Presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s tax returns have called attention to capital gains. As you probably now know, capital gains are usually taxed at a lower rate than other types of income – but they’re not just for the super-rich. Anyone with a capital asset can claim a capital gain when that asset is later sold, according to the Internal Revenue Service. A “capital gain” is how much money you made by selling the asset....
Nearly 90% of small businesses report they are now turning to cloud and Internet-based services to help them save money and grow their business. Instead of spending money on things like software and servers, these businesses are turning over their infrastructure and storage needs to the cloud, reports Time. But while cloud computing and cloud storage certainly offers its benefits, there are also potential drawbacks. For example, with a physical server in your building, you can monitor it and take security measures....
You go for a yearly checkup at your doctor’s office, right? It’s not because you’re sick or something is wrong. But a checkup offers you a chance to discuss things with your doctor, ask questions, and get professional input on your overall health. So why don’t you get a “legal checkup” every year too? After all, there are benign changes to your legal health every year just like with your physical health....
The Facebook privacy notice is a hoax. Just like it was in 2012, just like it was in 2014, copying and pasting a nonsensical disclaimer into your status is absolutely meaningless. So please, for the sake of all your “friends,” please stop doing this. Unfortunately, Facebook users can’t dictate privacy controls to the company, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to control what personal information Facebook has access to....
A hostage situation in Coral Gables, Florida is now over. Three suspects are on the loose after successfully completing a robbery at a Florida Bank of America that sounds lifted from the script of a Hollywood screenplay. Early Friday morning, Diego Uscamayta was allegedly kidnapped and forced to rob the bank that he worked at with an explosive device strapped to him in a vest, according to the FBI. The device has been removed from the man’s body successfully and the bomb squad is analyzing it....
If you’re interested in incorporating your small business, you’re likely wondering how to get started. Our Starting Your Own Business series is here to help. A number of factors go into the incorporation process, but there are a few issues in particular that you should initially think about. Here are three basic questions to ask yourself before you incorporate your business: More From This Series: Starting Your Own Business: 5 Key Steps Which Business Licenses, Permits Do You Need?...
As the American craft beer scene has exploded over the last decade, so has the amount of litigation involving craft breweries. Beer makers are going to court over everything from labels and naming rights to trademarked tap handles and whether the beer they make can even be called “craft beer.” Not only have these sudsy spats caused brewers time and money, but some customers as well. It turns out, much like parents with rowdy children, they don’t like seeing their favorite breweries fighting....
Is political discrimination illegal? Case in point: The Chief Diversity Officer at a Washington, D.C., college for the deaf was recently suspended after she signed a petition supporting the reversal of Maryland’s same-sex marriage law. Now groups both for and against the same-sex marriage law are coming to the Chief Diversity Officer’s defense, saying that the woman should not lose her job over her political beliefs, reports SFGate.com. However, were administrators at Gallaudet University acting within their powers?...
It looks like the Missouri Facebook law has met its end. In late August, the law was put on hold by a state judge, who found that its enforcement “would have a chilling effect” on the First Amendment rights of teachers and students. And late last month, the state legislature overwhelmingly voted to repeal clauses that prohibit all private internet communications between teachers and students. The provision will instead direct local school districts to develop their own policies....
In a bright spot of news, Reuters reports that borrowing by the smallest of all small businesses has grown, possibly indicating the beginnings of a small business recovery. This is good news considering that many people believe that small businesses are the best way to economic recovery. They employ many Americans and they are the best way to create jobs in this economy. According to Reuters, PayNet Inc for Reuters tracked the loan, lease and line of credit activity of microbusinesses....
For years patients at Veterans Affairs hospitals have been forced to deal with the ambiguity of medical marijuana laws in relation to their treatment. But under a new directive issued by the Veterans Affairs Department, patients treated at VA hospitals and clinics will be allowed to use medical marijuana in states where it is legal, currently 14 states. For years Veterans have been concerned that if they use medical marijuana, they may be denied other pain medication....
The fall of federal prosecutor-turned-defense attorney to the stars Paul Bergrin has been swift, and now, hard. A couple of weeks ago he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor conspiracy to promote prostitution in exchange for a relatively lenient sentence involving probation and a fine. That was pretty bad, in and of itself, but it turns out that the serious felonies were just lurking in the wings, the AP reports. Paul Bergrin was charged today with murder, conspiracy to commit murder and racketeering among a slew of counts in the indictment against him....
This morning in the East Room of the White House, President Barack Obama signed into law the health care reform bill, formally entitled the Affordable Health Care for America Act. Although this bill was passed by the House of Representatives on Sunday, there is still one more “fix-it” bill, a companion piece of legislation that will be debated, amended and voted on by the Senate in the next few days....
In the wake of Tuesday morning’s Sky Express bus crash, harrowing information about the company’s safety record and permissive attitude towards bus driver fatigue has come to light. The Virginia crash, which has killed 4 and injured more than 50, is not Sky Express’ first: With one of the worst government safety ratings, this is the carrier’s fourth accident in 2 years. To prevent bus driver fatigue, passenger-carrying drivers are only permitted to drive 10 consecutive hours, or to spend a total of 15 hours on duty (this includes time for unloading/loading of passengers and other non-driving duties)....
Tax season is creeping up on us fast. And these days, many Americans are working from home. Tax professionals are split on home-office tax deductions. Many tax professionals urge caution due to the looming threat of an audit. If you are self employed and plan to take the home office tax deduction, here are three things to be aware of: Home office tax deduction issue No. 1: Home must be used for a trade or business....
Children are increasingly suffering from traumatic brain injuries, and a new study has linked this increase in head trauma to kids in sports. The study focused on nine years (2002 to 2011) of emergency room visits at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and found that 15 percent of children’s brain injuries were sports-related, CBS News reports. What does this trend mean for child athletes and their teams? The Cincinnati study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found that in sports-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) cases, the average patient admitted was more likely to be a white male around 10 to 16 years of age....
The music streaming service Spotify announced a new parental leave policy this week that Ms. Magazine calls “impressive.” The company is offering parents, whatever gender, 100 percent pay for six months. Not only that. Spotify is also giving parents flexibility about how and when to take the time. The policy is being hailed by workers’ rights organizations who hope that more American companies will adopt the Swedish cultural values that Spotify says is behind the new family leave....
Spring is fast approaching. Meaning that the season where our nation’s youth, in the prime of their poor decision-making lives, will venture forth to hot, dangerous, and alcohol-filled locations is nearly upon us. Which destination will prove the most perilous? What new and gruesome injuries will our country’s college students bring home from equatorial climes? Here are the five most likely spring break injuries, based on our experience: 1. Spring Break in Mexico: 5 Legal Tips to Know Any country bearing the travel warning that “U....
Traffic accidents kill 1.27 million people every year around the world, but almost half of those accident victims are pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists – not drivers or passengers in automobiles – according to a new global road safety study from the World Health Organization (WHO). The first global analysis of road safety looked at road crashes in 178 countries (98 percent of the world population) to gauge worldwide progress on the effectiveness of safety measures like speed limits, crosswalks, seatbelt and child restraint devices, motorcycle helmets, and anti-DUI efforts....
Not all prophylactics are created equal. From permanent and temporary implants to the pill, there are plenty of options for female birth control out there, and unfortunately some are safer than others. Whether making a device or a drug, birth control manufacturers can be liable if their product causes injury. Here are five recent birth control lawsuits, and what you need to know about the products involved. Essure birth control implants are permanent coils placed in the fallopian tubes, that in some cases have been known to fail, cause infection, and even lead to serious hemorrhaging....
