Your house is important for you and your spouse. It is likely the largest asset you own. When you pass away, you want to make sure that your spouse doesn't have to go through probate court just to keep your family home.
Industry focus: Texas’ vast and varied construction realm
The generic term “construction law” connotes a truly broad universe of vitally important subject matter. Even quick contemplation of the construction realm must acknowledge the field’s sheer scope, especially in a developed and constantly evolving country like the United States.
The Importance of Guardianship and Special Needs Trusts
Securing a smooth financial future can be a challenge under the best of circumstances. But when you or one of your loved ones must also deal with special medical or life needs, the situation may prove especially worrying and difficult. Fortunately, you may be able to take advantage of helpful legal strategies such as guardianships and special needs trusts. Let's take a high-level look at these essential forms of protection, the various forms they may take, and how they might help your family.
The importance of starting early with estate planning
You may feel that you are too young to start planning your estate. But even if you still have many years before you retire, you should start thinking about the future now.
Potential Benefits of Choosing to Be Taxed as an S-Corp
S-Corporations, under the right circumstances, can offer significant tax savings to a business entity. An eligible domestic business entity - usually a corporation or limited liability company - elects to be taxed under the S Chapter of the Internal Revenue Code by filing Form 2553 to the IRS.
Texas Supreme Court Clarifies Age Discrimination Law
A south Texas school district secretary attempted to file an age discrimination claim earlier this summer, claiming that she was fired due to her age. However, the replacement employee was actually older by four years than the secretary herself. The secretary was 48-years-old at the time of her firing.
Houston-based wireless provider acquires FastL2 technology
Houston-based wireless provider, Infrastructure Networks, recently acquired YR20, another company based in Houston that offers various network connectivity and analytical services. Merging the two companies will allow its users to function and operate in remote parts of the U.S. while enjoying dependable and speedy data communication capabilities.
Setting up a Texas medical practice? A PLLC might be the way to go
Medicine is a profession, but in order to practice medicine, one must take into account business considerations. One of the most important such considerations is how your practice will be legally organized.
Anticipating changing life stages is important to Texas business owners
As any owner knows, a business can have a life of its own. The culture within each company has a personality and some people attribute family-like characteristics to their work environment and fellow workers.
The Legal Side of Business Acquisitions
Business acquisitions can be complex transactions. Whether you're buying a business or selling a business, it pays to have an experienced business attorney on your side. Here are some basic considerations we can help you with.
What Do I Need to Know About Starting a Business? Part One: The Basics
Starting a business can be a tremendous thrill for the born entrepreneur - but it also presents some potential pitfalls that require new business owners to look before they leap. Here are some basic questions you'll want to consider as you're preparing this major undertaking.
What Do I Need to Know About Starting a Business? Part Two: Business Formation
Your choice of business structure can have a profound impact on financial, taxation and liability issues. The principal categories of business structures include:
Reasonable Compensation, Part 1: A Potential Pitfall for S-Corp Owners
If you're considering forming an S-Corp (with the aid of a skilled tax lawyer at our firm), you may be motivated by the idea of avoiding self-employment taxes. This is certainly an attractive feature of S-Corp business formation - but it's not without its potential pitfalls for unaware business owners. One such pitfall is the issue of paying yourself reasonable compensation. In the first of this two-article series, let us look at this concept and the important role it will play when you file your taxes.
Alt Coin Taxation (Part 1): Is Bitcoin or Crypton Coin Taxable? By John Ferguson
History. Alt coin, sometimes called crypto coin or currency, remained in relative obscurity until Bitcoin's meteoric rise in price in 2017. This rise in Bitcoin price brought everything about Bitcoin and other alt coins into the public eye. The IRS was slightly ahead of the general public in taking notice of alt coins. As early as March of 2014, the IRS spoke publicly about the tax classification of alt coin. Then, in November of 2016, as Bitcoin's price inched closer and closer to $1,000.00 per coin, the IRS issued a "John Doe" summons to Coinbase requesting data on all users including the amount each traded and the gains each user realized.
Estate Planning: You Don't Have Time to Put It Off
If you're one-half of a young couple with everything in the world to look forward to, you may think it absurd to start worrying about such things as creating a will or establishing guardianship of children. But the truth is that you can never make your estate planning arrangements too early – while it's far easier to leave the matter too late. Here are some hypothetical instances to show you just how critical timely estate planning can be.
The Ties That Bind for Businesses: The Wide World of Business Contracts
Universal Recycling Ordinance: Impact on Food Service Providers
The Universal Recycling Ordinance ("URO") is not new. In fact, it was approved by the Austin City Council in 2010 and amended in 2013. Their stated goal is to increase the life of local landfills, reduce harmful environmental impacts and boost economic development. To accomplish these goals, they have required that responsible parties of affected properties ensure that residents, tenants, customers, and employees have convenient access to recycling. This requirement poses the questions for all business owners of "what is an affected property?" and "how do I provide convenient access to recycling?"
Hire a Business Lawyer Before You Buy That Franchise
Buying a franchise can provide an ambitious business owner with some wonderful opportunities
-- but it can also create some unanticipated legal headaches. If you’re giving serious thought to becoming a franchisee, you need to give equally serious thought to engaging a skilled business lawyer with experience in the subtleties of franchise law. Let’s look at some of the ways your business lawyer can help you navigate the waters of franchise ownership.
Business Contract Mistakes to Avoid
Contracts make the business world go round -- but you might be surprised at some of the simple yet critical steps that business owners can skip when they're preparing an important contract. Do everything you can to avoid these potentially catastrophic contract mistakes:
