| Volume 25 Number 11 |
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Memorial Day: Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans " the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) " established Decoration Day (Later to be called "Memorial Day")as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration Day should be observed on May 30. It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country. The first large observance was held that year at Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. In 1966, Congress and President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, N.Y., the "birthplace" of Memorial Day. Click here for more.
The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Don't let anyone steal your identity when they go "pfishing". Pfishing is when an identity thief sends you a fake notice that looks like it's from a bank, creditor, credit card company or PayPal, telling you there is a problem with your account and to reply. Never reply to any email asking for personal information. If you think it is a real request, call the creditor to confirm it.
5 Things You Should Never Rent
With prestige items such as big-screen TVs, renting can cost more than twice the price of buying. But there are some things you should always rent. Click here for more.
Property Taxes Trip Up Naive Homebuyers
Longtime homeowners may be willing to accept property taxes as an unavoidable fact of life, but homeownership newbies could be surprised or even shocked to discover just how costly these annual government assessments can be. Homebuyers need to plan ahead for property taxes, which can easily amount to thousands of dollars each year. Yet it's not always easy to figure out how much to budget for this expense. Click here for more.
Class Action Suit Claims NCAA Ticket Lottery is Illegal
A class action suit has been filed against the NCAA and Tickmaster, claiming the two organizations violated racketeering laws by making ticket purchasers pay a non-refundable fee to enter a lottery for the right to purchase tickets to high-profile sporting events including the NCAA Tournament. Click here for more.
5 Reasons You Don't Need an Agent
For homeowners, there are thousands of reasons to bypass real estate agents and sell your property yourself. "If you cut out all agents...you would essentially cut out on average about 6 percent of commission," says Greg Healy, vice president of operations at ForSaleByOwner.com, a Web-based company that markets homes for independent sellers. "On a $300,000 home, that's about $18,000 of savings." But despite this huge potential savings, many home sellers"especially in today's tough housing market"feel that a real estate agent's expertise is essential. Click here for more.
Your Money
What will it take to reach your investment goal? Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Future IRA payments may not be part of bankruptcy estate. The 3rd Circuit has noted that that an intervening Supreme Court decision impliedly overrules its own earlier precedent, and that a debtor's right to receive future payments from an IRA may not be part of her bankruptcy estate. Click here for more.