States have started to pass laws giving businesses and health care providers protection against COVID-19-related lawsuits. The goal of these laws is to block businesses from being sued by people who contract the novel coronavirus under certain circumstances and want to claim that a particular business is at fault.
Business have been concerned about COVID-19 lawsuits and have been waiting for federal legislation to make them immune from suits brought by sick workers and customers.
As of late July, at least 12 states had enacted measures to limit liability for businesses. The growing list includes Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming.
Those laws vary from state to state, and might apply to suits brought against individuals, businesses and/or health care facilities. Several states had passed laws that specifically protect certain health care facilities, including Arizona, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York.
The Sensible Taxation and Equity Promotion (STEP) Act would get rid of what’s known as the step-up in basis to tax the unrealized gains of certain estates at death.
Step-up in basis refers to the way the value of an asset is readjusted for tax purposes upon inheritance.
Telecommuting is the new normal for many employers who never would have considered such an arrangement in the past.
Employers with out-of-state remote workers should consult with a lawyer to discuss associated legal risks and develop policies to address them
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, which passed in late 2019, was only the start of changes for the retirement industry. A bipartisan bill, which has been nicknamed “SECURE Act 2.0,” is in the works.
A new federal law targets wealthy buyers who purchase high-priced homes and commercial properties through anonymous shell companies. The law is designed to combat money laundering and stop the flow of illicit money into U.S. real estate.
For people who want to work while collecting Social Security, the “retirement earnings test” (RET) rules can be confusing. Some people think they’ll lose out on benefits if they continue to work, but that’s not true.
If you are in a committed relationship but are not married to your partner, estate planning is essential. Unless you each draft a will and designate the other person as a beneficiary, your assets will pass to other family members and your partner will receive nothing when you die. Further, without proper planning you won’t