As with many legal questions, the answer is: “it depends.” In order for a will to be validly executed, Oregon law requires that a will be (1) in writing, (2) signed by the testator (or person making the will), and (3) signed by two witnesses…
If you’ve recently been injured in an accident, you may be asking yourself “how can I get compensated for my injuries if I can’t afford an attorney?” Typically, for these kinds of cases, there is no statutory right to recover attorney fees, and plaintiffs must…
Southwest Portland Law Group represents personal representatives in probate, successor trustees in trust administrations, affiants in small estate proceedings, and heirs and devisees involved in estate proceedings. Often, we encounter questions about what to do immediately after someone dies. The simplest advice we can give…
Around this time of year, many people search for ways to give back to their communities, donate to local charities, or make gifts to their families and loved ones. Unfortunately, this altruistic intent can often leave people confused and overwhelmed with the tax consequences of…
A living trust is different from a trust that is created by a will (called a “testamentary” trust). A living trust is an agreement made during the lifetime of the “settlor,” the person creating the trust. In creating the trust, the settlor is making an agreement…
Personal guarantees are incredibly common in business. If you own a small business and ever have to borrow money, rent space, or buy expensive equipment, it’s almost certain that you will at some point have to sign a personal guarantee. Small business owners are often…
Last week, Attorney General Jeff Sessions released a formal memorandum effectively withdrawing the Cole Memorandum. As you may recall from our earlier posts, the Cole Memo directed the federal government not to use it’s limited resources to police robustly regulated state-legal cannabis. Under the direction of the Cole Memo,…
On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Job Act was signed by President Trump, signaling a sweeping legislative reform of the federal tax code. In November, we discussed how the new tax bill would affect pass-through entities, so now we will turn our attention…
Today, the House of Representatives passed its own tax reform bill that includes $1.5 trillion in tax cuts for individuals, corporations, and other business entities. Although the bill is far from becoming law, as the House and Senate bills must be unified, successfully voted on,…
Business Succession Planning Small business owners need a plan for what will happen to the business after they pass away. It’s a difficult issue for most over-worked entrepreneurs, especially for owners with multiple heirs who may not all agree on how the business should be…