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Airbnb vs. Georgia
Airbnb is facing a potential class action lawsuit in Georgia, over claims that the short-term rental company is not paying its required city and county occupancy taxes. Attorneys for Cartersville, Hart County, Rome, and Tybee Island filed the federal lawsuit...
5 Tips For Keeping Your Estate Planning Resolutions
Now that New Year’s is a few weeks behind us, how are those resolutions going? If your answer is “not as well as expected,” don’t worry. 80% of people who make New Year’s resolutions lose their momentum around late-January or mid-February (Source: US News & World...
Atlanta’s Tiny House Movement: A Work in Progress
As the tiny house movement sets up shop in Atlanta, local municipalities have been slow to address concerns about zoning and construction amendments. Whereas some people were concerned about making the switch from a traditional home to a tiny house – the larger issue...
Safely Storing Estate Planning Documents
Where Should I Keep My Estate Planning Documents? After you have gone through the process of creating an estate plan, where should you keep your estate planning documents? You want to protect the paperwork that you so carefully prepared, but also, you want your loved...
Airbnb: New Year, New Regulations?
The last few years have seen a boom in the business of short-term vacation rentals, with companies such as Airbnb bringing new revenue streams to cities across the country. While Airbnb guests enjoy the company’s unique vacation experiences and reasonable...
The Changing Landscape of Consumer Privacy Laws
Currently, when a consumer experiences a breach of certain information, state laws require businesses to contact those affected, as well as notify consumer protection agencies and media organizations. However, as the problem of data security continues to grow, some...
Is Estate Planning on Your 2020 Resolution List?
It’s 2020! Time to make those personal resolutions for the new year. As you work through your To Do list, Brian M. Douglas & Associates has some advice about estate planning projects you can tackle this year. Create a Secure Filing System If you collect and store...
It’s End-of-the Year Tax Planning Time!
Do You Own Real Estate? Time to Start Getting Your Tax Info Organized As 2019 draws to an end, so does the deadline for tax deductions. If you own real estate or are a real estate investor, your income and potential tax deductions are likely top of mind. Homeowners...
Don’t Ignore Your HOA Fees!
If you’ve purchased a home in Metro Atlanta in the past decade or so, chances are, your house is part of a homeowner’s association (referred to as an HOA). Homeowner’s associations are often responsible for maintaining community spaces such as common areas, the...
Understanding the 2019 Gift Tax Exemption
It’s the holiday season, which means that many of us will soon be shopping for gifts for our friends and loved ones. While we’re in the giving state of mind, it’s a good time to discuss the annual gift tax exemption. What you spend or give away now could impact your...
High Profile Atlanta Trust Case Highlights Issues in Estate Planning
Image by Atlanta Journal Constitution After nine years, three trial judges, and thousands of pages of court documents, a settlement has finally been reached in a hotly contested case involving the estate of an Atlanta businessman. Wayne Rollins was a visionary...
Discussing Estate Plans Over the Holidays
If you’ve been meaning to talk to your parents about their estate plans but have been having a hard time picking the right time and place, you might want to bring the topic up during the holidays. With Thanksgiving this week and the rest of the holiday season right...