Thank you for visiting this website. I would like to offer some legal tips for everyday life. Of course the following does not even dent the surface of legal concerns that affect each of us but hopefully aids you in some fashion in your daily life.

Credit Card Fraud and Identity Theft:

With regards to the burgeoning concerns of credit card fraud and identity theft, follow these tips:

1. When writing a check to pay for a balance on a credit card account, do not put the complete account number anywhere on the check. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company can easily figure out the rest if need be.
2. Do not sign the back of your credit cards.  Instead, put “Photo ID Required.”
3. Put your work phone number on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a P.O. Box, use that instead of your home address.  Never have your social security number printed on checks.
4. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards or wallet was stolen. This proves to credit providers that your were diligent.  Most importantly,

• Call the national credit reporting organizations to place a fraud alert on your name. These phone numbers are as follows:
  • Transunion:  1-800-680-7289,
  • Equifax: 1-888-766-0008, and
  • Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742.
• While you are at it call the Social Security fraud line number, 1-800-269-0271, or alert them at http://www.ssa.gov/oig/hotline/index.htm. This may stop the criminals before they get started.

Estate Planning

With regards to the old saw that “nothing is certain but death and taxes,” remember that estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy.

If you’re an adult, you need an estate plan. This spells out what happens to your property when you die. While the law provides default rules for people who don’t specify their intentions, you might be surprised by what those rules say.

For the average person, an estate plan is simply a will (or “last will and testament”). This document spells out who gets what from your estate. Your handwritten will can be valid, if it is executed properly, but it’s safest to have a lawyer draft your will and walk you through the terms and consequences of the document.

If You Have a Business, Create a Separate Legal Entity

If you run your own business, no matter how small, you should consider a either a corporation or limited liability entity (in Illinois, a LLC or LLP). While the bookkeeping may seem easier without creating a legal entity, your personal exposure is unlimited without it. Creditors and people you have possibly wronged can come after you personally, which could put your family home and assets at risk.

To solve this problem, you can easily setup a basic corporation or a limited liability company. Then when you sign contracts and incur business debts, you are only putting the business on the line. It’s important to run the business properly to maintain your liability shield. But without the formal business entity, you have no hope of limiting your personal liability.

If In An Automobile Accident

If in an automobile accident/crash, here are some tips to follow:

1. File an accident report. Illinois requires that a report be filed if an injury occurs or physical damage to a vehicle exceeds $500.
2. Report the incident to your insurance agent. Even if you do not believe you were at fault, an insurance company can refuse coverage if the accident isn’t reported “as soon as practicable.”
3. Do not admit fault at the scene. This is a tough one for while it may seem unsociable and cold to not offer apologies; but these statements can be used as strong evidence against you. You must, however, exchange insurance information and cooperate with any police investigation.
4. Ask your insurance agent about ancillary benefits available to you under your own policy. You may have coverage for rental cars, wage loss or medical bills under your policy. Using these benefits should not raise your insurance rates if the incident was not your fault.