Social Host Responsibility: What Every Parent of a Teenager Ought to Know
The at-home consumption of alcohol by minors is an age-oldproblem. It has become more problematic in recent years asfamilies have two parents working, or a single parent workingfull-time. Until recently, the illegal consumption or possessionof alcohol by a minor at a private residence was not a violation ofcriminal or civil law. The only exception was…
Using a Power of Attorney
A power of attorney (POA) is a written document that authorizesan agent (called an “attorney-in-fact,” even though any competentadult can be named, and it need not be an attorney) to performcertain acts on behalf of another person. The POA is especiallyvaluable when the nature and extent of an individual’s assets do notwarrant the expense of…
Stateside Provisional Waivers Becomes Reality
Effective March 4, 2013, certain waiver applications, previouslyonly available by application made outside the US have becomeavailable on a provisional basis by application made here in the US.The new law will benefit certain family members of US citizens(particularly spouses and unmarried children under age 21)who are ineligible to receive green cards within the United Statesbecause…
Family Based Immigration
MARRIAGE TO A U.S. CITIZEN U.S. citizens, who are married to, or intend to marry, a foreignnational are able to take advantage of a relatively fast route to agreen card. A special fiancé (K-1) visa enables a US citizen whointends to marry a foreign national and has met their fiancé inperson to bring the foreign…
Will Comprehensive Immigration Reform Happen?
Since November, nearly everyone has put immigration reformat the top of the list of things Congress could accomplishthis year. The president has encouraged it, Republicans havesoftened their opposition, organized labor and the Chamber ofCommerce are coming together, and a bipartisan group of keylegislators is working behind the scenes to draft a bill that achievescomprehensive solutions…
Trapped − American Families in Limbo
Harsh immigration penalties put into effect approximately fifteenyears ago impose a 10 year bar on anyone “unlawfully present’in the US for more than 365 days. This law perhaps, more thanany other, has resulted in a significant increase in the numberof undocumented immigrants in the US. The reason is thatthe penalty or “bar” to re-entry is…
When Mom & Dad Both Need Care: The Case for an Increased Community Spouse Resource Allowance
We are often called upon to assist families with a lovedone facing imminent nursing home care. In someinstances, families may face the difficult situation of bothparents being ill and requiring additional care beyondwhat can be provided in the home setting. For example,one parent may require placement in an assisted livingfacility or rest home, while a…
Obama Grants Immigration Relief to Some
On November 20, 2014, President Obama announced that he would take executive action to provide temporary relief to approximately 5 million undocumented workers. Frustrated by Congress’s failure to enact immigration reform, the president announced that he would use his executive authority to provide temporary relief from deportation to certain classes of undocumented immigrants. WHAT IS…
Feel Good by Doing Good – Recent Tax Changes Have Made it Easier to be Philanthropic
As a community-based legal practice, we recognize thebenefits that our community receives, directly and indirectly,from the abundance of non-profit organizations providingservices and programs throughout our region. For many ofus, this is our community of choice, because of the variedcultural organizations, the high quality medical facilities andthe private school systems that provide greater opportunitiesand make life…