Clint Sellers PLLC Blog

Start a Business the Right Way

info@clintsellers.com — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 21:15:00 GMT

In this short video, Virginia business law attorney Clint Sellers tells you how to start a business the right way and why hiring an experienced attorney saves you money.

Do It Yourself? We Review Will Writing Software

info@clintsellers.com — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 11:23:00 GMT

Here is a short video discussing what we found about popular will writing software and how people can be sure their documents do what they need.

Tags: estate planning,software,review

Federal Estate Tax Set to Expire January 1, 2010

info@clintsellers.com — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:50:00 GMT

The federal estate tax will likely expire as scheduled January 1, 2010, as Senate Democratic leaders failed in an effort to pass a short-term extension to override the tax ’s expiration. For more details see: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126098351451293981.html
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facebook.com/clintsellerslaw - WIN A WILL 11/6/09 - 11/16/09: CONTEST AND RULES

info@clintsellers.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:45:00 GMT

The contest runs from 11/6/2009 - 11:59 p.m. EST on 11/16/2009 and is open to Virginia residents over the age of 18 years who are Facebook fans of clintsellerslaw.

Tax Breaks for Small Businesses - October 29th, 2009

info@clintsellers.com — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:41:00 GMT

As 2009 winds to a close, small business owners should be aware of tax breaks that may be available...

Free FamilyAssurance Planning Seminar - March 14, 2009

info@clintsellers.com — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 19:53:00 GMT

What's The Best Price for a Will?

info@clintsellers.com — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 14:13:00 GMT

Price is not the same as value. When shopping for an estate plan, remember that value is confidence in knowing that the thing you have bought will do what you need it to and that you can rely on it when the time comes.

InjuryHelper.com — Expertise for Serious Personal Injury Cases

info@clintsellers.com — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 05:48:00 GMT

Some Personal injury attorneys are very good at what they do. Unfortunately, many personal injury attorneys are not good at understanding the comprehensive aspects of serious injury cases and how the conduct of the case can affect the rest of a client’s life.

The potential financial upside to attorneys in personal injury cases can sometimes tempt lawyers into trying cases they should not. Even if you are fortunate enough to find an attorney who has meaningful experience in your particular kind of case, sometimes those attorneys do not understand how structured settlements must be configured to ensure enough resources are available for the client after the case is finished. It is also rare to find personal injury attorneys who can direct seriously injured clients and their families to non-legal professionals who can effectively assist them with rehabilitation and necessary life skills. Fortunately, there is now a service for seriously injured persons in Virginia that does all these things: www.injuryhelper.com

Robert Keefer, an attorney with over 25 years of experience, founded www.injuryhelper.com to assist those people who suffer serious injuries because of the negligence of others and the challenging issues associated with such injuries. InjuryHelper.com is designed around the principle of forming and managing a team to deal with all the aspects of these cases. Many serious injuries involve what is known as Traumatic Brain Injury (or TBI). To learn more about traumatic brain injury, view a medical animation here:

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The Three Estate Planning Documents Everyone Needs — Will, Power of Attorney and Advance Medical Directive (Living Will)

info@clintsellers.com — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 05:46:00 GMT

Virginia estate planning attorneys know that nearly 70% of people in the United States do not have a will, yet estate planning documents are an important investment. If they are carefully drafted by an experienced attorney who knows how to help you structure your assets so the documents work as intended, they will likely last you for a very long time. Finding a trusted adviser to assist you with estate planning will give you and your family peace of mind. This planning will also probably cost less than you may think.

Financial expert Gene Dickenson explains why you need a will and provides tips on selecting an attorney:

Although every estate plan must be created based on an individuals unique situation and goals, there are three basic estate planning documents in Virginia that can benefit almost every person. Although other documents may be desirable and are sometimes necessary, three will suffice for many people and if drafted properly, are flexible enough to last for many years. These are the will, power of attorney and advance medical directive (sometimes referred to as a “medical power of attorney”). Together, the documents work during one’s lifetime, through any period(s) of incapacity and after death.

Click here to read more about why you need these Virginia documents.

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Resolve Your Differences Without Court

info@clintsellers.com — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 05:32:00 GMT

Collaborative law is an idea whose time has come. Divorces in court are unreasonably expensive, unpredictable and emotionally costly. They also take far too long. Divorces without any attorney involvement or low “flat fee” divorces (usually plus unspecified ‘filing and service fees’) are also poor choices for most couples with children to care for or assets to divide. By contrast, collaborative law offers access to an attorney’s experience and advice in the framework of a process in which all the participants are committed to staying out of court.

On average a wedding in the United States costs $27,000, according to Conde Nast Bridal Group — twice what it was 15 years ago. The average cost of a divorce is difficult to determine but divorce proceedings range anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Estimates on the average cost of a divorce in the United States are between $14,000 and $29,000.

Why are divorces so expensive?

When people go to court, most of the expense is attributable to lawyers. Domestic law is currently a $27 billion annual industry. Court fees also add substantial costs to divorce bills (even less expensive options, like formal mediation, are costly). If you want to reduce those costs and plan for your future in a meaningful way, you have an alternative.

Collaborative law is a smart and increasingly popular approach to divorce. During collaborative law negotiations, both spouses hire lawyers, but the lawyers are committed to resolving differences without any form of litigation or any court procedure.

Some measure of shared trust is crucial. Collaborative divorce is not without expense — moderately complicated divorces cost on average 60% of traditional court divorce proceedings — but it still has big savings over battling things out in court, where the process and costs can quickly spin out of control.

Divorcing couples should try to stay out of court if at all possible to avoid becoming trapped in an endless litigation cycle which only hurts everyone and wastes money.

View a Today Show interview on some of the benefits of collaborative divorce law here:

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