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Your loved one has been diagnosed with a debilitating condition or has been disabled from a sudden stroke. Along with the devastating news, the doctor recommends that they be placed in a nursing home. You have no idea what this will cost, let alone how you will pay for it. In short order, you learn that Medicare will not pay, especially for the long-term. You’ve heard of Medicaid but have no idea whether you qualify or even how to apply. To make matters worse, everyone you talk to is giving you a different answer. You don’t need to deal with this situation alone. You need to discuss the Medicaid planning and application process with an experienced elder law attorney. An elder law attorney will have the necessary skills and contacts required to help you address the important issues, create a strategy, engage and direct the required healthcare staff, and work with you to protect your assets and get the Medicaid application approved by your state Medicaid agency. How Expensive is Nursing Home Care? Very expensive. Families are often surprised to learn that the average price of nursing home care in Pennsylvania can cost between $8,000-$13,000 per month. The cost can wipe out a family’s life savings very quickly. Consider the situation of this family: A spouse relayed a conversation she had with the Director of Social Services for the nursing home where her husband was admitted. The Director explained to her that because they had $500,000 in retirement savings, she needed to pay the nursing home privately (“spend down”) until they had no more than $25,000 in savings. She was further advised that only then would her husband be eligible for Medicaid. Sadly, the nursing home did not inform her about the options available for accelerate her husband’s eligibility for Medicaid or how to protect more of her assets. This is often because the nursing home makes more money from private pay than Medicaid or may be unfamiliar with all the planning options available. Does Medicare Cover Nursing Home Costs? Unfortunately, no. Many people are under the impression that Medicare will cover all the expenses for nursing home care. That is not the case. The most Medicare will cover is the first 100 days and this will not be the full amount, even if you are eligible at all. So Where Does Medicaid Come In? For most people, Medicaid only becomes an option after Medicare benefits are exhausted. But what many people don’t realize is that Medicaid benefits are not automatic. In fact, to receive Medicaid, a patient and the patient’s spouse (if married) must first “spend down” their “countable” assets. In Pennsylvania that limit is $2,400 for a single person, but gets more complex for married couples. There also are categories of assets that will be automatically exempt for purposes of qualification. Your IRA and retirement assets are not automatically exempt. Is it Too Late to Protect Assets? Not at all. But you should act quickly and don’t try to transfer assets away without sound legal advice. When a single individual (no spouse, divorced or widowed) needs to enter a nursing home for long term care, and they have assets that are significantly greater than the amount permitted for Medicaid nursing home eligibility, the implementation of a Medicaid crisis plan is often the most logical and financially prudent option available. In the simplest of terms, a crisis plan is a plan when, immediately prior to the filing of a Medicaid nursing home application, the patient’s assets are retitled or transferred. There are legal strategies that allow a person who needs long-term care to divest themselves of some of their assets and use the rest to pay for their care until Medicaid eligibility is met. Those assets can be used to pay for a spouse still at home or as a legacy for children and grandchildren. Timing is critical.  The sooner you act, the sooner Medicaid eligibility can be established.  Delays can be costly. Don’t Go it Alone The best time to prepare for unexpected nursing home costs is before you need them. But if you or a loved one have found yourselves facing a crisis requiring immediate long-term care and have questions about whether you can qualify to receive Medicaid benefits, you need to contact an experienced estate planning and Medicaid planning lawyer. The compassionate Pennsylvania Medicaid planning attorneys at Fiffik Law Group have the experience necessary to be your trusted advisors through every season and change of life. Our Pennsylvania estate planning and Medicaid planning lawyers are well-versed in today’s Medicaid and estate planning laws needed to protect your income, assets, and your family’s financial future. To schedule your confidential appointment, call us at 412-391-1014 or contact us online today. We have offices conveniently located in the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia metro areas, and can come to your home if you can’t come to our office.

Our series of posts presenting real-life situations about the consequences of dying without a will. Preparing your will is not expensive and is a great way to protect your family. Please take the time to have your will prepared. Situation 2: Naming Minors As Beneficiaries To Your Estate Its not uncommon for parents to leave assets to their children or for grandparents to grandkids. Special care is needed when those beneficiaries might be under 18 years old. Here is why – and this is a big one – under Pennsylvania law, minors are not permitted to own property. Consider Helen’s story. She had ten grandchildren and named them as beneficiaries of her individual retirement account (“IRA”). Many of her grandchildren were under age 18 when she died. The first problem facing Helen’s family was that a court proceeding was necessary to have a guardian of the estate of the minor grandchildren appointed to hold the IRA money left to them. This resulted in considerable expense and delayed distribution of the accounts until the proceedings were completed. Further complicating matters was that Helen’s sister, (who did not have the best relationship with the grandchildren’s’ parents) petitioned the Court to be appointed Guardian of the Estate for the minor children. In Pennsylvania, the court seldom appoints the surviving parent as the Guardian of the Estate of the children. (Note: Guardian of the Estate differs from Guardian of your children, i.e. the person designated to care and raise them). That caused a considerable stir in the family. The final straw was that the grandchildren’s money had to be placed into a sequestered bank account earning less than 1% interest. In the succeeding years, the guardian needed some of that money to pay for the grandchildren’s expenses and was forced to request the money from the Court every year to get the money out of the account. Court costs and legal fees further drained the accounts. Everything that was left was distributed to each grandchild when they turned 18. There are not too many parents for whom I’ve prepared wills who want their children to receive all their inheritance at 18. They usually delay distribution until at least age 21 or even later. These problems can all be easily avoided by including a testamentary trust in your will.  You can specify a person, someone that you know and trust, to serve as the trustee for all bequests to minors, whether those bequests are in your will or in a beneficiary designation on an account (such as Helen’s IRA, a life insurance policy or other account).  You can identify how the money in the trust can be used and spent for the beneficiary while in the trust and give your trustee the power to spend the money without first having to seek court permission.  Finally, you can delay distribution of the money until the beneficiary reaches an age of your choosing.  The difficulties experienced by Helen’s family can be easily avoided by preparing your will. DON'T WAIT. Get the process started today.

Fiffik Law Group represents both landlords and tenants, but in this case, it was a tenant who needed our help. A King of Prussia, Pennsylvania woman, who rented a single-family home with her elementary school-aged son, was being harassed by her landlord about alleged landscaping issues on the property. In most cases, landscaping is the landlord’s responsibility. Some leases, like our client’s, require the tenant to be responsible for normal maintenance, which includes things like cutting the grass and trimming the bushes. This woman’s landlord, however, was demanding she pay for landscaping well out of the scope of “normal” to the tune of $20,000. Despite the client explaining that redoing the entire yard was not her responsibility under the lease, the landlord ignored her protests and sent landscapers to begin work that she planned to bill to our client. When the woman complained about the landscapers showing up unannounced (which is illegal – at least 24-hour notice is required unless the maintenance is an emergency) and still refused to pay, the landlord sent a threatening email telling her that the lease was terminated, and she needed to get out immediately. Not only did he have no grounds to evict her, but evictions are never immediate – Pennsylvania’s Landlord/Tenant Act outlines the legal process landlords must go through to evict a tenant, no matter the reason for the eviction. Pennsylvania’s Eviction Process: 1. Landlord must provide the tenant with a written eviction notice.* Eviction for non-payment of rent: 10 days Eviction for other reason: 15 days 2. Landlord must file a Landlord Tenant Complaint to the Magisterial District Judge. The judge's office will schedule a hearing in 7 to 15 days from the date the complaint is filed. At the heading, the landlord may ask for possession of the property and money for rent or damages. The judge makes their decision either at the hearing or within three business day of the hearing. 3. Landlord must get an Order of Possession from the Magisterial District Judge. The landlord must wait 10 days from the date the judgment is entered to get the Order of Possession. The Order of Possession tells the tenant the day by which they must move out, which cannot be less than 10 days from the day the Order is issued. 4. The tenant must move out by the date listed on the Order of Possession. If the tenant does not move by the specified date, then they will be forcibly removed by law enforcement. *Written leases can change the notice requirements. You may not want to sign the lease if it requires you to waive your right to notice under the Landlord/Tenant Act. Never sign a lease before you (and preferably an attorney) carefully evaluate it. Call Fiffik Law Group to review your lease, answer your questions, and suggest any changes we feel will be beneficial to you. Not wanting to fall victim to her landlord’s threats and intimidation, this woman called her Fiffik Law Group LegalShield provider attorney, Adie Kurtanich. Attorney Kurtanich wrote a letter to the landlord outlining Pennsylvania law, insisting that she drop the landscaping demands, and warning her not to retaliate. Upon receiving the letter, the landlord agreed not to pursue the issue further. “This landlord clearly was trying to bully my client out in order to make more money, no matter what the lease or law said,” Attorney Kurtanich said. The relationship between Attorney Kurtanich’ s client and the landlord remained icy but avoiding an unlawful bill for $20,000 and an eviction was an undeniable win for the client. It should not have taken a letter from an attorney for the woman to be treated fairly by her landlord, but unfortunately, there are always going to be people who will try to take advantage of others. In cases like these, you need experienced legal representation to advocate for you and ensure your rights are protected. Fiffik Law Group's mission is to provide access to justice for all. If you are interested in becoming a LegalShield member, learn more here. Contact us today for a free initial consultation.

Our series of posts presenting real-life situations about the consequences of dying without a will. Preparing your will is not expensive and is a great way to protect your family. Please take the time to have your will prepared. Situation 1: Married With Children From Prior Relationship John and Cindy are married, and John owns the house where they live in his sole name. He owned it before they were married and Cindy moved in. He has two adult children from a prior marriage and a younger child with Cindy. John certainly wanted Cindy to remain in the home in the event of his death and to continue to reside there with their young daughter. Unfortunately, John passed away without a will. The state’s will for him, called the Law of Intestate Succession, says that Cindy is entitled to only 50% of his estate and his children divide the remainder equally. The house was John’s most valuable asset, and there were not enough other assets to satisfy the right of John’s children to receive 50% of his estate. Cindy now has to sell the house and give some of the proceeds to John’s children. She may not have enough left over to purchase a new home. If you are married and have children either with your current spouse or former partner, under Pennsylvania law, your surviving spouse is not entitled to all of your assets. That will be quite a shock to your surviving spouse. It can create a financial crisis to add to the emotional crisis of your death. This situation is something that can be easily avoided by preparing your will. DON'T WAIT. Get the process started today.

In part one, Remarkable Truth About Personal Guarantees, we explained what a personal guarantee is and the risks that they present to the business owner. They are the business owner’s kryptonite. Now we’ll give you proven ways to limit or even avoid personal guarantees. Situations Where a Personal Guarantee is Virtually Guaranteed There are some contracts where you are very, very unlikely to avoid a personal guarantee as a small business owner. Most commercial loans will require a personal guarantee and its non-negotiable, especially with larger lenders. Unless you are a major national tenant, commercial leases typically require a personal guarantee. Seeking to sign a franchise agreement? You’ll be signing a personal guarantee almost without a doubt. You can certainly ask to limit or not include a personal guarantee in these situations. We’re here to tell you that you should not get your hopes up. We’ve accomplished this for clients on occasion but not very often. Knowing When to Just Say “No” We suggest that you avoid signing a personal guarantee for current or past debts. You may be tempted to do this in order to avoid the creditor pursuing collection. This is usually a bad idea. There’s a reason why you’ve not paid the debt. Its unlikely that circumstances are going to change so dramatically so as to enable your business to come current on the debt. You get nothing in return for giving this type of guarantee. There is really no good reason to put your personal assets at risk in this type of a situation. If you’re signing as a the owner of a minority shareholder in a business, you should really think twice before you sign. These are some of the worst guarantees to give. You have no control over the business decisions being made, including how the money is being spent and what bills are being paid. Even though your control is limited, your personal liability is not limited as between you and the obligee. The bank or the vendor can collect the entire amount due from you or any of the guarantors. The obligee is not required to seek payment from the business or the majority owners before seeking payment from you. Your co-borrowers are not obligated to reimburse you for amounts that you pay on the guarantee (unless you have a specific agreement to that effect). They probably cannot pay you anyway because if they could pay you, they would have paid the underlying debt in the first place. Before signing a personal guarantee as a minority shareholder, we cannot understate how important it is for you to give a lot of thought to signing. You might suggest that your company purchase personal guarantee insurance for you. Seek professional advice from an attorney for options to protect yourself. How to Limit a Personal Guarantee Although it can be difficult to entirely eliminate the need for a personal guarantee, you may be able to limit its scope by taking the following steps: Refuse to sign or simply cross out the guarantee language. This sounds ridiculously simplistic but frankly, sometimes it works. This is especially true for vendor and supplier credit applications and “small print” contracts that are presented to you. The other side is not always passing these past their legal counsel and may either not notice or even care that you marked up their form. Their review might only go so far as looking to see that you signed the form somewhere. Make sure you retain a photocopy of what you signed and returned. It would not be the first time a vendor “corrected” a contract after the fact without telling you and you see it the first time they try to collect on an invoice. Define when the personal guarantee would go into effect. This could be based on the number of loan payments missed, the amount of working capital of the business, or the net worth of the business falling below a specified amount. Also, consider requesting business days vs. actual days to give yourself more time for reporting and the ability to respond to changing circumstances. Decrease personal guarantee with improved business performance or passage of time. You can request the personal guarantee be reduced when business grows and the company becomes more stable. You can also ask that the amount guaranteed decrease as you make timely repayments. You can ask that the guarantee “sunset” (become void) after the passage of a certain amount of time during which you have made time payments. Limit a guarantee. Banks will always want an unconditional or unlimited guarantee. The business owner should start by requesting that the amount of the personal guarantee be limited either by the actual dollar amount or by a percent of the outstanding loan. If there are multiple owners, you can also seek to limit the amount of exposure by the percent ownership for each partner. Revoke old guarantees. You can revoke your guarantee for future purchases or orders with vendors to whom you previously gave a guarantee. You should write a letter to the obligee stating such. If your contract with the vendor or contracting party contains specific notice requirements, you should carefully follow those. Its best to send it via some type of hard-copy mail with a proof of mailing. Again, retain a fully executed copy of what you sent to the vendor. Suggest terms of relief. You can ask to be relieved of the personal guarantee after a certain percent of the loan has been repaid or your share in business has been sold. Modify the reporting requirements. Lenders typically require guarantors to submit personal financial information at least annually. This is one of the ways for banks to locate and request personal assets. You can provide personal financial statements with the minimum acceptable disclosure. Avoid “joint and several” language if possible. Ask to limit who will guarantee the obligation. If there are multiple partners, try to avoid a joint and several personal guarantee. Push for an indemnification guarantee. Don’t cover more than 100 percent. Suggest that each partner carry a percentage of the guarantee rather than each partner carrying 100 percent – state laws may vary on the ability to do this. Try to eliminate certain assets. Request that certain assets, such as your personal residence or stock in the business, be outside the reach of the guarantee. You can suggest that your personal obligation be capped at a certain percentage of your net personal wealth. You can also offer alternate security for the debt. For example, if you have more than one business entity, you can suggest that your other business, rather than you, be the guarantor. Higher interest rate. Evaluate the option of paying a higher interest rate in exchange for no personal guarantee or limited guarantee. Do not include spouse as a guarantor. It is strongly suggested not to agree to a requirement of having the spouse as a co-signer on the personal guarantee. This provides both spouses with some protection, because personal assets under the spouse’s name will not be included, should the personal guarantee be called. Personal guarantee insurance. Personal guarantee insurance can protect your personal assets. With this coverage, you can limit personal risk to a more acceptable level. Get Legal Advice Before Signing a Personal Guarantee While many lenders or other vendors require a personal guarantee when making some business loans and other contracts, it’s usually possible to negotiate at least some of the terms. Our business attorneys can help you understand the provisions of a personal guarantee and provide ideas for negotiating one that fits your needs.

August is National Black Business Month! This month is a time to acknowledge and appreciate Black-owned businesses and all that they represent in the pursuit of diversity and equality. Below we have provided a list of Black-owned businesses across Pennsylvania nominated by our team members and clients. Please consider supporting one or more of these businesses online or in your area! We encourage you to support Black-owned businesses in your community not only during August, but always! Dibbs BBQ Family-owned barbeque restaurant in the Philadelphia area. Leave Dibbs BBQ a review Mt. Airy Deli & Mini Market “Home of the best Philly Cheesesteak in Mt. Airy.” Leave Mt. Airy Deli a review T’s Wicked Wonders Artisan craft and retail shop in the Pittsburgh area. Leave Ts Wicked Wonders a review Sonia’s Handcrafted Art One-of-a-kind handcrafted shadowboxes Leave Sonia’s Art a review Trustworthy Piercing Gallery Body piercings, teeth whitening, and teeth gem services in Pittsburgh, PA. Leave Trustworthy Piercing Gallery a review In the Pocket Pro Shop Bowling supply shop in the Philadelphia area. Leave In the Pocket Pro Shop a review Herring Seminars and Consulting Offering personalized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) solutions to organizations so that they may build diverse and inclusive workspaces. A Potter’s Wheel Counseling Services Licensed professional counselor specializing in marital, anxiety, and depression Leave a Potter’s Wheel a review Sim’s Non-Medical Homecare Agency Licensed and insured agency providing in-home care services to the elderly, disabled, and any individuals who need special home care support in the Philadelphia area. Leave Sim’s a review New Life Staffing Providing professional services to job seekers and employers in the Philadelphia area. Leave New Life Staffing a review Fiffik Law Group, PC assists business owners at every stage of their business journey. Whether you have questions on business formation or you're planning for succession, our group of business attorneys has the experience to help you.

WGSF Newswire:  Limiting Personal Liability for Business Debts:  Choosing the Right Entity By Deirdre Burke Moser, Esquire The United States is the world leader in lawsuits, which cost the U.S. economy $264 billion per year.  Litigation costs small businesses in America over $100 billion per year.  According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce report in 2013, one in three small business owners report that they have been sued or threatened with a lawsuit.  Creditors can attach homes, cars, savings, or other personal assets.  Business owners need to take appropriate steps to protect their personal assets from this epidemic of litigation.  One way to mitigate those risks is to create a business entity.  Whether for a sole proprietorship or a large-scale operation, the advantages to forming a corporate entity are numerous.  The three most popular entities are a corporation, a limited liability company (LLC), and a limited liability partnership (LLP). A corporation is a business entity owned by shareholders and managed by a board of directors.  This form of entity has been around much longer than LLCs and the rules governing the liability protection afforded to shareholders are longstanding.  One drawback is that corporations are a bit more difficult to run as most states place strict requirements on how corporate decisions have to be made and reported.  In addition, there are more “formalities” involved in managing a corporation from a legal standpoint and the additional paperwork can be daunting for small business owners. The LLC has no board of directors or shareholders.  Instead it is owned by “members”.  From an organizational standpoint, it offers the greatest flexibility.  It can be structured like a partnership to be managed by the partners.  It can also be set up more like a corporation and owned by the members but managed by a board of managers.  If you run a smaller company and are looking to reduce risk, a limited liability company may be a better fit.  There are fewer legal and paperwork requirements that have to be adhered to, making LLCs easier to run.  In addition, the LLC gives the owner the greatest number of choices of tax status. The Limited Liability Partnership is a business entity in which a group of people or companies or mixture of both come together to create a business.   There are different “classes” of partners with different interests, rights and powers.  Limited partners are not involved in the day to day running of the business, but want to reap the economic benefits of their investment.  The general partner controls the partnership and can also reap economic benefits.  There are no shareholders or directors.  An LLP is not the same as a traditional general partnership.  A general partnership has the disadvantage of all the partners being jointly and severally liable, regardless of their involvement in the partnership, so from a liability standpoint, creating a traditional partnership is not a good option.  The advantage of a Limited Liability Partnership, on the other hand, is it has aspects of both the traditional partnership and the traditional corporation.   Unlike a traditional partnership where all the partners are jointly and severally liable, in an LLP, the partners are not responsible for their partner’s negligence or misconduct. LLPs are not as popular because some jurisdictions require a general partner to have unlimited personal liability.  Small business owners instead opt to create an LLC where no member is facing personal liability. Finally, there are certain forms of business ownership that do not offer risk protection.   These include general partnerships, sole proprietorships and fictitious names.  If one is creating an entity with mitigating risks in mind, these entities can impact your personal assets if a legal action arises.  They may sound like good options on paper and less cumbersome to create, but in the long run, the small business owner should consider creating a corporation, an LLC or an LLP.  Choosing your business entity can make all the difference when one wants to protect his or her business from potential legal actions.  A corporation, an LLC and an LLP offers the small business owner peace of mind that when he goes to sleep at night, he did everything he could to protect his company, his investment and his family. Check out our business team at Fiffik Law Group .

Divorce: Sometimes Timing is Everything If you’re contemplating a divorce, there may be good financial reasons to delay the filing. Were you a stay-at-home parent for years while the kids were growing up? Or perhaps you have always worked, but never earned nearly the salary your spouse made. Even if you are nowhere near retirement age, you are well-served to understand the Social Security divorced spouse benefit rules and how the timing of your divorce could mean thousands of dollars in additional income each year when you are ready to retire. 10 is Often the Magic Number If yours is one of the above situations, there’s a good chance that the Social Security benefit you are entitled to based upon your own earnings record is less than half of your spouse’s benefit. Even if you’re divorced, you can still claim on your ex-spouse’s Social Security record. The key to being able to claim a Social Security benefit based upon the record of your ex-spouse sounds straightforward: Your marriage must have lasted at least 10 years. You can file for spousal Social Security benefits independent of when your ex-spouse files. The maximum divorced spouse benefit is 50% of what your “ex” would receive at full retirement age. If one spouse is in the military, a 10-year marriage may also entitle an “ex” to military benefits and a portion of his or her pension. The Widow/Widower Benefit Even if you’re divorced, you can claim on your ex-spouse’s Social Security record after they’ve passed away. Again, your marriage must have lasted at least 10 years. In addition, you must have claimed your benefits BEFORE you remarry (a reason to delay a second marriage). Plan Before You File Divorce If you’re thinking about divorce, our experienced and trustworthy divorce lawyers at Fiffik Law Group are here to help you decide when the time is right to file. Our lawyers have provided guidance to thousands of clients and we’re ready to bring that experience to bear in your case. Contact us today.

WGSF Newswire:  FOR SALE BY OWNER – WHY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO CONTROL THE PROCESS You’ve made the choice to sell your own home – Great! The savings on realtor commissions can be huge. The growing number of online services that assist home sellers not affiliated with realtors has changed the way real estate is marketed in sold and will continue to do so (check out some links below). Some experts estimate that FSBO homes account for twenty-five percent of the homes sold each year. Does this mean that the process of selling a home has gotten any easier or less complicated? No. A recent report on mortgage closings from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes real estate closings as confusion, stress, time pressure, cost and delays. Choosing the right attorney as the settlement agent is critical to avoiding these common complaints. As a homeowner selling your own home, you have some basic goals: get a deal on paper, close the deal quickly, avoid problems during the settlement process and no surprises at the closing table. Getting the right attorney involved can help you achieve these goals. Get a Deal On Paper: If your buyer is not using a realtor, someone will need to prepare a sales agreement. There are lots of form agreements available on line but beware; every agreement has a particular “slant” toward one party or another. Quality varies quite a bit. A poor quality agreement can give a buyer many “loopholes” that can be used to get out of the deal. If the buyer has a realtor who presents you with an agreement, you will want to make sure the agreement is reviewed and modified by your attorney to make it most likely that the deal with close. Close the Deal Quickly: Once the deal is signed, there are LOTS of things that need to happen before the closing. Title searches, title insurance, tax clearance letters, inspections and appraisals are but a few of those items. Have your own attorney handle these things if the buyer does not have anyone in mind. If YOUR attorney is controlling the process, it makes it far more likely that a closing happens as soon as possible. You may need to close on your home in order to purchase another. Maybe a delay costs you an extra mortgage payment or other costs associated with owning your home. Not controlling the process can cost you money. Avoid Problems: Title searches, inspections and other items that happen during the time between the signing of the agreement and closing can cause major problems that can derail the deal. If you get an attorney involved before you sign a deal, that person can check to make sure that the title to your property is “clean” and will not pose any problems. You may think you have a “clear title” but title problems are fairly common. Get advice up front on potential issues, such as problems with the title, house, unpaid tax liens and old unsatisfied mortgages that could either derail the closing or give the buyer an opportunity to ask that you reduce the sales price. No Surprises at the Closing Table: Surprise fees and costs at the closing table are common complaints about real estate closings. Many consumers report that even though they encounter discrepancies that result in unease at the closing table, they often feel pressured to sign documents during the allotted time in order to avoid risking delays or even losing the deal. You should ask to see the settlement statement (HUD-1 Form) at least 24 hours prior to closing so that you can understand costs on the form, ask any questions that you have and get things clarified without feeling pressure at the closing table. Making the choice to sell your own home is making a choice to retain “control.” Using your own attorney to handle most aspects of the closing process is a great way to maintain control and ensure that the deal actually closes. Fiffik Law Group provides a full range of services to residential and commercial real estate buyers and sellers. Our real estate services include many experienced attorneys and staff. Reach them at (412) 391-1014. FSBO Links: http://www.forsalebyowner.com/ http://www.zillow.com/homes/fsbo/

The U.S. Small Business Administration will re-open the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan portal on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 to all participating PPP lenders to submit First and Second Draw loan applications to SBA. The funding is limited and you should expect it to go fast. That means get started now. Here’s what you’ll need to submit along with your PPP Loan Application. If your business is any of the following: Corporation, Professional Corporation, General Partnership, Limited Liability Company or Non-Profit Corporation All business types should provide the following: Color copy of government issued ID (front and back) of person signing application Organizational documents e.g. articles of incorporation and bylaws (corporations), certificate of organization and operating agreement (LLCs), partnership agreement. All should be fully executed (signed) by business owners. 2019 or 2020 IRS Form W-3 2019 or 2020 IRS Form 940 If you have employees making over $100,000, W-2s for employees making over $100,000. If your business is any of the following: Sole Proprietorship, Independent Contractor, Self-employed or single member LLC Color copy of government issued ID (front and back) of person signing application Organizational documents (if applicable) e.g. articles of incorporation and bylaws (corporations), certificate of organization and operating agreement (LLCs), partnership agreement. All should be fully executed (signed) by business owners. If you have employees: 2019 1040 Schedule C 2019 or 2020 IRS Form W-3 2019 or 2020 IRS Form 940 If you do not have employees: 2019 1040 Schedule C Substantiation of self-employment 1099- MISC for Independent Contractors 2020 invoice, bank statement or book or record to establish you were operating effective 2/15/2020 #smallbusinesstips #PPPLoan #ppploan2 #smallbusinessattorney #ppploanrules #ppploannews #ppp2 #smallbusinessadvice #ppp2020 #smallbusiness

Reduced or Waived Filing Fees for Bankruptcy You are eligible for bankruptcy case filing fee waiver if you are at or below 150% of poverty level. If your income puts you above 150% of the federal poverty guidelines, the fee is $335 for a Chapter 7—which may be paid in installments. 2020 Federal Poverty Guidelines Number of people in your household (include yourself)150% of Poverty Guidelines Yearly Income150% of Poverty Guidelines Monthly Income150% of Poverty Guidelines Weekly Income 1 $19,140 - $1,595 - $368 2 $25,860 - $2,155 - $497 3 $32,580 - $2,715 - $627 4 $39,300 - $3,275 - $756 5 $46,020 - $3,835 - $885 6 $52,740 - $4,395 - $1,014 7 $59,460 - $4,955 - $1,143 8 $66,180 - $5,155 - $1,273 More than 8: *Add $4,480 for each additional person. *Add $373 for each additional person. *Add $86 for each additional person. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (at 100%), January 15, 2020, https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines Note: Your income includes any household income you can use. Do not include your spouse’s income if it is not available to you. *With the 2020 poverty guidelines that took effect as of January 15, 2020, you add $4,480 for each additional person in the household THEN calculate how much 150% of the federal poverty guidelines would be. So if you had a household of 9 people, you would add $4,480 to $44,120 (100% of the federal poverty guidelines for a household of 8), which equals $48,600. Then, 150% of $48,600 is $72,900/year; $6,075/month; and $1,401/week. We understand the stress and sleepless nights that arise from difficult financial times. Our bankruptcy attorneys are ready to get you some relief and back on the path to good credit. FLG Bankruptcy Attorney: Matthew Bole, Esquire #debtrelief #bankruptcyattorneypittsburgh #bankruptcy #bankruptcyphilly #bankrtupcyattorney #covidcreditrepair

iPhone owners in the U.S. could receive up to $500 compensation from Apple, following the settlement of the so-called “Batterygate” scandal. Apple was accused of using software updates to hamper the performance of certain iPhone models. Although Apple acknowledged the change in performance, it said that it was necessary to preserve older batteries in the handsets. The suit asserted that the motive for the updates was to cause customers to purchase newer and more expensive phones. Apple has never admitted wrongdoing, but is paying up to $500 million in a legal settlement to end the matter. That now means owners of selected iPhone handsets can qualify for a rebate, which could potentially be as much as $500, but is estimated to be $25. Those handsets are: iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus or iPhone SE that ran iOS 10.2.1 or later before December 21, 2017 iPhone 7 or 7 Plus that ran iOS 11.2 or later before December 21, 2017 If you don’t quite remember what version of iOS (the software that runs your phone) your phone was running before a set date in December three years ago, so the online claim form is making it easy to check if you have a valid claim. You can either enter your phone’s serial number or your Apple ID and various details about the handset to check if you’re due compensation. Only when all the claims have been submitted will it be decided how much each claimant will receive. However, if the number of claimants is low, the windfall per customer could be as much as $500.