Archive for March, 2010

Visa Issues For Your Filipina Bride

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

As incidents of Filipino citizens flying to the United States or other countries and not returning home pile up, government and the foreign embassies were prompted to implement stricter measures in issuing visas.

When a foreigner crosses cultures just to acquire a Filipina bride, he has to go through numerous hassles, like complying with mountains of paperwork, spending hundreds of dollars and waiting for a long time before he can finally take his Filipina bride to his country. Processing the requirements for a fiancee or spouse visa takes time and the length of the waiting time depends on where you live.

You can either apply for a fiancee visa (K1 Fiancee Via) or a spouse visa (IR-1) for your Filipina bride, but you still have to comply with several requirements. There are many specialized lawyers that can help you with this. The law requires that you and your Filipina girlfriend must have been legally free to marry and if your girlfriend is granted a fiancee visa, you have to marry her within 90 days after arrival in your own country.

You may need to show documents to prove your relationship with your Filipina girlfriend so keep track of those emails you exchanged with each other, letters, photos, plane tickets and any other proof that you have a relationship going on.

To obtain a spouse visa for your Filipina bride, first of all you must get married so you can petition your Filipina wife to migrate to your own country. If you get married in the Philippines, you must comply with all the requirements of applying a marriage certificate and getting married whether in the church or civil ceremony.

You must not forget to bring important documents if you want to get married in the Philippines, like your US passport, an Affidavit from the US Embassy, a divorce decree or spouse’s death certificate if you were previously married, proof that you have informed your parents if you are 22 to 24, or proof of parental consent if you are 18 to 21 years old. These are needed in filing for a marriage license. Your marriage must be authentic and valid under the Philippine laws, and only then can you file a petition to get a visa for your Filipina wife.

Here is a brief run on the procedures of acquiring a spouse visa. After you return to your own country, you should file a petition with the nearest office of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) where your place of residence is covered. The INS will in turn send the papers to your Filipina bride for her to comply. You and your Filipina bride must return all required forms to the National Visa Center, who will in turn forward all of the documents to the US Embassy, including your Affidavit of Support.

Your Filipina bride will then have to wait for an interview with the consular officer in your Embassy who will determine if she will be issued a visa or not. If you join bride tours, they will take care of all the visa processing and immigration procedures but if you came on your own, you and your Filipina fiance will have to do the petitioning or applying of her visa.

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Avoiding Discrimination Lawsuits

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

Sometimes its very difficult when you have a business to know what is going to rub someone the wrong way when you are advertising or writing descriptions of the products you sell. Its easy enough to make the mistake of attempting to describe a product as one that will appeal to certain groups of people and causing others to feel you are discriminating. Cosmetics and hair products that are designed for hispanics and blacks are the most common. Sometimes its difficult to know how to write a description of a product without offending someone, so you must be very choosy with the words you use.

Besides, advertising employment is another area that faces discrimination lawsuits on a regular basis. Although some of the cases are valid, most are frivolous cases that involve a disgruntled employee who has been overlooked for a promotion or has been reprimanded for job related issues and is looking for something to justify their anger. Employers have to be very careful today to make sure that any time they have dealings with a minority employee over promotions or job performance, they have the documentation to back up their decision.

For example, if you have a choice between a black and white employee for a promotion and they are equally qualified, do not use seniority as an issue if that is not your customary policy. In this case, to avoid a potential lawsuit, you must look at other issues such as punctuality, loss of time, production standards if applicable, ability to work well with others and overall attitude. Although you may believe that because you own your own store, you can choose your customers, that is only partially true.

If someone comes in to buy something and is belligerent and unruly, you have the right to ask him or her to leave but on the other hand, you cannot refuse to sell to someone because of his or her race, religion or national origin. You can not put a sign in your window that says you refuse to serve certain groups of people. If you own a bar, you can refuse to serve people who are already intoxicated but you can not refuse to serve Italians for example. On the same score, you can not remove blacks that become unruly while letting whites stay no matter how boisterous they become. The rules you make must pertain to everyone or you open yourself up to a lawsuit.

On the other hand, that does not mean you can not open a hair salon that is predominantly for black women as long as you do not refuse service to other groups who may wish to use that shop. After all, some women from other ethnic groups may wish to use the shop just for a hair cut or style without needing the special treatments that the texture of a black womans hair needs. Its important to understand all of the issues surrounding potential discrimination lawsuits in order to avoid them.

Obinna Heche. Los Angeles – California

Delivering the best home based business ideas and
opportunities so you can work at home successfully..
http://www.home-incomeportal.com

When Slip and Fall Cases with Injuries Are Easy to Claim

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

In today’s world, the word seems to be “sue,” even when the fault is clearly with the person and not the business where the accident occurred. Unfortunately, in many cases, it is easy to claim injuries from a fall without having to provide any proof. Why is that? Because many businesses, especially retailers, are so haphazard in their methods of safety that they cannot even prove to anyone whether a claim is valid or not.

If stores and other businesses wish to avoid claims of slip and fall accidents, they need to begin by assuring that the aisles are clear and free of any kind of liquid on the floor. The most common occurrences of falls involve spills on the floors that have not been cleaned up. Although it’s easy enough to say that people need to be cognizant of where they are walking, the real truth is that business owners and managers need to be aware of spills on the floor, debris in the aisles, and any other obstructions that may cause someone to fall. If you are in the habit of not clearing away obstructions, it is an open invitation for people to claim falls and injuries in order to collect on insurance claims.

One of the most common ways people find to claim slip and fall injuries is that of ice in the parking lot of a business. If the ice is there, it is next to impossible for anyone to say the accident didn’t happen because of the ice. It may very well be that the person who made the claim didn’t even fall, but when the evidence supports the possibility, there is little anyone can do. Making it easy for people to slip and fall is something that is far too common with businesses, and even sometimes with individual homeowners and apartment managers. It seems to be so much easier with snow and ice to let it go, thinking that the sun will warm up and melt the ice. By doing that, sets someone up for a lawsuit.

Leaving debris in the hallways and entranceways is another way businesses set themselves up for lawsuits. It doesn’t matter that someone is capable of walking around the obstruction. If it’s there and someone CLAIMS they fell and suffered injuries, there is nothing anyone can do but pay. Unless you have cameras in the area where the accident occurred and were able to videotape it, there is no way to prove it didn’t happen. When you set yourself up for a potential accident by failing to exercise proper safety precautions, you cannot blame someone for taking advantage.

Lack of safety precautions is the major cause of slip and fall cases that involve injuries, both real and imagined. Avoid setting yourself up for a potential lawsuit by making certain that all aisles, parking lots, and entrance ways are clear of debris, liquids, ice, and anything else that has the potential for causing injury to others who may enter or leave the property.

Bergel, Magence is a Toronto Ontariopersonal injury law firm that represents individuals who have been hurt in car accidents, slip and falls for many decades.
www.bergellaw.com/

Corporate Secretarial Services in the Kingdom of Thailand

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

In today’s dynamic business world, the success of corporate governance largely depends on fulfilling a multitude of secretarial works, legal necessities, and constitutional compliances. No matter it is a small business set up or a large business corporation, corporate secretarial services are essential for the success and existence of a business.

Corporate secretarial services are simply services undertaken in order to comply with the regulatory requirements put forward by a company’s registered jurisdictions. These services are usually carried out by reputable law firms.

In the Kingdom of Thailand, corporate secretarial services are primarily offered in connection with the formation and registration of new company, Thai limited partnership, and procedures for filing in order to qualify for protection under the Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations between the United States and the Kingdom of Thailand.

However, in most cases, these services are categorized into: basic services, services in connection with attending of meetings on behalf of clients, and complex projects. Basic secretarial services consist of maintenance of statutory books, filing of returns, and provision of company secretary. Among the complex corporate secretarial projects are procedures in connections with the purchase of shares, restructuring of company, modeling of financial statements, implementation of management systems and control, and registering and reregistering of companies.

Depending upon the unique requirements of corporate clients, services offered in connection with corporate secretarial vary from firms to firms. As mentioned earlier, corporate services consists of establishment of business structure in Thailand, providing advice on foreign investment rules, providing advice on exchange control, maintenance of statutory records and company filings, processing and monitoring trade documentation, and providing advice on international trade as well as trade finance. In some instances, corporate secretarial services in the Kingdom of Thailand include:

- Providing facilities in order to keep and maintain company books and company seals
- Arrangement for the provision of nominee directors
- Proper maintenance and revision of company statutory registers and minute books
- Organizing as well as attending of meetings of directors
- Preparation of resolutions for the purpose of meetings of directors and shareholders
- Preparation of minutes for annual general meetings and extraordinary general meetings

Some legal firms provide such services as:

- Local advertising
- Establishing as well as maintaining directors’, shareholders’, and officers’ registers
- Arrangement for banking relationships and maintenance of bank accounts
- Filing statutory records with the government authorities of the Kingdom of Thailand
- Liaising with auditors, brokers, legal advisors, accountants, custodians, and shareholders
- Filing of annual returns
- Ensuring efficiency of corporate firms through maintenance of separate fax, telephone, and other electronic services for the company

Different types of corporate secretarial services also cover providing guidance as well as practical support to directors, communicating with shareholders in order to ensure that due regard is paid to their interest, providing assistance and advice for establishing corporate actions such as bonus issues and script issues, and ensuring that all of the company’s activities including holding of shareholders’ meetings, issuance of notice, maintenance of statutory records, dividend payments and corporate governance, are carried out in accordance with the requirements of Companies Act and Regulatory authorities. Above all, corporate secretarial services also consist of preparation of share certificates and registers and company searches.

Corporate secretarial services rendered by reputable law firms provide a host of benefits to corporate clients. One of the key benefits is that it allows you to focus on your core business activities. Another advantage is that these services undertaken by good service providers ensure that all the activities with regard to company is carried out and maintained in good standing.

Thailand has a plethora of law firms to render the best in corporate secretarial services. But, it is important that you should make a thorough investigation with regard to the professionalism as well as the way they render the corporate secretarial services, prior to approaching a law firm in Thailand. It must also be checked whether the attorneys are licensed by the Law Society of Thailand.

Many of the reputable law firms assist and guide their clients through the business and legal environment. Some of them even address prospective issues that a new investor may encounter. There are also some reputable law firms in Thailand that render a range of management functions to its corporate clients, such as, accounting, banking, and invoicing services, apart from corporate secretarial services.

For nearly 30 years, Bamrung Suvicha Apisakdi Law Associates (BSA Law) has focused on providing reliable legal advice and services to the Thai and foreign business community in Thailand. We provide international standards of legal services while retaining the customs of the Thai business culture.

More to Know About Accident Benefit Coverage for Ontario

Monday, March 29th, 2010

For those in Ontario, there are some standards and options that are part of standardized insurance policies for that area. For example, income replacement benefits are available for a wage earner who becomes injured in an accident. The standard weekly income replacement benefit is a maximum of $400 per week, but if your income is higher than this, you can purchase additional coverage that will increase your weekly benefits to $600, $800, or $1,000. For those who do not quality for either income replacement or caregiver benefits, you are eligible for $185 every two weeks, if you are injured severely enough that you cannot perform your normal daily routine.

If you are a full-time caregiver who is disabled because of an accident, you can receive $250 per week for the first dependent and $50 for each additional dependent. You can also purchase additional coverage to increase your benefits to $325 per week for one dependent and $75 per week for each additional dependent. Dependent care benefits are also available at an additional cost for those who are employed at the time of the accident and must pay for someone to take care of the children because of the accident. This optional benefit pays $75 per week for the first child and $25 for each additional dependent.

Other benefits include medical and rehabilitation benefits, attendant care benefits, and death and funeral benefits. For those who are involved in an accident, it’s good to know that there is a source of payment for all of the ongoing care that one may need after a serious accident. This is especially true of the income replacement provisions, because even if you have health insurance to cover the medical expenses, or rely on the National Health program, that only covers medical expenses. If you are disabled because of the accident, you need more than just payment for medical expenses.

In many areas of the policy, you can increase the standard coverage to an amount that is more compatible to your needs. If you make $600 a week, a maximum of $400 is not going to cover your bills, let alone your standard of living. You have to look at the entire picture when you first obtain quotes for your car insurance. You must be sure that you have enough coverage in case of an accident that causes you to become disabled. Even if you don’t think you’ll have an accident that’s your fault, cover yourself. In all likelihood, if you don’t have the coverage, you’ll have an accident with someone who has no insurance, and thus, no way for you to collect.

Some of the coverage may not apply to you or appear necessary, but even if you are the primary wage earner, look at the possibility that your spouse may be involved in an accident and need someone to take care of the children while you are work. Never shortchange yourself or your family because you think it can’t happen to you’even if you’ve never had an accident in your life.

The law office of Bergel Magence provides Toronto personal injury lawyers that represent seriously injured, slip and fall and car accident victims.
http://www.bergellaw.com/

How To Use Available Legal Forms

Monday, March 29th, 2010

The use of legal forms is necessary in most business environments and varies according to the purpose for which they are intended. Using prepared legal forms is beneficial to both small as well as large companies. There are numerous, simple legal forms that deal with everything from minor issues such as issuing a bill of sale or health care directive or there may be more complex legal forms for more complex issues such as those related to stock issuances and bankruptcies.

It is not always necessary to file the legal form in court in order for it to be legally binding. A number of personal forms such as wills and trusts can be completed at home and do not require much more than a notary public notarizing them to make them legally recognized documents. Traditional legal services certainly cost a lot of money. A lawyer may charge as much as several hundred dollars an hour to fill out a few simple forms that one could have easily purchased and completed on their own at a mere fraction of the cost of hiring a lawyer to do the same work for you.

It is not wise to undertake legal activity lightly and one should exercise care and use legal guides to assist with the preparation of all legal forms. For more complex transactions having a lawyer review your self-prepared document is a great way to get professional approval of the legal form while also saving money and time.

Legal forms run the entire gamut of legalese that includes every imaginable kind of legal issue such as bankruptcy, contractual agreements, incorporation of companies, credit forms, divorce forms, employment forms, bill of sale, buy sell agreements and a lot more. Sometimes, the forms need to be prepared, reviewed, and filed, which usually entails additional costs.

Legal form boilerplates, business forms, templates, plans and processes are readily available in the market and finding them should not pose any problem. For a few dollars one may obtain completely researched and well formed legal forms boilerplates, business forms, templates, plans and processes. There is no need for researching and creating one from scratch as buying these documents provides an avenue for obtaining comprehensively created solutions that have been drafted by professionals and are suited for all manners of use in all states and countries.

Spend a few dollars and one could reap great benefits in terms of time, money, and risk.

Wade Anderson is a CPA and operates DigitalWorkTools.com

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A Primer on Selling Your Business–12 Tips for Maximizing Value

Monday, March 29th, 2010

When selling a business, the seller will naturally try to increase the company’s value and reduce its post closing risks or losses. These need to be accomplished, of course, without causing any disruption to current operations. Before putting the business up for sale, the seller must first identify areas of concern. This way the seller will be well-prepared to deal with term sheets and letters of intent, negotiating the terms of the sale, and addressing the issues that may arise during the sales transaction. If a seller fails to address pre-sale planning considerations, it is very likely that the outcome will be unsuccessful.

In order to increase a company’s value and achieve a successful sale, sellers should be mindful of these considerations:

1. Organize Corporate Records: sellers must anticipate that the buyer will be interested in the company’s corporate records. Due diligence disclosures that are anticipated must be updated and reviewed. These records should include key corporate, financial, accounting and operational records as well as all legal documents.

2. Show Company Growth: sellers must be able to confirm the historical as well as projected company growth, both for the short-term and long-term. This can be done by preparing a financial model that covers acquisition opportunities displayed on a time-line basis.

3. Explain Company Performance: sellers must be prepared to defend the financial performance of the company, explaining in detail any fluctuations in profit, operational expenses, selling costs and other overhead expenses including salaries and material.

4. Describe Return on Investment: sellers must help the buyer confirm its company valuation by showing detailed reports on return on investments for every item classified as capital expenditure, together with an anticipated time frame.

5. Highlight the Management Team: if the buyer is considering making an investment in the existing management team, sellers must make sure that they will highlight the manager’s experience and contribution to the company. Also, providing the buyer with a detailed assessment of the low-level managers who can be considered assets should also be performed.

6. Operate the Company: although the sales process will consume much of the senior managers’ time and efforts, operations must never be disrupted. The senior management should not forget to continue to meet their business goals and targets during this period.

7. Enter Into a Confidentiality/Non-Disclosure Agreement: sellers must not forget to enter into a non-disclosure and confidentiality agreement with all potential buyers in order to protect the proprietary company information which may be shared during the course of sales negotiations.

8. Negotiate the Terms of a Letter of Intent: sellers should negotiate the terms of the sales and make sure that they are properly reflected in the Letter of Intent. This should include ancillary provisions, material economic terms, payment arrangements, limitations or restrictions on the indemnification obligations, extent and nature of warranties and representations and the period for the buyer’s right to perform. By preparing a detailed Letter of Intent, sellers and buyers can be assured that they both agree on important business points, respective obligations and legal terms before finalizing the sales documents. This will help them avoid delays and additional sales transaction costs.

9. Employee Incentives: the awareness of an impending sale might result in making the employees anxious. In order to avoid any negative effects on day-to-day operations and potential harm to the planned sales transaction, it is important that sellers give their employees incentives. These incentives can be in the form of bonuses, benefits, and perhaps even equity participation.

10. Select an Investment Banker: the services provided by an experienced investment banker might come in handy for sellers. These services include identifying financial and strategic buyers, gathering realistic information pertaining to the valuation of the company and obtaining data on market intelligence. Sellers should consider factors such as experience, reputation and professionalism when looking for an investment banker.

11. Obtain Accounting, Financial and Tax Advisors: sellers should have accounting and tax advisors that will review and analyze all considerations during the sales transactions in order to foresee possible problems and eliminate them as early as possible.

12. Obtain Sarbanes-Oxley Act Counsel: sellers must seek counsel who are expert in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Also known as the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act of 2002, this legislation covers requirements that may be important to the acquisition of the company. If the seller targets compliancy to this Act, company valuation will improve.

Robert Masud, Esq. is the principal of Masud & Company LLC, a law firm for the world of business, finance and the internet.
Find out how our lawyers can help you at http://www.masudco.com.

The Importance Of Making A Will

Monday, March 29th, 2010

Will making isn’t something that people think about on a regular basis. Whether this is because they don’t realise what they’re worth, think they have plenty of time to do it or just don’t think about it, it is important to consider having one written just in case.

The main reason why will making is so important is because without one, your family could be left with nothing. A will specifies who you want your money, property, possessions and even children to go to should something happen. Once you have done this you can be assured that the things you care about the most will be going into good hands.

A lot of people use will making as a method of stating specific instructions for their burial and if they wish to donate organs to medical research. If you wish to donate your organs but this hasn’t been specified anywhere then it will not be possible to do so as no instructions will have been given.

If will making is something you have never thought of before then now is the time to start considering it. Without a will all of your assets will be divided by the State which means that someone else will decide who receives everything that you left. It isn’t nice to think that the people you love the most could be left with nothing and someone else gets everything you worked so hard for.

Will making is important because a lot of people automatically assume that the person they are married to will get everything. This isn’t necessarily always the case as children, parents, brothers and sisters may all have a claim even if you haven’t seen them for years.

Even if you don’t own much it is still beneficial to think about will making. Certain things like jewellery may have sentimental value and it would therefore be heartbreaking if it had to get taken away. People are often worth more than they realise anyway because the cost of a house, car and furniture all add up. Will making can be especially important if you haven’t got much because it would mean that the little amount there is will become even less once it has been divided amongst everybody.

Although will making isn’t something that people like to think about and they tend to leave until later on in life, regardless of how old you are or what you own it should definitely be done sooner rather than later.

Affinity will making is one of the leading firms of independent Will writers in the United Kingdom with over 100 years collective experience, specialising in Will drafting, Trusts, Estate Planning and Probate.

Why Make A Will?

Sunday, March 28th, 2010

People tend to think of will making for the sick or the elderly and don’t think about it until much later on in life. However, there is no harm in making it sooner rather than later and once it’s done you don’t have to worry what is going to happen to all your possessions should something happen.

It is a common misconception that once will making has been complete that’s it which is why so many people leave it until so late. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth as you are able to change it however much and however often as you want.

There are plenty of good reasons for will making with the most important one probably being that this way you have complete control over who gets your things. Without a will the law takes over which means that your friends, family or anyone else who you wanted to benefit may not get anything at all.

Will making is especially important if you have a partner but are not married. This is because unmarried partners cannot inherit anything from each other unless there’s a will. As a result of this your partner may be left with nothing which could be especially devastating if you have children.

Another extremely reason why will making is a necessity is in order to protect your children. In your will you can choose who you wish your children’s guardian to be should something happen. If nobody is specified then it will be left to other relatives to decide who gets your children which means that someone you wouldn’t have normally chosen may get your children.

Will making can also ensure that your will is tax efficient which is very important if you are leaving a lot which protects your friends and family. Perhaps the most important part of will making is the fact that with one you can be assured that your wishes are going to be carried out. Passing away isn’t something that people like to think about but as you get older it is reassuring to know that the ones you love are going to be looked after. There are plenty of will making companies out there who even offer after care services which means that the process couldn’t be easier or more straight forward. With step – by – step instructions and round the clock service there is no reason why you shouldn’t make out your will today.

Affinity will making is one of the leading firms of independent Will writers in the United Kingdom with over 100 years collective experience, specialising in Will drafting, Trusts, Estate Planning and Probate.

After Care Services For Wills

Saturday, March 27th, 2010

Whether will making is something that you are familiar with or not, everyone should know that it is extremely important to keep it somewhere safe after it has been drawn up. If it cannot be found when you die, the law states that it does not exist. This means that your loved ones may not get the possessions you wanted them to have.

Once will making has been complete there are a number of options available as to where you can store it. Some will making companies offer a will making service which can be one of the best options available as you can guarantee its security.

These after care services begin as soon as will making is complete to assure you that your will is in safe hands. Typically, there will be a series of follow – ups after your will making documents have been sent to you, once you are sure that you are happy with the content you sign them and then return them.

A will making after care service also makes it very easy for you if circumstances change so you need to change your will. This can be done in correspondence or even by email which greatly reduces costs and can even be free of charge sometimes. The after care service will even help you to decide whether you need to make changes or not by publishing a newsletter. It is important to read this because it contains vital information on various things that may affect your estate.

You will even receive a copy of your will to keep at home to give you piece of mind. On top of this you will receive certificates of deposit for your will making document so there will always be evidence that you made one. You can leave these with whoever you feel the most appropriate as they ensure that everyone knows exactly where will making documents are being kept and what action needs to be taken when the documents are needed.

There are many benefits to using this service including the fact that when you die the company in question can give your Executors free advice. This means any questions or queries they have can be answered quickly, easily and honestly. As well as this, they can help with the general administration of your estate which can save hundreds of pounds.

After care services for will making are ideal because there is always someone there to answer any questions for you. It can be a confusing and stressful time so having some extra support there for you can be such a relief.

Affinity will making is one of the leading firms of independent Will writers in the United Kingdom with over 100 years collective experience, specialising in Will drafting, Trusts, Estate Planning and Probate.

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