| Volume 141 Number 82 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Overdraft protection is a great way to save money when you make a mistake and overdraw your account. But be careful, some overdraft plans can cost you as much as the bounced check fees. Talk with your bank about a plan with a low fee tied to another account or imposing reasonable interest on the balance until it is paid. Click here for more.
Air traffic controllers sue the U.S. over the shutdown
With no end in sight for the government shutdown, it’s all hands on deck. Congressional leaders are pushing for relief, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has its hands tied in trying to deal with routine inspections, and other agencies -- like the IRS -- are doing their best just to keep up with commitments to consumers. One consumer segment greatly impacted is the travel industry. Airports, national parks, and others are taking a $100 million hit per day and the traveller is feeling the brunt. Click here for more.
Your Money
Determining which tax bracket your income falls into is surprisingly complex. But performing this calculation can be instrumental in helping you find strategies to reduce your federal tax bill and double-check any calculations done by a tax-software program or tax preparer. Taxpayers in 2019 should know that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act generally reduced tax rates. But they should also note that the increased standard deduction and loss of personal exemptions, among other factors, will impact the calculations used to determine the tax bracket into which their income falls. Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
If we wait to take action until we identify all the reasons civil jury trials are in decline, trials might disappear altogether. Let's address the causes we've already identified using these important jury innovations, says Stephen Susman, executive director of the Civil Jury Project at NYU School of Law. Click here for more.