The critically acclaimed movie, "The Wolf of Wall Street," directed by Martin scorsese and released in 2013, recounted the story of a former stockbroker convicted of fraud crimes related to stock market manipulation as part of a penny stock scam. Leonardo DiCaprio...
PLDO Law Blog
Pannone Lopes Devereaux OGara LLC
What Rhode Island’s New Social Media Law Means to Your Business
Social media's surge in popularity has caused a sea change in how people act and behave, as well as the image they portray, whether intentionally or not. It didn't take long for employers to recognize social media as a useful tool to learn more about potential new...
When It Comes to Your Cell Phone, What Does Your Right to Privacy Include?
If you are one of the more than 90% of American adults who own a cell phone, consider for a moment what your device contains. Millions of lines of text? Hundreds of personal photographs? Your internet search history? Confidential or proprietary documents attached to...
Is A Not For Profit Organization Permitted To Engage In Lobbying Activities?
Lobbying provides an avenue through which charities can create change in communities and be a voice for the marginalized or disenfranchised in society. However, organizations exempt from taxation under the Internal Revenue Code ("IRC") Section 501(c)(3) are expressly...
ONE RISK YOU SHOULDN’T TAKE IS NOT HAVING THE RIGHT LIFE INSURANCE
If you never return from your sailing trip around the globe or reemerge from the deep ocean depths on the submarine destined for the Titanic, will your family receive the death benefit proceeds from your life insurance policy? That answer, as well as the answer to...
HOW TO BUY ULTRA-DANGEROUS ASSETS
It’s never a good idea to buy an asset, like a boat or plane, in your own name or to have multiple parties on the title. First of all, when your name is on the title, you are personally liable for any damage that the asset may cause. For example, you and Joe own a...
SO, YOU WANT TO WRESTLE AN ALLIGATOR?
Before base jumping into the miasma of risk, the first thing you should do is make sure your estate plan, in its current iteration, meets your needs and has adapted to any challenging or changing family situation. A well-rounded estate plan is literally more of a life...
HOW LIFE INSURANCE PROCEEDS COULD AFFECT A COMPANY’S VALUATION FOR ESTATE TAX PURPOSES
A recent case brought to light the impact that a stock-purchase agreement and life insurance proceeds may – or may not - have on the valuation of a closely held company for estate tax purposes. In this case that caused a split between the 8th and 11th Circuits, the...
HASTE MAKES WASTE . . . CASH THE CHECK.
One never knows what corner the grim reaper lies behind. A final illness can often accelerate quickly and deprive a donor of adequate time to complete gifts for tax purposes that he intended to make. In a recent federal court case, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals...