhaps to insure that lawyers don’t become jobless as the economic gloom deepens, the Obama administration has declared [...]