Tag Archives: legal

Understanding Legal Business Structure—Part One—Sole Proprietorship

It dawned on me when I was writing about coming up with a written company description for a home business, that we haven’t really talked about all the different types of business structure possibilities there are. Even for a small home business, you might want to spend some time evaluating what sort of legal structure is best for your situation. Many of us choose to organize our businesses as a sole proprietorship because there is only one of us and it can seem the easiest way to go about things… Being a sole proprietorship means that you are the business … Continue reading →

Should You do a Check-up on Your Zoning?

If you followed all the rules and “best practices” before starting your home business, you did a diligent check on any zoning and licensing regulations and laws that might apply to you. If you passed the muster you could easily think that part of your business operation is behind you. Laws change, however, and zoning regulations can do. Neighborhoods are constantly being re-zoned and city regulations can change as well. It might be a good idea to do a periodic check-up on the zoning of your home and look into how any changes might affect your home business. I know, … Continue reading →

Do You Need Any Disclaimers?

Would you be better off with a disclaimer in your marketing materials, invoices or on your web site? Are you providing products or services but need to make sure that you are not held liable or responsible for misuse? Many home business owners never realize that they would be better off with some legal counsel and verbage until it is too late, while others might go along for years before realizing that disclaimers would make things run smoother. You might also be surprised at all the little ways that you should be getting permission or having a disclaimer (using photos … Continue reading →

Resolving Legal Issues Can Take Time

For many of us, our single family status has a legal component. We have either been through a separation or a divorce, or there may have been a death, or even if we became single parents by choice—there may be custody agreements and legal documents that help clarify our family status. Anyone who has ever been through a legal process can testify that these sorts of things take time. It can make it challenging to heal and get on with our lives when legal issues can really take a very long time… Keeping the legal pieces of our lives separate … Continue reading →

Filling Out Forms and Papers

We often talk about the psychological and emotional realities of being a single parent and heading up a family as the solo parent, but there are plenty of logistics that come into play too. Over the years, I’ve found that filling out forms and papers for my kids—everything from school registration forms, field trip permission forms, and even my own application for a passport—have required me to put some thought and consideration into my single parent status and how our family is configured. What are some of the questions that single parents face? Well, are you going to list the … Continue reading →

Keep Your Legal Stuff Up-to-Date

Single parent families usually have a bit more going on in terms of legal records and documents than a two-parent home. Many of us have divorce papers and decrees and legal custody documents that are part of our family papers. We also may have life insurance policies and other insurance documents. These are all not the sort of papers to be looked at once and put away. As our families grow and change, we may need to update our legal papers too. I have found over the years that I have needed to keep my legal divorce decree handy. I … Continue reading →

When Does a Writer Need an Attorney?

If your home business is built around freelance writing, you may think that you can get away with NOT utilizing some of the professionals and advisors that other types of businesses need. Your budgeting and income may be so simple that you may not think you need an accountant or bookkeeper, and the nature of your work may be so uncluttered that you manage pretty well all by yourself. And, while you may think you don’t need to consult an attorney, there are a few times when a lawyer may be just what you need in your writing business. For … Continue reading →

Providing For Your Writing Work in Your Will

For freelance writers and those who produce writing work for a living, you may be working so hard at just getting through the daily grind that you haven’t even thought of what to do about your writing work after you die. However, it can be a good idea to include provisions for your writing–copyrights, published and non-published work, notes, journals, etc. in your Will. You may want to name someone to be a “literary executor” in your Will. This person will make decisions regarding what can and can’t be published, what to do with current works, etc. This doesn’t have … Continue reading →

The Wheels of Justice Turn Slowly

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Our adopted children first came into our home as foster children. We were assured that there was a high probability that the birth mother’s rights would be terminated making it possible for us to adopt them. The longer that we knew them and cared for them, the harder it became to even consider that we might not get them. Once a child is taken from the birth mother’s custody, legal proceedings begin. The court has a legal mandate that the matter be resolved in one year. There is an exception to this rule which allows the proceeding to be extended … Continue reading →

Why You Should Keep Good Records–Even If You Don’t Have To

There are numerous reasons to keep good records while you’re homeschooling. If you’re lucky, you live in a state where record keeping is minimal. However, many states require a variety of records including, but not limited to, attendance, school work, book logs, and lesson plans. Why should you bother if you don’t have to? The 3 Why’s of Keeping Good Records 1) You should keep good records in case you ever find yourself having to defend your decision to home school in court. If for some reason, you were to be accused of educational neglect, you would have to prove … Continue reading →