14 August

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The Process of Creating a Last Will & Testament

Clients often inquire about the process associated with creating a last will and testament. For most individuals and families, the process is rather simple and starts with a call to a local attorney. Between the phone call and the initial consultation, the attorney will likely provide a questionnaire to complete and bring to the initial consultation. At the initial consultation, the estate planning lawyer will review the answers to the questionnaire and start delving deeper. Perhaps the biggest issue discussed at the initial consultation is alternative distribution scenarios. Most people plan on distributing their assets to his/her spouse and then children....

22 May

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Corporate Records Service Fraud Alert

Posted by Robert Newton

in Business Law

John, Steen, the Secretary of State of Texas, has issued the following warning to Texas business. A company by the name of Corporate Records Service sent solicitations to Texas businesses suggesting that Texas entities are required to complete a statement and return it with a fee of $125. The solicitations were entitled “Annual Minutes Records Form.” The document, which purportedly looked official and was addressed from Austin, implied that all Texas entities were required to file the statement with the Corporate Records Service and pay the fee. THAT IS UNTRUE. Most Texas entities only need to be concerned with four Texas governmental...

20 May

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Five Important Terms of a Commercial Lease Agreement

Posted by Robert Newton

in Business Law, Real Estate Law

Commercial lease agreements can be one of the most important documents for your business. For many businesses, it is the highest non-payroll expense. A business owner needs to make sure that he/she understands the lease and the impact of its terms. It is always a good idea to hire a real estate attorney to review the commercial lease agreement, but you also need an independent understanding of some basic ideas. 1. Types of leases – There are two primary types of leases and a lot of variation of how they are applied. The first primary type of lease is called a...

14 May

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Property Tax Protest Deadline ? May 31, 2013

Posted by Robert Newton

in Government/Legislation, Real Estate Law

Hello Texas residents. This is a reminder that the general protest deadline for property taxes is May 31, 2013. If the Notice of Appraised Value was mailed after May 1, then the deadline would be thirty (30) days from the date the notice was mailed. Proper reasons to protest include the following: (i) disagreement as to the market or appraised value of the property; (ii) the unequal appraisal of the property; (iii) the inclusion of the property on the appraisal roll (iv) the failure to apply exemptions; (v) qualification of timber or agricultural appraisals; (vi) taxable status of the property; (vii) the property is not within a particular...

13 May

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Results of the May 11, 2013 Election

Posted by Robert Newton

in Elections, Government/Legislation

I hope everyone remembered to vote. Below are the links to the election results from the May 11, 2013 elections. Click on your county and scroll to your jurisdiction(s). Collin County Election Results Dallas County Election Results Denton County Election Results Tarrant County Election Results From your Frisco, Texas, attorney....

11 May

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Vote Today ? Saturday, May 11, 2013

Posted by Robert Newton

in Elections, Government/Legislation

Local Elections are today. Be like Nic and vote! Polls should be open until 7:00 p.m. You can find voting location and sample ballots by clicking on your below county. Also, don’t forget to review the candidates and bond proposals. Collin County Voter Information Dallas County Voter Information Denton County Voter Information Tarrant County Voter Information From your Frisco attorney, Robert Newton ...

10 May

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Texas Company Franchise Tax Reports Due May 15, 2013

Posted by Robert Newton

in Business Law

This is a friendly reminder that Texas franchise tax reports are due on May 15, 2013. The No Tax Due threshold is $1,030,000 of annualized revenue. If a company fails to file by May 15, 2013 (even if no tax is due), then it will be assessed penalties. Be sure to visit your business attorney or CPA if you need assistance. A link to the forms and instructions is here. Be sure to file on time!...

08 May

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Texas Home-School Students Access to Public School Sports (The Tim Tebow Bill)

Posted by Robert Newton

in Government/Legislation

The Texas Senate passed a bill (21-7) affectionately coined the Tim Tebow Bill on April 25, 2013, which is formally known as S.B. 929. The bill would allow home-school students to participate in sports for the schools they would otherwise attend. The bill is currently being considered by the House Education Committee. A brief description of the bill follows: (i) A public school that participates in the University Interscholastic League (UIL) must allow home-school students that otherwise meet the eligibility standards to participate in sport activities in the same manner as students actually enrolled in the public school. (ii) The home-schooled student...

08 May

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Making Family Aware of Your Estate

Posted by Robert Newton

in Probate, Wills & Trusts

All attorneys have their pet peeves. One of my growing pet peeves concerns people failing to notify their family about estate planning. It is very common for people to keep their estate and the distribution thereof private, especially if one or more of the descendants may be disturbed by the decisions. However, privacy and awareness are not exclusive terms. A few tips on maintaining privacy and awareness are listed below: 1. Write a Letter / Tell Someone. Write a letter to multiple family members stating the existence of a will and/or trust. Additionally, tell them where the will and/or trust...

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