Posts written by buteralaw
Insurance Salesmen: Dispense Financial Advice at Your Own Risk
In the recently decided case of Yenchi v. Ameriprise Financial, Inc. et al, the Pennsylvania Superior Court held that an insurance agent selling an insurance policy could, under the right circumstances, expose himself or herself to liability as a fiduciary of the individuals buying the… Continue reading
What is an Estoppel Certificate?
If you own commercial real estate which is tenant occupied and you seek to sell your property or obtain financing secured by the property you will likely be asked to supply your buyer or your lender with an estoppel certificate. So what is it? Before… Continue reading
Does a Will Need to be Witnessed?
Not normally, at least in Pennsylvania. This question comes up surprisingly often and usually in the case where there is a “homemade” will (that is, one prepared without a lawyer). In Pennsylvania the generally applicable signing requirement is that “(e)very will shall be in writing… Continue reading
Groups of Animals
Full disclosure: This article contains nothing about the law (except perhaps the law of the jungle). Once in a while I see a topic that is just plain fun, and feel compelled to share it. So what do you call a group of geese? A… Continue reading
Off-Site Catering has Become Pop-Up Beer Gardens
In recent years Pennsylvanians have seen the rise of the so called “pop-up” beer garden, particularly in the Philadelphia area. These pop-up beer gardens often operate on vacant lots or in open areas otherwise under-utilized and are open seasonally from the late spring to early… Continue reading
Business “Divorce”
Unfortunately, like many marriages, businesses frequently end in “divorce.” The reasons for the demise of a business can range from petty disputes involving ego to deep seated financial problems. Deadlocks as to the direction and operation of a company can cause substantial emotional distress as… Continue reading
Think Like a Credit Manager to Avoid Bad Debts
In business, sooner or later customers or clients will owe you money and will be unable to pay. You can blame your customer, but in some sense, you may be partially at fault. Here are a few tips to avoid (or at least minimize)… Continue reading
Queen’s English Odds and Ends – Some Surprising Meanings
Ingenious/Ingenuous. As similar as they are, they are virtually antonyms. Ingenious means “clever, skillful, or inventive”; while ingenuous means “artless, simple, or innocent”. And while the adjective ingenuity would appear from its spelling to relate to ingenuous, it does not; it’s much closer in its… Continue reading
The Estate Tax and “Permanency”
Since January 1, 2013, estate planners have been able to advise clients on estate and tax planning issues with greater certainty because certain key aspects of the inter-related gift, estate and generation skipping taxes were viewed as “permanent”. As of that date, the $5,000,000 exemption… Continue reading
Understanding Your Property Tax Assessment
When you look at your annual real estate tax bill you may see some terms you do not fully understand and some numbers that appear to make no sense – all seemingly designed to prevent you from fully comprehending your tax liability. Real estate taxes… Continue reading