Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Lawyer seeks crowdfunding for online estate-planning game

Lawyer seeks crowdfunding for online estate-planning game - ABA Journal (JEH: Kudos to Stephanie Kimbro regarding this creative idea, which I hope receives sufficient support)

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

The Heartbleed Hit List: The Passwords You Need to Change Right Now

The Heartbleed Hit List: The Passwords You Need to Change Right Now - Mashable.com (JEH: This is old news to many (not to many attorneys, I suspect!). This electronic world is exciting yet dangerous. Please take all precautions, and note that you might have email or other issues (because we have had numerous messages bounced by specific servers).)

BBB Warns of Misleading “Annual Minutes Requirement” Mailings

BBB Warns of Misleading "Annual Minutes Requirement" Mailings - BBB of Northwest Florida (JEH: Please also note that no Florida business entity needs to file "annual minutes" -- only an annual report to the Department of State, which may be done online as noted in the earlier post. It is obviously prudent to hold an annual meeting for any business entity and keep minutes of all meetings. However, there is no state requirement to file any type of minutes, which are generally internal documents much like the governing bylaws, operating agreement, or partnership agreement.)

email : Webview : Required for All Business Entities: Florida Annual Report Filing Deadline May 1st

Required for All Business Entities: Florida Annual Report Filing Deadline May 1st - Carr, Riggs & Ingram (JEH: $400 penalty/late fee per entity if not filed by May 1, 2014! Video from Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner ("File early, Florida") on the Sunbiz home page here.)

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Wakeup Call to Charities

Wakeup Call to Charities - Planned Giving Design Center - Lee Hoffman (JEH: Well-known planned giving commentator Lee Hoffman offers his perspective on why charities might have made potentially "fatal" mistakes by reducing or dropping their planned giving efforts in favor of trying to attract new donors. I like his synopsis of the spectrum of charitable/planned giving: "Attract new donors, treat current donors well (loyalty), market planned gifts to their aging donors, put some back for tomorrow (endowment).")

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Important Bermuda Judgment Considers Questions Of Litigation Funding, Private International Law And Trusts - Wealth Management - Bermuda

Important Bermuda Judgment Considers Questions Of Litigation Funding, Private International Law And Trusts : Wealth Management : Bermuda - mondaq (JEH: Main issue was whether trustee of Bermuda trust had binding obligation to provide funding of up to 120 million Swiss Francs to construct Opera House in Lucerne, Switzerland, with Swiss foundations prevailing insofar as they may attempt to demonstrate feasibility of Opera House plan to satisfy condition subsequent of "donation contract" under Swiss law)

Tax Court Gives Taxpayer a Victory in Frank Aragona Trust Case -- But Doesn't Go...

Tax Court Gives Taxpayer a Victory in Frank Aragona Trust Case -- But Doesn't Go All the Way - BNA (JEH: Tax Court case permits trustees to satisfy "material participation" test for passive activity purposes, which has become more important due to the potential application of the 3.8% net investment income (Medicare) surtax -- not for purposes of claiming losses, but to determine whether a trust's income from rental real property is passive and thus subject to the 3.8% surtax)