Data privacy and national security concerns have become increasingly prominent in our conversations, especially surrounding the TikTok divestment and the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) enforcement efforts. This article identifies some of the key issues in the evolving legal landscape and offers considerations on how to consciously evaluate the use of your private data. The TikTok Debate: Balancing Innovation Read More
Navigating Peer-to-Peer Payment Apps (Zelle, PayPal, Venmo, etc.): The good, the bad, and the ugly.
Photo by Rami Al-zayat on Unsplash Peer-to-peer (P2P) payment applications have become indispensable tools for simplifying our financial lives. Whether you're sharing a restaurant bill or paying for that Airbnb stay, most of us can agree these apps are convenient and easy to use. However, as with any technology, there are potential pitfalls, so consider protecting yourself from being defrauded and losing money. Read More
Guardianships: A legal process to help when someone close is impaired and unable to make decisions or communicate without assistance.
Arizona has a law, Arizona Revised Statute § 14-5101, that helps define when guardianship may be sought through the courts for an impaired adult, effectively “incapacitated.” An adult may be considered incapacitated due to mental or physical impairment caused by a disease or drug addiction. As a result, the person cannot communicate or understand to make decisions that affect them directly. It may be a short-term Read More
Do I Need a Lawyer?
Almost everything we do—from making a big purchase of a vehicle or home to operating a vehicle and interacting with others personally and professionally—can implicate a legal concern. When do you need a lawyer? When might you handle a legal concern without one? Some challenges may be assisted, at least in part, with the help of another professional, accountant, counselor, or perhaps clergy. Here are some frequent Read More
Your Medical Records: Do you have access and ownership?
Photo by Hush Naidoo Jade Photography on Unsplash “Access to computers and the Internet has become a basic need for education in our society.” Kent Conrad Do you own your medical records? Henrietta Lacks unknowingly donated her medical information when as a young mother of five, she died from cervical cancer. Her cells, identified as "HeLa cells" (taken from her first and last name), were used in Read More
The Rooftop Solar Market: Considerations Before You Invest
Photo by Angie Warren on Unsplash “We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be using Nature’s inexhaustible source of energy – Sun, wind, and tide… I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.” -Thomas Edison Due to increasing energy costs and a growing solar Read More
Have you made an emergency plan yet?
Photo by Marissa Grootes on Unsplash "Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier." - Mother Teresa Do you have an emergency plan? I am prompted by a close call at our home several weeks ago when the palm trees in Agua Caliente Park caught fire with a lightning strike. In the middle of the afternoon, I looked out my office window and saw high flames in the air a short distance away. Read More
How to Improve a Business: Whether it is your own business or another business you support.
We put together some tips on how to improve a business and workspace: Organize. Getting organized is a key to improving your business or employment skills. Many software-as-a-service (SaaS) tools exist to increase organization. Online programs such as Slack, Asana, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams, are types of platforms that assist businesses and employees to collaborate more efficiently. Keeping your office and desk Read More
A Few Pointers about Odometer Fraud.
Things gained through unjust fraud are never secure. - Sophocles Vehicle Title History. When considering purchasing a vehicle obtain an inexpensive summary of the vehicle’s title history from the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, Carfax, and/or AutoCheck; it may show odometer discrepancies. However, don’t rely solely on title history summaries, for they do not always identify a vehicle’s problems. Read More
What the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act is and How it Can Help You as a Business owner and Consumer.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” ― Nelson Mandela The Arizona Consumer Fraud Act (the Act) provides a person (which could be a person or business as defined under the Act) with a legal remedy when harmed by any person, by an unlawful act, use, or practice in connection with a sale or advertisement of merchandise. The Act prohibits unfair and deceptive business Read More
