You have decided to start your own business. Some business owners wait until there is a problem before they call an attorney, but getting an attorney on your team before you start your business can prevent these problems from every happening.

1. It is time to retire. An attorney can help you with the legal aspects of retirement. This includes answering the question of what will happen to your business, if you have one.
2. You have been arrested. Do not assume that your innocence will be enough to sustain you in legal proceedings. Be sure to call an attorney you trust so that he or she can help you through the process of clearing your name.
3. You have been in a serious traffic accident. If you are involved in an accident that causes damage to property or persons, you should call a lawyer, even if you don’t think you were at fault in the accident.
4. You need a will, or you need to make changes to your will. While there are some programs out there that will let you do a will on your home computer, it is still wise to have an actual person help you draw up your will. This is usually not a terribly expensive process, and one that is a good investment. You want your will done right.
5. You need to sign a contract. Any contract. Unless you are fluent in legal language, you should have an attorney you trust go over any contract before you sign it. Unfortunately, many people take advantage of a person with a trusting nature, so don’t assume that the contract in front of you says what the person who handed it to you says that it says!
6. You need to get a divorce. Again, some people try to go it alone, but hiring an attorney can save you a lot of heartache, a lot of headaches, and sometimes even money. Divorce is rarely a simple process.
7. You need a temporary visa, a green card or are ready to file for citizenship. Immigration can be an incredibly complicated and confusion process. An experienced attorney can get the process taken care of while minimizing your stress!
8. You have received some sort of communication from the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). Even if you think that you have paid your taxes and there shouldn’t be a problem, if the IRS has contacted you, there could be a problem.
9. You plan to buy or sell real estate. You will need an attorney to help you through this process. Sometimes a bank or lending institution will offer you an attorney; however, you will probably be more comfortable working with someone you know and trust.

If you are wondering whether or not to call an attorney, call one. Find someone you can trust, and keep his phone number handy. Remember that hiring an attorney is the same thing as purchasing information. Lawyers know the law, and we pay them to share that knowledge with us. This saves us time, stress, and having to go to learn the law on our own. Be cautious of anyone who offers you free advice, and remember that you get what you pay for!

Stay well and I’ll be in touch soon!

Sameer

DISCLAIMER

Hey, I’m a lawyer. You knew there would have to be some type of disclaimer. But don’t worry, I promise I’ll write it in plain English. The information in these articles is NOT legal advice (which means you must speak to an attorney for your particular situation – hopefully it’s me). The information provided is meant to guide and help you but not meant to be a basis for any major (or even minor) life decisions. Which means if you want advice on your case or whether you should marry that person you met online you better sit down and talk to me or another professional first. In other words, this article does NOT take the place of professional advice. I always recommend that you seek the advice of a professional whenever possible (such as a lawyer, accountant, doctor, etc.). If there is a legal matter you would like to discuss in more detail feel free to give me a call at 877-KUMAR-LAW (877-586-2752) or email me at Sameer@KumarLaw.com. See, that wasn’t so bad.