| Volume 82 Number 3 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Take advantage of the law and get a free copy of your credit report. There are three credit bureaus. Get a free report from one of them every four months. This way you can keep current. Click here for more.
Debt Ceiling Debate Up Next
Before President Obama took office, Presidents never had any trouble getting congress to increase the debt limit. It was an important part of maintaining a stable marketplace, and was generally considered a procedural matter. In recent years, it has become more of a substantive issue. Congressional republicans have used the debt limit issue as a means of negotiating with the President and senate democrats on other issues, like privatizing social security. Democrats have suggested using a combination of spending cuts and tax increases to deal with the federal deficit.
Now that the "fiscal cliff" issue is behind them, congressional republicans reportedly plan to use the debt ceiling issue to ask for additional spending cuts. In turn, President Obama is expected to ask for additional revenue to correspond to any spending cut.
How will it all shake out?
Click here for more.
College Graduates Making More Money
College graduates have reason to celebrate! They're making more money!
A study found that starting salaries for recent college graduates are up 3.4% over the previous year. Recent engineering graduates are pulling in a cool $61,913!
To read about recent graduate salaries,
Click here for more.
More Tax Season Tips & Tricks
Do you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)? It could save you a fortune in taxes!
Are you (or your spouse) a member of the military?
Do you qualify for free tax services? If your adjusted gross income in less than %57,000, the IRS will help you file your taxes for free.
Check out these tips and tricks before you submit your tax filing!
Click here for more.
Your Money
What is your net worth? Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
“Open and obvious” rule does not bar shopper’s negligence suit. The Nevada Supreme Court held a store could be liable for failing to protect a customer from tripping over an “open and obvious” hazard. The plaintiff sued Costco for negligence for injuries sustained when he tripped and fell over a wooden pallet that an employee had left in a store aisle. Costco argued that it did not breach a duty of care because the hazard created by the pallet was open and obvious. The state supreme court, recognizing the “evolution” of state premises liability law, held that the open and obvious nature of a dangerous condition no longer automatically relieves a property owner from the general duty of reasonable care. The court noted that “The fact that a dangerous condition may be open and obvious bears on the assessment of whether reasonable care was exercised by the landowner,” but held it is not a complete bar. Click here for more.