Newsletters
As promised, our newsletter begins with this issue. We hope that you will find something useful and interesting. If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact my office. You should find a "coupon" enclosed with this newsletter. It is a really good time of year to get this taken care of and we offer you a chance to do it NOW! Call the office and get an appointment. Tracy will tell you what information you need to bring in with you! And now, this month’s "nagging" by Victoria...
WHO NEEDS A WILL?
Who needs a will? Anyone over the age of 18 who has something that they want to leave to someone else when they die. The "something" need not be something big or worth a great deal of money. It could be passing on jewelry from the oldest daughter of one generation to the oldest daughter in the next generation or it could be as serious as naming a guardian and a trustee for your minor child. If you don't have a will, you have to rely upon other people (and the courts) to do what you want. The only sure way to make sure that your child will be raised by the person(s) you want instead of one of your relatives that you wouldn't allow to babysit for your pet iguana is a will. If you have some money and you want it to be spent to support a charity and not be squandered by your irresponsible 18 year old brother, you need a will. If you have some more money and you want to make sure your irresponsible 18 year old brother goes to school and gets an education, you need a will with a trust.
People don't like to think about a will because it reminds them that they will die one day. A lot of people only think about wills when they are about travel or have surgery. That happened to a friend of mine recently. She was having some tricky surgery, has a little money and she wants some of it to go to MY kid when she dies (it helps to have friends with a little money and no kids of their own). So, I couldn't do her will, but you can be sure that I sent her to someone who could!
So, do you need a will? Probably. Why don't you make an appointment for us to sit down and talk about it. We can talk about wills, trusts, powers of attorney or living wills, and what they mean for you and your family or friends. If you and your spouse (or significant other) come in together, you will get a reduced price. Simple wills are not expensive and may give you peace of mind.
Tracy's Desk
My primary skill is in helping people deal with computers; either setting them up or getting them to operate correctly. If you are thinking about getting a computer, talk to me first. I can usually track down the best price. If you are not sure what to get, I can help you by asking questions like: who will be using the computer the most, kids or adults; what type of things do you wish to do with the computer, homework, Internet, games or small business work; what is the skill level of the people that will use the system, beginner, novice, intermediate, expert, guru; and the most important question, how much do you want to spend. Today you can buy a computer for less than $500 that has more power than the mainframes in use in the early 80's! You can also spend $3,500 on a state of the art, mean machine capable of more than the first couple of generations of super computers. Give me a call, I can help free of charge. I don't sell machines so I have no need to encourage you to spend more money than necessary. By the way, I have worked on computers for 25 years and have owned one continuously since 1987.
Next month: Buying computers that plug in and run "out of the box."
CJ's Corner
Movies: Elmo in Grouchland. CJ says "I liked the singing where Elmo sang to his blankee and where he got his blankee back. I didn't like the man that took Elmo's blankee. Or when the other kids started crying. Oh yea, Mom fell asleep and was snoring."
Parent note - kids less than five might get upset (and did) but overall an ok experience for the Sesame Street crowd.
Software: Land Before Time Activity Center. Nice program for Windows. Includes 10, 20 and 30 second movie clips that kids watch by earning points doing activities. $19.95
<<PS from CJ’s Mom: CJ has been having a hard time staying in her own bed recently so she "earned" the Land Before Time software by sleeping in her own bed for 20nights in a row!>>
I don't know about you, but the lack of snow, (for the most part), this year is hard for me to take. I want snow for Christmas and my birthday. Yup, I am a December kid, and so is CJ. I haven't been skiing for years, but I mean to do it again any winter now . . . CJ is a speed demon on her sled. She sleds luge-style by stretching out on the sled with her toes pointed. She is excited every time the weather man says snow is expected. Still, nothing to speak of! This month's topic is what to do when you have a car accident. Two months ago, I thought it might be a good topic for the snowy winter months. Now without further ado, Victoria nags about . . .
WHAT TO DO AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT
1. Stop immediately don't even THINK about running away.
2. Determine if anyone is hurt. If someone IS hurt, call 911. Don't move anyone who is hurt. If someone who is hurt is wandering around, tell them to sit down and relax.
3. Call the police and leave the cars where they are, if possible. The police will take photographs of the cars for their official report.
4. Exchange names, addresses, telephone numbers, license numbers and insurance information with all the other drivers involved in the accident.
5. Get names, addresses and phone numbers for all witnesses. Passengers in the cars involved in the accident are witnesses; don't leave them out.
6. When the police come, make sure that you give them a factual account of the accident but DO NOT ADMIT FAULT, even if YOU believe you ARE at fault.
7. Make arrangements to receive a copy of the police report at the earliest possible time it is available, it is worth the hassle of going to the police station or public records bureau, if necessary.
8. Notify your insurance company as soon as possible but refuse to give a recorded statement of the accident until you have obtained your own counsel, especially if you are hurt.
9. If you are hurt, be sure to get medical help as soon as possible. You should make sure to record medical visits, procedures, medications and take note, on a daily calendar, of the progress (or lack thereof) of any injuries or physical problems you suffer because of the accident.
10. Do not talk to anyone ELSE'S insurance company until you have obtained legal counsel, once again, ESPECIALLY if you have been injured.
11. Obtain legal counsel at your earliest convenience. My office can help you to obtain expert counsel in case of personal injury of any sort, not just as a result of car accidents.
Although I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, I sincerely hope that the snow will only fall on the grass-no sidewalks to shovel and no slippery roads that cause accidents and the necessity of using the advice given above.
Tracy's Desk
As computers have gotten easier to use, the setup has also gotten less time consuming. Preplanning a Christmas computer setup will make Christmas morning go much smoother. As a general rule some assembly is required even for "out of the box" home computers. About a week before Christmas, unpack the computer and it's components. Connecting the keyboard, mouse, speakers, monitor and power cords to the back of the computer is usually straightforward. At most you will need a small Phillips head screwdriver. You will also need a power strip: find a good one with a surge protector built-in. Today computers come with most of the software already loaded and ready to go. Some of the software will have to be loaded (especially games and educational software). Open the CD cases and follow the instructions included. Once all the software is loaded and working, shut down the computer and repack it. Now you are ready for Christmas morning and "working out of the box".
If you are planning on using the internet, you will have to set up an internet account with an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Your computer will come with the software necessary to work with some national ISP's such as AOL, Prodigy and MSN. Using one of the ISP's included with your system will be easier to setup but more expensive monthly ($18.95-$21.95). The local ISP's will be less expensive ($9.95-$19.95/mo) but you will have to do more of the work getting started. This is another thing you will want to do before Christmas. Give me a call for comments and suggestions on local ISP's.
I will come to your house (or Santa's workshop) to do the computer and internet setup for $25 before Christmas or after Christmas. Give me a call and we can set up a time.
Website news: We have links to Harmon Homes Real Estate Guide and Barnes and Noble Bookstores. We are also discussing a link to a bank/mortgage company that specializes in working with people with credit history problems. The site has undergone a lot of revisions so if you haven't stopped by lately, take a look.
Also, we can send the newsletter by email. If you wish to be added to our email list, drop us a note at victoria@cazelaw.com
Next newsletter we will talk about Real Estate, buying, selling, FSBO's and loans.
CJ's Corner
CJ says, A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! My favorite Christmas movie is Rudolph the Red-Nose-Reindeer. It is fun to see Rudolph's story. I like it when Rudolph's father tries to hide Rudolph's nose with tar but it falls off and the red nose shines! I also like the Island of Toys nobody wants. My favorite part is when Rudolph saves Christmas for kids by leading Santa's sleigh.
** From CJ's Mama: CJ hasn't talked to Santa yet, but we went to Toys R Us and took a look around the store. She doesn't know it yet, but she's getting the LeapPad, a toy computer that will help her learn to read. It is a very popular toy we've been calling the store and have hopes of picking it up this week. For those of you with kids between 4-7, this thing is great. Not only will it help her to read, but it will also let her play games so that Mama has more computer time at home! The Leap Pad runs about $50 and you can get extra books and accessories for around $12-$15. ( No surprise there, eh?)
Greets!
Spring is in the air! (I am accepting the reality of things this year. We are just NOT
going to be getting a satisfying amount of snow.) This is the time of year when people begin to think about selling their homes. From now, until right after the kids go back to school in the fall, is the time, in my experience, that people are doing the most buying and selling real estate-without further ado:
VICTORIA TELLS YOU:
YES, YOU DO NEED A LAWYER FOR YOUR REAL ESTATE CLOSING!
In 1990, I bought my first house. Although, I had been practicing law for more than ten years at the time AND had done more than 100 real estate closings, I hired an attorney to do the closing. WHY? Because I was a *goofy* first
time buyer! ;-) Three years of law school and ten plus years of real estate closings and all I knew was I WANTED THAT HOUSE! I signed a contract that did not call for a home inspection or require a final walk-through within 48 hours of the closing. Goofy, eh? Well, the one thing that I did add to the contract was the four magic words that you need to use in any contract you sign for the sale or purchase of a house: "SUBJECT TO ATTORNEY APPROVAL." When I took the contract to Angela, my law partner in Chicago, she ripped me for being goofy and added all the good stuff into the contract.
I have now done more than 300 real estate closings as an attorney, and I don't seem to have memory problems when it concerns clients' contracts. I find it strange that buyers and sellers in Wisconsin do not, generally, use attorneys in their real estate
transactions. In Illinois, almost everyone uses a lawyer. Go figure. Call me
prejudiced, but I can't imagine spending $200,000 or more and not having someone "on my side." Your mortgage company and your real estate person are interested in protecting themselves. Your title company is interested in making sure that their rears are covered so they don't ever have to pay out on the title insurance policy. Hey! Who is looking out for you? Your lawyer. Is this the time to save a few bucks and find yourself in hot water a ways down the road? I do closings for $250-500, depending on the situation and the amount of work required. So, if you want a little protection in the largest purchase of your life-or the sale of your biggest asset, make sure you put those magic words: "Subject to attorney approval" and fax the contract to me at my office: 608-246-9740. Within 48 hours after I get your contract (except weekends), I will make suggestions or corrections to the contract and get back to you. Don't make what could be the biggest mistake of your life!
Tracy's Desk
My parents bought homes and renovated them (when renovated wasn't a often used term). Three times while growing up we moved into houses and
tore them up inside and out. With six kids, my parents had a lot of hands to put into
projects. There were always two projects planned each year, one in the winter months inside, and one in the summer months outside. We all learned carpentry, electrical and plumbing....if not professionally, at least well enough to handle most general problems. When I was married, we bought a piece of raw land and put two homes onto it. We did all the work we could without contractors. Putting all my experience onto paper, I wrote a small booklet for prospective home buyers. The Home Buyer's Guide points out areas to look and what to look for when walking through a potential purchase. It is also useful for owners to refer to when getting their property ready to sell. It is intended for pre-offer walk-throughs. You should still retain and use a professional inspector as part of the purchase agreement. If you are in the market (buying or selling) we offer a $50 coupon towards closing costs and a copy of the Buyers Guide. If you would like to see what the Guide looks like, there is a copy on the website.
Can you find a home online? Can you sell a home online? Yes and yes, both with qualifiers. Many Realtors make their listings available online. The local MLS is also online and offers many ways to search their database. Both the Board of Realtors and the MLS have links off our website page on Real Estate. Harmon Homes, the local Real Estate Guide is also online and linked off our site. There is even a link to Madison's "For Sale By Owner" site. You can even find contractors online. But, most things available online are provided by the big players. Individuals do advertise their property online, but finding them is time consuming. You can get approved for or receive a mortgage online. Local banking/mortgage relationships may not be available online. In the case of "less than stellar credit histories" the online mortgage market might actually be a better place to go.
Can you get a mortgage post bankruptcy? Yes. You will probably get "C" or "D" paper (2-4% higher interest) but you will be able to refinance with 18-24 months of good credit history to "B" or possibly "A" paper. Many of the local banks have agreements with other mortgage lenders to work with customers with "histories". Ask.
If you would like to see a particular topic for the newsletter, let us know.
CJ's Corner
CJ received many presents for her birthday and Christmas. Sometimes it is the simple things that get the most attention. CJ's favorite presents this year were the bubbles kit and her fire engine with the sirens. CJ loves blowing bubbles...even if they freeze before falling off the balcony....
CJ uses her LeapPad almost daily. We talked about it in the last newsletter and after
watching her use it, we most heartily recommend it. It is available at most stores with extensive kid sections (We got it at Target and additional books at WalMart and
Toys'R'Us).
Holidays are perfect for movies and CJ saw Stuart Little and Millennium Man recently.
About Millennium Man "it was silly, and too loud...I saw his butt....(giggle,
giggle)" There were no butts in the movie but she did seem more involved in
Millennium Man than Stuart Little. She also received the new Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse Christmas tapes both to mixed reviews. However, she recently received Tarzan and has watched it repeatedly. Her favorite part? "when Tarzan came up behind his mother and she said 'don't even think about it!'. It is funny when he goes...pllllussssssbbbbbbb."
CJ received Madeline's Thinking Games software for Christmas and has used it more often than any other software. We are always on the prowl for good learning software so let us know if you find any worth looking at.
Lastly, CJ does have her own email address and is beginning to use it to talk to her
cousins. If you have children in the 9-11 year old range that might want to correspond with her, let us know.