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Have you ever been asked to manage another person’s property and finances? Perhaps a family member named you as agent under a durable power of attorney, so that you can manage his finances if he becomes disabled. Maybe an elderly neighbor added your name to her bank accounts because physical limitations prevent her from leaving the house and she needs you to handle her banking. Helping a person in need is commendable, but you should understand the legal implications and risks before you accept and start to act.

Every year during tax season the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) releases the “Dirty Dozen” list of tax scams. With the increased number of data breaches, it is important to remain vigilant when sharing your personal data and responding to demands for tax payments. Here are some tips to help you avoid tax scams and identity theft.

No matter where your business is located or operating, if your company suffers a data breach you may have legal compliance and reporting obligations or face possible fines and lawsuits. With legislation passing in South Dakota and Alabama at the beginning of April 2018, all 50 states now have data breach notification laws that businesses are required to follow should their data be breached. And failure to understand the nuances contained in each law could be costly.

After the stress of planning for next steps following high school graduation, including the college application process or other life planning, many parents feel as though they are “done.” But many families are not aware of important legal issues that affect their 18-21 year olds, including those who will be entering college, taking a gap year, entering the military, or pursuing other career opportunities. A few measures taken by parents and young adults can help avoid potential problems.

More than half of the time, cyber criminals’ search leads them directly to small and midsize enterprises (SMEs), who can be hacked with ease and offer a substantial cumulative payoff—in the form ransom money, stolen cre

Cyber risk has become a major potential loss exposure for almost any company. As with any other exposure, directors should confirm that reasonable steps are taken to identify, mitigate, respond to, and recover from third parties relating to cyber-related problems when they arise.

A business owner may feel both excitement and concern at the prospect of selling a business. As a liquidity event approaches, there are five questions that should be considered before the sale: What are the terms of the transaction? Could my philanthropic goals be addressed? Will the sale of the business affect my estate planning? What do I want and need from the sale? Can my risk be further mitigated?

Successful families and individuals expect their financial advisors to address their complete financial picture, including protecting them from property and casualty risks. However, most financial advisors do not provide this support. This clear expectations gap is demonstrated in a survey of 200 successful families or individuals. Financial advisors who recognize the gap and take steps to educate themselves to help their clients safeguard their assets can bring meaningful value that can also strengthen and solidify their relationships.

Global Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) transactions tallied up to an impressive $678.5 billion in deal value in the first quarter of 2017, up by 8.9 percent year over year, according to Mergermarket’s most recent estimates. The uptick in deal value is not a phenomenon, and in the fast-paced, high-stakes environment, private equity dealmakers are faced with unique and growing financial exposures.