Posted by Susan Ford | Nov 18, 2023 |
As a parent, your top priority is the well-being and future of your children. You plan for their education, health, and happiness, and often this planning includes the tradition of choosing godparents to guide and mentor your children if something happens to you. While selecting godparents is a meaningful tradition in many cultures, it's important to understand that naming a godparent is not the same thing as naming a legal guardian for your children.
Posted by Susan Ford | Nov 18, 2023 |
It might seem a bit early to think about your 2023 business taxes, but as the year draws to a close, it's the perfect time to take a closer look at your company’s financial situation and make some strategic moves to minimize your business’ tax liability come next April.
Posted by Susan Ford | Nov 18, 2023 |
It might seem a bit early to think about your 2023 taxes, but as the year draws to a close, it's the perfect time to take a closer look at your financial situation and make some strategic moves that can help you minimize your tax liability come April.
Posted by Susan Ford | Nov 18, 2023 |
If you’re like many business owners, you probably feel like there isn’t enough time in the day for everything you need to do, let alone everything else you’d like to do. But it doesn’t need to be that way.
Last week I explored how to use time blocking and task management tools to better manage your time and get more out of your work day. This week, I’m sharing two more methods every business owner should use to get more done, stay more organized, and have more time to take care of yourself and the people who depend on you.
Posted by Susan Ford | Oct 21, 2023 |
Getting married and starting a new chapter in your life is an exciting time. It’s also a time that requires a lot of housekeeping such as updating your address if your marriage includes a move, changing your tax filing status with your employer, and adding your new spouse to your bank and credit card accounts.
But did you know that creating (or updating) your estate plan should also be on your post-wedding to-do list?
Posted by Susan Ford | Oct 21, 2023 |
Time is your most valuable resource, and how you manage it can significantly impact the success of your business and your personal well-being. But finding effective ways to organize your schedule and manage your team can feel like a time-consuming task in itself.
If you feel overwhelmed by your calendar or like there is no room in your day to take care of your personal needs, it’s time to revisit your time management methods. To help you reclaim control over your schedule, boost productivity, and reduce stress, consider these life-changing time management strategies.
Posted by Susan Ford | Oct 21, 2023 |
A lot changes once your marriage is official, but how you and your spouse want your finances to be managed or how you would want medical decisions to be made for each other are not automatically documented when you say “I do.”
If you become incapacitated for any reason before your estate plan is complete, your spouse would not have the legal authority to make medical decisions for you even though you’re married. Your loved one would also have no access to your bank accounts, and in the event of your death, could even be put into a position of losing the home and possessions that you owned together.
Instead, your choices for yourself, each other, and your life together need to be properly documented to ensure your wishes are respected and honored no matter what the future holds.
Posted by Susan Ford | Oct 21, 2023 |
As a business owner, you may be familiar with the need for liability insurance to protect yourself and your business from lawsuits caused by injuries or accidents. But how do you protect your business’s income from outside forces that affect your productivity, supply, and revenue?
Picture this: You've built your dream business from the ground up. It's thriving, and you're enjoying the fruits of your labor. But then, disaster strikes. Whether it's a natural calamity like a hurricane, a fire, or a global pandemic that forces you to shut your doors temporarily, your income takes a nosedive. That's where Business Interruption Insurance comes in.
Posted by Susan Ford | Oct 21, 2023 |
As a parent, you have probably thought about the importance of naming permanent legal guardians for your child in case something happens to you, and maybe you have already done it. If you haven’t yet, take this as the sign that now’s the time to do it, in case the unthinkable happens to you.
But in some cases, naming permanent legal guardians for your child may not be enough to guarantee your kids will always be cared for in the way you want by the people you want. And, there may even be a risk of your kids being taken into the care of strangers or someone you would never want.
Read on to find out if that’s the case for your family, and if it is, contact us to get your Kids Protection Plan® in place.
Posted by Susan Ford | Sep 09, 2023 |
You don't have to be a famous producer or household name to own intellectual property. If you create music, own a business, write stories, or build gadgets in your garage, you almost certainly have intellectual property. However, because intellectual property is intangible, it's often overlooked. And if you do have intellectual property, it may hold significant sentimental and even monetary value for you and the people who love you. Without properly planning for these works in your estate plan, your family could lose these valuable assets forever...
Posted by Susan Ford | Aug 28, 2023 |
There's an often unspoken challenge that many entrepreneurs face - the distortion of one's perception of money. This week, I’m exploring how your mindset around money and abundance can hinder or grow your business. Read more…
Posted by Susan Ford | Aug 15, 2023 |
If you’re looking to turn your side hustle into your full-time career, you might be wondering if you can use your current employer’s group legal insurance to take care of your startup’s legal needs. Read more…
Posted by Susan Ford | Aug 07, 2023 |
To make sure your business is compliant with employment laws and that your team members are happy and focused, make sure you aren’t making any of these simple employment mistakes. Read more…
Posted by Susan Ford | Jun 27, 2023 |
Vacations are a time to relax, unwind, and create beautiful memories with your loved ones. But before you set off on your adventure, it's essential to ensure that your legal affairs are in order. Read more…
Posted by Susan Ford | Jun 21, 2023 |
Beginning January 1, 2024, the Corporate Transparency Act will require small businesses to file an annual report on the majority owners of the business, and failing to file the report comes with real consequences. So what exactly does this mean for you and your business? Keep reading to learn more.
Posted by Susan Ford | Jun 13, 2023 |
While the legalization of same-gender marriage and increased recognition of LGBTQ+ families has made LGBTQ+ rights more visible than ever before, there is still a large gap in estate planning for LGBTQ+ individuals that could leave your loved ones with a big mess. Read more…
Posted by Susan Ford | Jun 06, 2023 |
Insurance is a powerful tool that can provide you with peace of mind and safeguard the hard work you’ve put into your business. In this blog post, we'll explore five types of insurance that no business owner should go without. Read more…
Posted by Susan Ford | May 30, 2023 |
May is Senior Citizen’s Month, a time to reflect and appreciate all the things the seniors in our lives have done for us. Whether they are our parents, grandparents, or elderly friends, our seniors have given us so much over the years. While no one can predict how many more years we’ll have with our elderly loved ones, there is an easy way to capture their stories, wisdom, and love for future generations. Read more …
Posted by Susan Ford | May 23, 2023 |
One of the best-loved books for entrepreneurs is The E-Myth by Michael E. Gerber. In the book, he tells the story of a woman who always dreamed of owning a pie shop. She wanted nothing more than to spend her days doing what she loved and seeing her customers enjoy her pies. But once she opened he...
Posted by Susan Ford | May 15, 2023 |
When you think of estate planning, a Will is usually the first thing that comes to mind. In fact, most people who contact me tell me they don't need anything complicated for their estate- just a Will. Indeed, Wills have a reputation as the number one estate planning tool and can be seen all over ...
Posted by Susan Ford | May 09, 2023 |
AI technology is here, but don’t worry, you don’t need to be a techie to make AI work for you (or fear that it will lead to a revolution of Schwarzenegger-esque cyborgs). This week, I’m exploring 4 ways you can use AI language model software to make your family’s life easier. I’ll share real-world examples of the software in use, so you can free up more time for the things and people you love. Read it here…
Posted by Susan Ford | Apr 07, 2023 |
I know discussing topics like death, incapacity, and other potentially frightening life events, with someone like me, an estate planning lawyer, may feel intimidating or even morbid. Take a deep breath and relax… it doesn't have to and shouldn't be that way.
Hiring a lawyer to help you make wi...
Posted by Susan Ford | Mar 29, 2023 |
As the world and its laws continue to evolve, everyone needs to keep their estate plans up to date. An estate plan is a set of documents, such as a will or trust, that dictate how assets will be distributed upon death or incapacity. An individual's current legal and financial situation should be ...
Posted by Susan Ford | Mar 07, 2023 |
As a parent, you are quite accustomed to managing your children's legal and medical affairs, as circumstances require. If your child requires urgent medical attention while away from you, a simple phone call authorizing care can do the trick. But what happens when those “children” turn 18, now ad...
Posted by Res Nova Law | Jan 31, 2023 |
If you are looking to create your last will and testament, or will, online, you'll find dozens of websites that let you prepare a variety of estate planning documents for very little money, and even for free. With so many do-it-yourself online document services out there, you might believe you ca...