Georgia Business and Family Law Blog

• Another Minimum Wage Increase

  Just a reminder to all the employers out there: Effective July 24, 2008, the federal minimum wage increased to $6.55. Georgia does not have a different/higher minimum wage and follows the federal standard. Thus, the minimum wage for all Georgia employers/employees is $6.55.© 2007 DeCarrera Law, LLC. All Rights Reserved. [...]
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  Posted: July 29, 2008, 6:31pm EDT
  

• Life Insurance Trusts

  Many families have life insurance policies on the parents, especially while the children are minors. The idea is to provide financial support for minor children and to provide liquidity in an otherwise illiquid estate. But if your estate has any sort of assets, your estate may run into tax problems [...]
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  Posted: July 14, 2008, 8:23pm EDT
  

• New Postage Rates

  Just a friendly reminder: postage rates go up May 12.
  
  For more information, check the US Postal System website.© 2007 DeCarrera Law, LLC. All Rights Reserved. DeCarrera Law, LLC [...]
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  Posted: May 09, 2008, 2:21pm EDT
  

• Want Your Stimulus Check This Spring?

  The IRS has announced the timeline for releasing the stimulus checks. The best way for you to get your payments early: file electronically with direct deposit information included, and do so early enough for the return to be processed by April 15.
  
  The exact date that you will [...]
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  Posted: March 20, 2008, 3:49pm EDT
  

• Sales and Use Tax on Services

  I just received a call to action from the Georgia State Bar regarding Speaker Glenn Richardson's proposal for a constitutional amendment to repeal the collection of certain property taxes and to replace that revenue stream with an additional sales and use tax, this time on services. It has been hotly' [...]
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  Posted: February 26, 2008, 5:59pm EST
  

• 15 Costly Divorce Mistakes

  There's currently an article on MSN Money about 15 Costly Divorce Mistakes. They are: Becoming a financial victim
  Not considering mediation
  Hiring a combative lawyer as punishment
  Failing to recognize your enemy: the IRS
  Not producing an accurate budget
  Not evaluating a divorce settlement on an after-tax basis
  Failing' [...]
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  Posted: February 21, 2008, 7:41pm EST
  

• Taking Stock Before The Divorce

  Are you ready to file for divorce? Is your spouse threatening to file? No, I do not mean that you take any shares of stock that your spouse may own before you get divorced. But you do need to review where you stand before you file for divorce. Here are [...]
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  Posted: February 12, 2008, 1:28pm EST
  

• Florida Joins Clemson, Auburn on Georgia Roadways

  The University of Florida is joining the ranks of Clemson University and Auburn University as the only out-of-state colleges with Georgia license vanity plates.
  
  Hopefully, the Gator faithful can help defray the impact of the reduced state tax collections. In January, tax collections were down 7.1% or about [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2008, 1:53pm EST
  

• Quarterly Payroll Tax Reminder

  Don't forget to mail in your quarterly and annual payroll tax reports today. This includes your IRS 941 and 940 forms and Georgia state withholding and state unemployment quarterly reports. There are two state withholding reports this quarter - your quarterly report, G-7 and the annual report, G-1003. If your' [...]
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  Posted: January 31, 2008, 3:19pm EST
  

• Where Do We Sue?

  One of the questions that I get most often is "where do we file the lawsuit?" The simplest and most basic answer to this is: where the defendant is. Generally speaking, the court where the lawsuit is filed must have jurisdiction over the defendant, also known as personal jurisdiction.
  [...]
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  Posted: January 17, 2008, 12:34pm EST
  

• Employment Forms for 2008

  For 2008, the Georgia employment forms remain the same. However, the IRS W-4 and the Immigration I-9 have changed. All four forms are available through the DeCarrera Law, LLC website in the forms section.© 2007 DeCarrera Law, LLC. All Rights Reserved. DeCarrera Law, LLC [...]
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  Posted: January 15, 2008, 3:38pm EST
  

• Important Numbers for 2008

  The highest estate tax rate remains at 45% and the exemption amount (the tax free part) also remains at $2 million. Meanwhile, in an effort to reduce your estate, you may give $12,000 under the annual exclusion.
  
  For retirement plans, you can defer up to $15,500 through a [...]
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  Posted: January 14, 2008, 8:24pm EST
  

• Let Your Family Know About Your Accounts

  Even if you do not have a will, a trust, or any other parts of a complete estate plan, at least do one thing for your family before you die: Make a list of all your accounts with the following information:
  Institution where the account is located
  Account Number
  PIN [...]
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  Posted: January 10, 2008, 1:20pm EST
  

• Happy New Year

  Happy New Year! It's been awhile since I posted anything, but now that it is 2008, it is as good a time as any to start blogging again. I am taking a little bit of a different approach to this than before. I will not be adding news bits unless' [...]
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  Posted: January 07, 2008, 6:18pm EST
  

• St. John's Estates

  Today, members of SJE Development Company, LLC and Mt. Olive Community Outreach Center, Inc. (the community center for Greater Second Mt. Olive Baptist Church) broke ground on a new project in Albany, Georgia. In Phase I of the project, St. John's Estates will provide 148 housing units for members of' [...]
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  Posted: October 22, 2007, 9:36pm EDT
  

• New Jobs For Georgia

  Sy-Klone International is moving all of its manufacturing operations to Perry, Georgia. Sy-Klone will occupy the former HAG Steel plant and invest about $7 million into the plant. The operations will provide about 50 jobs once it is fully operational. The Macon Telegraph
  
  HNI Corporation announced last week [...]
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  Posted: October 16, 2007, 12:10pm EDT
  

• Self-Employed Want Insurance Deduction

  The Atlanta Business Chronicle has a story today about the health-care costs for the self-employed.
  
  Other types of businesses can deduct health insurance costs as a normal business expense. Sole proprietors can deduct these costs when they calculate their income taxes, but not when they calculate the [...]
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  Posted: October 15, 2007, 2:00pm EDT
  

• Major Banks Losing Market Share

  The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) announced late last week that local deposits grew by about four percent. However, there has been a shift in deposit activity, away from the largest national banks to smaller, local banks. Atlanta has added 10 more banks since this time last year.
  
  [...]
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  Posted: October 15, 2007, 1:47pm EDT
  

• A Big Thank You

  The Bert Show, on Q100, is trying to gather enough handwritten letters to be able to send one to every soldier serving outside the United States on Thanksgiving Day. Letters may be dropped off at any Taco Mac location, starting on Wednesday. All letters must be received by October 26. [...]
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  Posted: October 15, 2007, 11:30am EDT
  

• Hawkinsville Bans Baggy Pants

  Hawkinsville, a Georgia town of approximately 4,000 people, now has a ban on baggy pants below the waist and exposes skin or undergarmets. Violations could result in fines and/or community service.
  
  Atlanta is currently considering a similar ban.© 2007 DeCarrera Law, LLC. All Rights Reserved. DeCarrera Law, [...]
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  Posted: October 12, 2007, 11:08am EDT
  

• McDonough + Beer/Wine + Parks

  JasonPye.com is reporting that the City of McDonough has passed an ordinance allowing beer and wine at two of the city parks, under certain conditions. The various conditions include 1) an event hosted for a non-profit organization, 2) not at the same time as any youth events, 3) the [...]
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  Posted: October 12, 2007, 10:48am EDT
  

• Sales Taxes for Service Businesses?

  In case you have not been following the news coverage on Georgia's Speaker of the House Rep. Glenn Richardson's tax reform bill, here is a rundown.
  
  A RESOLUTION proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to provide for the comprehensive revision of provisions regarding taxation and finance [...]
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  Posted: October 11, 2007, 11:20am EDT
  

• Today is the Last Day To Register to Vote

  If you want to vote in this November's elections, then you must register to vote today. Voter registration applications are available at the Secretary of State's Website.© 2007 DeCarrera Law, LLC. All Rights Reserved. DeCarrera Law, LLC [...]
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  Posted: October 09, 2007, 11:22am EDT
  

• Guns in Employer Parking Lots Again on the Agenda

  Dick Petty's InsiderAdvantage is reporting that the state Republicans are bracing for another heavyweight bout with the National Rifle Association on one side and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce on the other side in this year's battle over whether employers may ban guns in cars parked at the workplace. [...]
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  Posted: October 09, 2007, 11:14am EDT
  

• A Push To Change Juvenile Laws

  Rome will be one of the sites for a town hall meeting by JUSTGeorgia, a new coalition trying to update Georgia's juvenile laws. JUSTGeorgia is holding several such town hall meetings across the state in an effort to collect local ideas in preparation for the next General Assembly session. Savannah' [...]
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  Posted: October 09, 2007, 11:06am EDT
  

• Immigration Policies and Work-Site Enforcement

  Today must be focus on illegal immigration day as both the "local newspaper" and the Savannah Morning News both have articles relating to immigration enforcement. The Savannah Morning News reports that immigration policies are hurting law enforcement investigations. The AJC says that immigration work-site enforcement has changed, resulting [...]
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  Posted: October 08, 2007, 3:12pm EDT
  

• Profile on Shirley Franklin

  Although I normally try to stay away from politics, I will pass along this news story. Newsweek is doing profiles on several powerful and influential women in America. Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin is one of the women that Newsweek chose to spotlight.
  
  Shirley Franklin
  The entire Newsweek [...]
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  Posted: October 07, 2007, 10:20pm EDT
  

• Newell Rubbermaid Makes Perimeter Area Home

  The Peach Pundit is reporting that Newell Rubbermaid will be moving its headquarters to the Perimeter area, near Georgia 400 and Abernathy Roads.© 2007 DeCarrera Law, LLC. All Rights Reserved. DeCarrera Law, LLC [...]
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  Posted: October 07, 2007, 10:18pm EDT
  

• Lawsuit by Georgia Firearms Dealer Goes Forward

  Remember New York City Officials Taking Georgia Firearms Dealers to Court? Now the tables are turning. The Georgia firearms dealers are taking New York City officials to Court in Georgia. Adventure Outdoors, Inc. is alleging that the New York City officials defamed their business. U.S. District Judge J. Owen [...]
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  Posted: October 05, 2007, 2:08pm EDT
  

• Ameriprise Fined by Secretary of State

  The Georgia Secretary of State fined Ameriprise Financial for forging "customer signatures on financial documents prepared by two of hte firm's salespersons." The fines include $175,000 in investigative costs, a $40,000 civil penalty, and a $10,000 donation to the Investor Protection Trust.
  
  Georgia Secretary of State Press [...]
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  Posted: October 05, 2007, 2:01pm EDT
  

• New Program Allows State Office to Collect DNA Samples

  The Athens and Newnan offices of the Office of Child Support Services are test sites for a new program designed to speed up DNA testing in child support cases. In those two offices, medical technicians can now begin to collect DNA samples. By allowing the in-office collections instead of farming [...]
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  Posted: October 05, 2007, 11:38am EDT
  

• Atlanta #14 in ID Theft Cities

  Since my own personal bank account was hit for several hundred dollars this summer, it comes as no surprise to me that Atlanta is ranked number 14 among U.S. cities in ID theft.
  
  The Top 50 Cities
  Atlanta Business Chronicle© 2007 DeCarrera Law, LLC. All Rights [...]
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  Posted: October 04, 2007, 4:56pm EDT
  

• Bynum v. Weeks

  National Evangelist Juanita Bynum's divorce case is moving forward. Last week, she filed for divorce in Gwinnett County and was also granted a mutual restraining order. Bishop Thomas W. Weeks III has denied the cruel treatment and the separation that Bynum alleged in her petition. Weeks is also seeking alimony [...]
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  Posted: October 03, 2007, 3:44pm EDT
  

• Aaron Rents Expands

  Aaron Rents, Inc. acquired Prime Time Rentals 33 stores in Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. Aaron Rents has not disclosed the purchase price for the company's 33 stores.© 2007 DeCarrera Law, LLC. All Rights Reserved. DeCarrera Law, LLC [...]
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  Posted: October 03, 2007, 3:40pm EDT
  

• Sales Tax Holiday Reminder

  This is a friendly reminder to you that this weekend is the second sales tax holiday of the fall for Georgia retailers. This sales tax holiday is for energy efficient appliances and products. For more information, visit the Georgia Department of Revenue website.
  
  Stock up on those [...]
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  Posted: October 02, 2007, 11:00am EDT
  

• Georgia Supreme Court Wrapup

  Decisions of interest to this blog from September 24:
  
  Hawthorn Suites Golf Resorts, LLC v. Feneck: Hawthorn Suites lost its appeal of the trial court's dismissal of its lawsuit against Dana Feneck on the grounds of forum non conveniens. Basically, forum non conveniens is the principal that the trial [...]
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  Posted: September 27, 2007, 11:12am EDT
  

• State Rep. to Sponsor Bill For Unpaid Family Leave

  State Rep. Margaret Kaiser (D-Atlanta) said she will sponsor a bil that would provide up to 24 hours of unpaid leave per year for workers to deal with their families' medical and educational needs. This would include such tasks as taking children to doctors appointments, registering the children for school, [...]
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  Posted: September 27, 2007, 10:42am EDT
  

• Wild Adventures Auctioned Off

  Update to Wild Adventures to be Sold: Wild Adventures, the Valdosta, Georgia, theme park, was sold at a private auction on Tuesday. Herschend Family Entertainment, a Missouri company, bought the South Georgia amusement park for $34.5 million. Herschend is already familiar with the Georgia players as it currently operates [...]
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  Posted: September 27, 2007, 10:27am EDT
  

• Strange News Story of the Day...

  Passenger Smuggles Horse in Dog Crate on Plane
  
  The minature horse was crammed into a dog crate in a flight from Germany to Atlanta and was to continue onto South America. The horse is apparently in good shape now; the passenger and the airline are being issued [...]
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  Posted: September 26, 2007, 8:40pm EDT
  

• Changed Your Name? Check The Status of Your Drivers License

  When the federal government passed the Federal Real ID Act in 2003, the Georgia Drivers Services Department began checking drivers license names against the Social Security Administration's database. If your name did not check against your name with the SSA (according to your social security number), then your drivers license [...]
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  Posted: September 25, 2007, 12:47pm EDT
  

• DeKalb County Considering Changing Last Call Time

  DeKalb Commissioner Jeff Rader drafted a proposed ordinance that moves the bar-closing times in DeKalb County from 4 a.m. Monday through Friday and 3 a.m. Saturday and Sunday to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and midnight on Sunday. It does not apply to bars in the city of Decatur. The [...]
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  Posted: September 25, 2007, 12:11pm EDT
  

• Business News From Around the State

  Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Turner Broadcasting System have made the 2007 Working Mothers 100 Best Companies List. For the full list, go to Working Mother.
  
  General Motors union workers are on strike; United Auto Workers members are picking the Doraville plant after the strike started late Monday [...]
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  Posted: September 25, 2007, 11:23am EDT
  

• J. Christopher's Set to Expand

  Atlanta based J. Christopher's has plans to expand beyond Atlanta, Savannah, and Tampa, Florida, to include stores in Macon, Georgia, and Nashville, Tennessee. To help J. Christopher's, founders Chris Brogdon and Jeff McCann have hired Dick Holbrook and Sam Haddock to serve as president and chief operating officer, respectively. More [...]
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  Posted: September 24, 2007, 10:27am EDT
  

• Campbell Asks To Surrender Law License

  Bill Campbell, the former Atlanta mayor now serving a prison sentence for tax fraud, has asked the Georgia Supreme Court to allow him to voluntarily surrender his law license.
  
  News Coverage: Associated Press© 2007 DeCarrera Law, LLC. All Rights Reserved. DeCarrera Law, LLC [...]
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  Posted: September 24, 2007, 10:19am EDT
  

• Force Moving Back to Gwinnett

  The Georgia Force is moving back to The Arena at Gwinnett Center with a 10 year lease. The team played at The Arena for the 2002 and 2004 seasons but has spent the past couple seasons at Philips Arena in downtown Atlanta.
  
  See: Atlanta Business Chronicle© 2007 [...]
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  Posted: September 13, 2007, 12:02pm EDT
  

• Hawks & Thrashers Can Sign Long-Term Contracts

  The Maryland Court of Special Appeals issued a ruling on Tuesday in favor of Atlanta Spirit LLC in their fight against estranged owner Steve Belkin. Now the owner of the Atlanta Hawks and the Atlanta Thrashers can enter into long-term contracts without a court's approval. This allows the teams to [...]
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  Posted: September 13, 2007, 11:57am EDT
  

• Recording Phone Calls

  With phones such as the new Nokia N81 and others allowing owners to record phone conversations, now is an important time to review Georgia law on recording phone calls.
  
  O.C.G.A. Section 16-11-62 makes it unlawful for "any person in a clandestine manner to intentionally to overhear, transmit, [...]
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  Posted: September 11, 2007, 3:16pm EDT
  

• But This News Story is from Georgia...

  A cautionary tale for fast-food workers: don't put too much salt on that cop's free hamburger. Fast Food Worker Arrested© 2007 DeCarrera Law, LLC. All Rights Reserved. DeCarrera Law, LLC [...]
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  Posted: September 10, 2007, 3:51pm EDT
  

• At least it isn't a Georgia Court...

  From the tipline of local attorneys: Ah, those crazy Californians. California Carpenter Has Right To Work Nude.
  
  Let's hope this one doesn't catch on anytime soon.© 2007 DeCarrera Law, LLC. All Rights Reserved. DeCarrera Law, LLC [...]
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  Posted: September 10, 2007, 3:41pm EDT
  

• Updates to Your Estate Plan

  Several readers have asked how often they should update their estate plan, including their wills, advanced directives (living wills) and power of attorneys. My general recommendation is a cursory review every year and a detailed review every five years or any time that there is a major event. Major events [...]
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  Posted: September 10, 2007, 10:56am EDT