| Volume 61 Number 6 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
If some one makes you an offer to pay you a percentage to cash checks for them, say "no thanks." These are all rip-offs and scams and you will be left owing the bank a lot of money. Click here for more.
Computers Vulnerable to Adobe Flash Flaw
A few weeks ago, PCs nationwide became extremely vulnerable after a "zero-day" hole was found in Adobe Flash. Adobe was quick to create a patch to fix the problem. However, it appears Adobe was a bit too quick creating the fix. This week, the "zero-day" vulnerability appeared again. Exposure to the threat, which makes computers susceptible to hijackings, is established through a Flash (SWF) file embedded within a Microsoft Word doc (DOC). Until the next fix is released, be very careful opening files, especially email attachments. To read about the "zero-day" vulnerability, Click here for more.
Last Minute Tax Tips
Waiting until the last minute to file your taxes? You're not alone. According to the IRS, nearly 25% of taxpayers wait until the last two weeks of the season to file. If you're not careful, the wait may cost you. Insufficient postage, overlooked documents and credits, and math errors are just a few of the many mistakes taxpayers make when they wait, leaving no time to correct the errors. If you are waiting until the 11th hour, check out these last minute tips. Click here for more.
Can't Pay Taxes? File Anyway!
Having trouble making ends meet? Afraid you won't be able to pay your taxes this year? If you're short on money, the last thing you want to do is add the IRS to your list of creditors. If you owe income tax and don't have the money, you're probably better off requesting a payment agreement with the IRS. If you owe less than $25,000, you can request a payment agreement online (http://www.irs.gov). In some circumstances, the IRS may go easy on you as long as you're making an effort to pay, but you should contact them early and often. For more information on inaction, late fees, extensions, payment plans, and the like, Click here for more.
Act Fast: Airfare Deals
Thanks in part to Southwest Airlines' maintenance woes (including a hole in an mid-flight airplane), it is a good time to find great travel deals. Southwest Airlines started slashing prices in the last few days, dramatically reducing airfare between major cities. Other airlines are following the lead, including JetBlue and United. The sales won't last long! If you're planning to travel, act fact! Click here for more.
Your Money
Should you convert your IRA to Roth IRA? Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
PayPal seller is Fair Debt Collection Practices Act consumer. The 11th Circuit held that an online seller's PayPal obligation is a "debt" subject to the requirements of federal law. The court noted that requirements of the FDCPA, all of which it found satisfied. "The FDCPA [applies] only to payment obligations of a (1) consumer arising out of a (2) transaction in which the money, property, insurance, or services at issue are (3) primarily for personal, family, or household purposes." Click here for more.