For the love of your business
For the love of your business
Q: Is my business website considered my intellectual property? -Concerned Coder A: Dear Concerned: Your website is most certainly intellectual property (IP). But whether or not it’s your IP depends on whether or not you were the one who originally created the website. When it comes to IP, patents protect inventions, trademarks protect brand names, […]
Read MoreQ: What is an arbitration clause, and how does it work? -Engaged Entrepreneur A: Dear Engaged: Arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution in which two parties settle their dispute without litigation. An “arbitration clause” in an agreement requires the parties entering into the agreement to go through arbitration before taking a dispute to […]
Read MoreQ: What is employment practices liability insurance, and do I need it? -Befuddled Boss Employment practices liability insurance (EPL) protects your business from lawsuits that originate over employment disputes, including suits brought by current employees, former employees, and even potential hires. EPL is one of several different types of businesses liability insurance, such as general […]
Read MoreQ: With Trump’s new tax law in effect, do I still have to comply with Obamacare’s employer mandate? -Insurance Inquiry A: Dear Inquiry: While Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) did repeal the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) individual mandate, the new law did NOT change the employer mandate. So if you were previously required […]
Read MoreQ: Do I need liability insurance if my company is an LLC? -Wondering A: Dear Wondering: Every company, regardless of entity structure, really should have liability insurance. This is because limited liability companies (LLCs) and liability insurance offer two distinct forms of protection. An LLC is designed to protect your personal assets from lawsuits and […]
Read MoreQ: I need some basic contracts to use in my business. Do I need a lawyer to draw them up, or can I use templates I find online? -Buster Budget A: Dear Buster: Though it may be tempting to use generic legal agreements you find online, these do-it-yourself (DIY) documents are no substitute for the […]
Read MoreQ: A customer is suing me in small-claims court for breach of contract. What should I do? -Court Questions A: Dear Questions: First and foremost, do not ignore this claim. Just because it’s small-claims court, does not mean that it’s not as “real” as regular court. What makes small-claims court different is that the court […]
Read MoreQ: What is brand safety, and how might it affect my company? -Risk Manager A: Dear Risk: Brand safety is a relatively new facet of marketing aimed at keeping your company’s reputation safe when advertising. It primarily involves controlling where your online ads are placed, so they don’t appear alongside content that’s offensive, fraudulent, or […]
Read MoreQ: How does alternative dispute resolution work? -Leery of litigation A: Dear Leery: Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is a process of settling disputes without resorting to litigation. ADR can be used in disputes of all kinds: employer/employee, business/consumer, and business/business. In some cases, courts require parties to use ADR before the matter can be brought […]
Read MoreQ: What is “private inurement,” and can it affect my business? -Concerned A: Dear Concerned: First off, private inurement is something that only applies to nonprofits, so if you own a standard for-profit business, you won’t be affected. If you do run a nonprofit or are thinking of starting one, read on. The IRS stipulates […]
Read MoreQ: How does estate planning help my business? -Curious Company Owner A: Dear Curious Estate planning is absolutely crucial for business owners. When you die or if you become incapacitated, not having a plan can not only be disastrous for the company, but also cause major expense and conflict for your family. Your plan will […]
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