We Wish You A Merry Christmas!

We would like to thank you, our clients, colleagues and friends for your wonderful support and association with our company. We hope that you have a wonderful holiday season filled with love and cheer!

M&A Announces New Attorney-Matthew Pruitt, Esq.

We are excited to announce that Matthew Pruitt has joined our team of legal professionals at M&A! Here is some great information about our newest attorney:

 Matt began booking and promoting concerts in 2005 while finishing college. His success with the concerts he worked on led to an offer to work with The Killers’ management team. Matt joined the team in early 2007, staying on until late 2008, and assisted with the release of two albums: “Sawdust,” and "Day & Age.” During that time Matt also helped The Killers’ manager, Robert Reynolds, with his legal clients including Neon Trees, Nico Vega, Sherwood, Paper Route, and Adelita’s Way. Matt discovered he enjoyed the legal side of music just as much as he enjoyed management, so he pursued a law degree and received his J.D. from Oklahoma City University in 2011. While pursuing a degree in law, Matt partnered with Joe Meservy, another associate on The Killers’ management team, and in January 2010 together they started the Hungry Tiger Agency (HTA), becoming agents and managers to some fantastic new talent.

Matt will be opening up some new areas of practice here at M&A-Entertainment, Copyright and Trademark Law will be his focus. We are excited to have his abilities, experience and energy added to our wonderful staff at M&A. Welcome, Matt!

Estate Planning Workshops-October

Don't forget to sign up for one of our October Estate Planning Workshops. This is will be held in our newly renovated 'Timber Room' at our office. In addition to some wonderful information about how to get started with some basic estate planning, you will receive a $200 Gift Certificate toward your estate plan just for attending. Save your seat today! Contact Melissa at (702) 731-2333 or email her at melissa@michaelsonlaw.com

John Michaelson-Attorney Bio

John P. Michaelson is a frequent lecturer at seminars and workshops on Business and Estate Planning, Asset Protection, Trust Administration, Probate, and Guardianships.  John is a member of several national legal forums dedicated to promoting the highest level of professionalism and expertise among Business and Estate Planning professionals. 

               

In 1996, John graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelors of Science in Business Finance.  Before receiving his Law Degree from the University of Utah in 2001, he worked for over two years as a securities broker for Fidelity Investments with trading experience in stocks, bonds, mutual funds and options.  While attending law school, John was a senior staff member of the Utah Law Review and co-founder of the Law Students for Children, an advocacy organization for abused, neglected and underprivileged children. He has continued his advocacy for the youth by being an active scouter in the Boy Scouts of America and by maintaining his pledge as an Eagle Scout to serve the community, both young and old. 

Following his admission to the Nevada Bar in 2001, John served as a law clerk to the Honorable Robert J. Johnston, United States District Court for the District of Nevada. In 2002, John took a position as an associate for the prestigious law firm Piper Rudnick LLP, where he specialized in labor and employment litigation, primarily in federal court. 

Today, John is partner in the firm Michaelson & Associates, where during the last 5 years he has helped hundreds of families and businesses protect their assets and plan for the future.  John chaired the Elder Law Section of the Nevada State Bar from June 2007 to July 2008.  The law firm of Michaelson & Associates truly stands out as one committed to serving the needs of the community in a professional and caring way.  John and his wife Regina are the parents of four children.  

Why Do I Need a Healthcare Power of Attorney or Living Will?

At M&A, we find that many people who come to see us don't understand why it is necessary to have a Healthcare Power of Attorney and a Living Will. So, we're here to share a juicy legal tid-bit on why it is SO important to have these documents in place.

Healthcare Powers of Attorney allow you to name primary and alternative agents to make health care decisions for you when you are not able to make the decisions on your own. This document also sets forth important guidelines for your agent to follow in making healthcare decisions for you. 

Now, you may be thinking, "if I were in a situation where I was unable to make my own healthcare decisions, my family would be able agree on a course of action and would to take care of making those decisions for me." This may be the case for some of you. But, what if your family members did not agree on the best course of action? What if you were in a coma, with no hope of recovery, kept alive only by artificial life prolonging measures - but because of your family's indecision, you remained in a vegetative state indefinitely while they argued over the agonizing decision to remove life support? This situation is entirely possible. (see Terri Shaivo case) 

A Healthcare Power of Attorney and a Living Will can provide a directive to your Health Care Provider not to artificially sustain life when there is no hope of recovery. This is a ‘pull the plug’ directive so that you will not live on  for years in a vegetative state. Healthcare Providers also require a Living Will  when you are hospitalized. 

If you would like to take care of making these important decisions now so that your family doesn't have to agonize over them, contact us today to have us prepare your Healthcare Power of Attorney and Living Will! (702) 731-2333 or melissa@michaelsonlaw.com!

Need a Conference/Workshop Room? Use M&A's 'Bear Lake Room'

With our recent expansion at M&A, we gained a large conference/workshop room. As you must know, we do a lot of workshops ourselves, so it has come in very handy! But we would like to announce that we are opening up our 'Bear Lake Room' to anyone who might be in need of a large area to meet. Currently, we can seat 40 and that will probably be increased to 60 in the near future. The room has WiFi, a podium and a projector for presentations. Call/email us for more details about the room, price and availability. (702) 731-2333

One of Our Favorite Resources-Courtney Falk with Paychex

We are pleased to tell you about another One of Our Favorite Resources-Courtney Falk with Paychex. Courtney has been an HR Consultant for small businesses for over 8 years with Paychex, Inc., a leading national provider of payroll, benefits and human resources services.  She helps her small business clients write employee handbooks and job descriptions in compliance with all state and federal laws.  Courtney conducts management and employee training on 35 different topics from non-harassment to hiring practices to customer service.  She assists her clients with all aspects of employee relations and can help with those difficult conversations with challenging employees.  Courtney is backed by an entire team of experts – from payroll, tax compliance and benefits to OSHA, unemployment, and Cobra.  This allows small businesses to plug into the resources usually reserved for large businesses at a fraction of the cost of hiring an internal human resources specialist. Courtney is professional, warm, knowledgeable and genuinely cares about the success of your business.  We love having Courtney and Paychex as one of our personal resources at M&A. To find out more about how she can customize a plan to help your business, email her at cfalk@paychex.com. 

Estate Planning Workshops

Don't forget to sign up for one of our September Estate Planning Workshops. This is our first workshop to be held in our newly renovated 'Bear Lake Room' at our office. In addition to some wonderful information about how to get started with some basic estate planning, you will receive a $200 Gift Certificate toward your estate plan just for attending. Save your seat today! Contact Melissa at (702) 731-2333 or email her at melissa@michaelsonlaw.com

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Our Favorite Things-Friends in the Desert

One of our favorite organizations in Las Vegas is Friends in the Desert.  'Friends' is a charitable organization, operated out of St. Timothy's Episcopal Church located in downtown Henderson, that serves hot meals to homeless and otherwise needy individuals six days a week.  Volunteers made up of various faith groups, other charitable organizations, Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops, students, families and individuals cook and serve meals to the guests at 'Friends'. Paul Michaelson, our senior attorney, is one of the founders of Friends in the Desert as well as the current President.
Those who participate in Friends in the Desert are always personally enriched by giving service to those in need. If you are interested in contributing to Friends in the Desert or scheduling a day/time to serve, contact Murial at (702) 565-8742.
http://www.friendsindesert.org/

One of Our Favorite Resources-Dr. Roger R. Elmer

We would like to introduce you to One of Our Favorite Resources-Dr. Roger R. Elmer. Dr. Elmer has been a  Chiropractor for the last 19 years, and has been practicing Spinal Correction for the last 14 years. He has made his reputation taking care of difficult cases-people who have been off work for 10 years, multiple failed back surgeries, intractable pain syndromes, neurological conditions, disc herniations  and scoliosis beyond 100 degree cobb angle.
Dr. Elmer is certified in the Pettibon System and is a Fellow in International Chiropractic Scoliosis Board. He is also a co-founder of ARC-3D Scoliosis System, Tornado Systems and the President of the North American Scoliosis Initiative. He is the inventor of the Tornado Chair and Co-Developer of the Tornado Suit. His Chiropractic friends call him the "Orthodontist of Chiropractic". We have known Dr. Elmer for many years both personally and professionally and have been impressed with his unique and gentle methods which help to correct major spinal problems on a long-term basis. (Not just a quick fix) Even if you don't need him, you probably know someone who does. If you or a loved one has back problems, he's your man! Contact Dr. Elmer at:

http://advancedspinalsolutions.com/
(702) 798-1112
3025 E. Desert Inn Rd #20
Las Vegas, Nevada 89121

M&A Announces Expansion of Our Office

We are so pleased to announce that M&A is expanding! For those of you who have been to our office and seen our employees crammed into every nook and cranny, you know how exciting this is for us. We have expanded our office to include the entire West wing of our building. We will have room for new reception area with a private entrance, a file/copy room, some new attorney offices, a large conference room, additional signing rooms and a large workshop room!  Our reception area will now be located on the South side of our building. We plan to have a formal opening for our new office, which will be announced in the near future. And although we are still a work in progress at this point, feel free to stop by for an informal tour our office anytime. You are always welcome!

Estate Planning Workshops

We'd like to announce the dates for our upcoming Estate Planning 101 Workshop-Saturday, September 17th at 10am and Thursday, September 29th at 6pm. These presentations will be held at our office. There is no charge for the workshop and those attend will receive a $200 Gift Certificate towards estate planning services. Contact us to reserve your spot today!

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Living Trusts remedy many legal issues

Do home-builders only use a hammer and nails to build a home? No! There are many different tools that are appropriate and beneficial to use when building a home. Like a home-builder, M&A uses many different tools or instruments to solve legal issues that naturally arise in life. Living Trusts are one of the most powerful and versatile tools we have in our tool belt. They remedy all kinds of problems:

  

If you are concerned about any of the issues mentioned above, contact us today to schedule a design consultation. We will design a plan to appropriately address and resolve your concerns AND that will fit your budget. How Much Do Estate Plans Cost?

Fiddler on the Roof-Super Summer Theater

M&A Staff are heading over to the Super Summer Theater on Friday, August 19th to watch Fiddler on the Roof. Performances at Spring Mountain Ranch in the Red Rock Canyon have been taking place every summer since 1976. For $12-15, patrons of the theater can bring a picnic dinner, sit on either blankets or chairs on the grassy hill and enjoy the magic of an outdoor musical. Come enjoy the stars, cool air and a wonderful show with us!

One of Our Favorite Resources-Karen Wilkes

We would like to introduce you to another one of Our Favorite Resources-Karen Wilkes. Karen Wilkes was first woman appointed by State Farm as an agent in the City of Las Vegas, and has been an agent with State Farm continuously for 30 years, helping clients with all insurance needs, including car and home-owner's insurance; life and health insurance; retirement planning and offering financial services such as State Farm bank C.D’s and Mutual funds. 

She is a native Nevadan, raised in Pioche, Nevada. She received a Bachelor of Arts from University of Nevada at Reno, so Nevada is deep in her heart. She has enjoyed serving on several boards, such as Opus Dance Ensemble Board of Directors for 8 years; and for the State of Nevada Accountancy Board for 3 years. She is currently doing volunteer work for the Shannon Ford Center for Independent Living, shelter for homeless teens.

We have had the opportunity to work with Karen in a professional realm and have been impressed with her knowledge and personal care.  We are so grateful to know her and would not hesitate a moment to refer our friends to her.


Contact her at:
(702) 870-9004 or
karen.wilkes.b7q5@statefarm.com

Out of a job? We can help you start your own company!

Many people are out of work.  The economy is so bad that people are getting pre-declined credit cards in the mail; when you get your check returned from the bank marked “insufficient funds” you have to call the bank and ask them if they mean you or them; parents in Beverly Hills and Malibu are firing their nannies and learning their children’s names.  Yes, times are tough.

We can help you create your own job by going into business for yourself. We help create and build small businesses – the backbone of our economy. We could use a little backbone these days. Remember – you can still make your way in the dark, if you have a bright idea. Call us today for a consultation!

Our Favorite Things-Granny's Gourmet Farmer's Market

At M&A, we like to support our local community by sharing information about good things-be it places, people or activities to do here in Vegas when we come across them. So, here is our first spotlight on One of Our Favorite Things: Granny's Gourmet Farmer's Market. Granny's was opened in January of this year by Vince and his sister Cheryl. They stock fresh fruits and vegetables from local Southwest farms alongside the most creative isle of preserves and candies you've ever seen! They boast that all their recipes are handed down by their family from the1800s! You can also stop in for salad and sandwiches to go and take a look at their Southwest gift shop at the same time. They get shipments of fresh fruits and vegetables every week. Their hours of operation are Tues-Friday, 10-5pm, Saturday 10-4pm. When you visit Granny's, Vince and Cheryl will tell you all about their products and where they come from-they even plan to have a day each week where their farmers will come in to answer any questions you might have about their produce. These are definitely the most hospitable grocers we've ever encountered. We have been so delighted to discover this tucked away treasure and are happy now to share it with you. They are located at 3315 E. Russell, A-5, Las Vegas, Nevada 89120.  Stop in and visit Granny's today!
(702) 458-9110

Estate Planning Helps Avoid Foster Care Situations

How? If the unthinkable happens – both parents died and they had not taken the time to prepare their Wills naming guardians for their children – there could be a battle between the families over who gets the children.  While the battle is going on and the Judge is trying to decide where the best place is for the children, he may put them into a foster home pending his decision.

Remember –  Tragedy is not always avoidable, but adding further heartache and turmoil is.  Where there’s a Will there’s a way to assure a child of the security of home they are familiar with.

JTWROS

JTWROS. What does it stand for? JOINT TENANCY WITH RIGHTS OF SURVIVORSHIP. These are powerful words in the legal and title industries - almost magical. It means that if these words are present in the title of a document - the moment a co-owner dies, his/her ownership interest in that title vanishes with them. The surviving owner or owners get all of the decedents interests automatically and without probate. It's a very efficient way to avoid probate - but a very dangerous legal potion, if these magical words are not used with knowledge and skill. Why? Because it is also a very efficient way of unknowingly disinheriting a loved-one or of giving Uncle Sam a gift called a gift tax or of giving a creditor a fast track to your assets even if it's not your debt. Hmm. Maybe there's a better way to avoid probate. Call us and ask about a Living Trust. It's even more powerful.

-Paul Michaelson

One of Our Favorite Resources-Patti Peterson

We are so excited to share another one of our favorite resources with you this week-Patti Peterson. Patti Peterson is a seasoned financial advisor with over 22 years of experience. She has helped thousands of clients with retirement, estate, and investment planning. Through her partnership with Williams Financial Group, Patti can now combine all her years of experience in the institutional retirement market with new and innovative independent client tools provided by WFG. This creates a great environment to cultivate the financial goals of her clients. 
Patti’s career began with her work as an advisor with VALIC in 1989. During her 20 year career with that organization, she became a highly regarded advisor and educator. She  traveled extensively conducting workshops and seminars throughout the country on a wide variety of topics. Patti has been instrumental in developing presentations
and educational material designed to make financial planning easier to understand for clients.
Patti maintains her series 6, 7, 63, and 65 FINRA registrations. She holds licenses in life insurance, variable annuity and long-term care. She is licensed in five states (Nevada, Utah, Arizona, California and Idaho). Some of her areas of expertise include State Retirement systems, Social Security integration, Windfall Elimination Provisions, and pension plans. 
We have known Patti both personally and professionally for over twenty years and have been so impressed with her honesty, knowledge and skills and the application of these attributes to clients that we have referred to her. We can truly give her a glowing report. If you would like someone very sharp and knowledgeable, who will help you grow and maintain your financial well-being, Patti is your planner. We hope that you will make her one of your favorite resources as well! 



Patti Peterson, Senior Financial Advisor

ppeterson@williams-financial.com

Tel No. (702) 990-3247

Estate Planning Workshops

The August dates are up! We are holding our August Estate Planning 101 workshops on the 13th at 10:00am and the 18th at 6:00pm. Put an end to your procrastination-RSVP if you or a friend would like to attend.  Thanks!

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Death, Taxes, and Probate…But what is Probate?

Similar with death and taxes, many people hear the word “probate” and cringe.  Words and thoughts such as expensive, time-consuming, and fear of the unknown come into mind.  But what is probate?  Simply put, probate is the legal process that takes place after a person dies by resolving any claims and transferring property of the estate to those who would inherit under the probate court’s supervision. 

The probate process involves proving that the deceased person’s will is valid, notifying creditors, resolving debts, paying taxes, identifying the decedent’s property, inventorying the deceased person’s property, and distributing any remaining property according to the will’s terms or under the direction of state law.   

For example, in Nevada, after a person dies the executor or administrator will file probate filings in the Clark County Probate Court located in Las Vegas, with the assistance of a probate attorney (you don’t want to attempt this yourself because it is complicated).  The probate filings include information such as a list of the decedent’s property, debts, and names of who will inherit the property, etc.  Creditors and relatives will be notified of the death and once all required steps have been fulfilled, the court will order the estate’s property to be transferred and distributed to the recipients.  

Probate can be time consuming, expensive and nerve wracking, but can be avoided with some basic estate planning. However, if you find yourself in a situation where you must probate the estate of a loved one, we can help you through the process. The death of a loved one is always difficult and we at Michaelson & Associates, are here to help and guide you through these difficult times so that you can focus on the more meaningful things in life.   

Solving Problems From the Bottom Up

I believe the economic difficulties we face in the world will be solved one home, one neighborhood, one community at a time.  The best solutions come from the bottom-up, not from the top down.  If people will work together at the grass-roots level, we can solve anything.   What do you think?  
By Paul R. Michaelson, Esq.

One of Our Favorite Resources-Roger Garvin

One of our favorite resources that we are pleased as punch to share with you is our wonderful IT specialist, Roger Garvin. Roger Garvin brings over 40 years of corporate and entrepreneurial business experience to his company, Results Technologies.  His mission is to provide Quality IT Solutions for the Small Business. His perspective on technology as it is used in business is unique in that he worked in both large and small corporate enterprises in manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution before focusing on the use of technology in business.  As a result, his focus when working with clients is on the tasks the owner requires rather than the technology itself.   The goal is to assist business operators to better leverage the technology they already own and enhance only when operational requirements demand it.

His client base includes CPA’s, law firms, light manufacturing, insurance agencies, sole operators and home based businesses.  His question for all new prospects is “if you go to work tomorrow, turn on your computer and nothing happens, would you know what to do next?”  If not, then you would greatly benefit from his service.

We have had the privilege of working closely with Roger both on a maintenance level with our computers as well as development of new systems and special projects. He is always cheerful, honest and timely in his service. And most of the time, he'll pass on a few good jokes while he's at it! We are so grateful to know Roger and hope that you choose to make him one of your resources as well.

Contact him at:

Tel No. (702) 232-8621

Fax       (702) 431-6825

Email   roger.garvin@gmail.com

Web     www.resultstechllc.com

  

What are the Tri-Powers?

  M&A has coined the name 'Tri-Powers' to represent the three most basic documents that are the first step in Estate Planning. The Tri-Powers consist of a General Durable Power of Attorney, Healthcare Power of Attorney and a Living Will. These documents are vital in protecting you and your family against incapacities that are certain to occur in life.  To view a brochure about these documents, click on the images below.

How Much Does An Estate Plan Cost?

 At M&A we believe in transparency. We want our clients to be educated on what estate planning is, why we do it and how much it will cost. We believe this leads to a happier customer. See our brochure below for a list of estate plans and the accompanying price range for each. 

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We will tailor your plan to fit your needs and pocket book. We recommend that you look over this brochure prior to a consultation with one of our attorneys so that you have an idea of what you need and what will fit your budget. During the consultation, the attorney will discuss your needs and use our Flex Quote system to arrive at a final cost. Once you and the attorney have agreed upon a fee, there are several methods of payment that can be used. We accept cash, check, Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express. We also provide payment plans or credit lines with liberal terms for any of our services above $1000. Contact us today to schedule a consultation!

Estate Planning Workshops

We are pleased to announce our Estate Planning Workshop dates for July 2011: July 16th at 10:00am and July 21st at 6:00pm. Please mark your calendars and forward this information to anyone you feel might benefit or be interested. Must RSVP to attend. Thanks!

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One of Our Favorite Resources-Fraser E. Inouye

At M&A, we have some really great resources that are valuable to us and our clients. We would like to take this opportunity to share one of them with you-Fraser Inouye. Fraser specializes in tax planning, tax preparation and business advisory services.  Fraser's clients have special tax needs in which proper tax planning has a significant impact on the client’s financial well-being. He has assisted many clients by minimizing their tax burden through creative planning and knowledgeable tax return preparation.

Fraser is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Nevada Society of Certified Public Accountants.  He has served as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for Family and Child Treatment of Southern Nevada and has been involved with coaching youth baseball teams in the Las Vegas area.

We have known and worked closely with Fraser for the many years and can give him an excellent recommendation. He takes a personal interest in his clients and goes the extra mile to ensure that they receive the best possible result. Here is a link to his firm's website.

Fraser E. Inouye

711 Mall Ring Circle, Suite 203

Henderson, Nevada 89014

Email:    fraser@uucicpa.com

Phone:  (702) 433-5757

Fax:      (702) 433-5589

Estate Planning Workshops

M&A is sponsoring two upcoming special presentations on June 25^th  at 10:00 am and June 30^th at 6:00 pm at the Henderson Green Valley Residence Inn, located at 2190 Olympic Ave., Henderson, NV 89014. The presentation is entitled “Estate Planning 101 – Protecting Your Home Economy”.  The presentations are free of charge and we will be giving a $200 gift certificate toward any estate planning we do for those who attend.  You may have friends, family or associates that could benefit from this presentation.  Feel free to share this information with them. Click here to request a reservation.

Here is the actual flyer for these events.

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Homestead-Simple Asset Protection

      Nevada has a great Homestead Law that allows you to file a simple form and receive up to $550k (per claimant) of asset protection on the equity in your home. (See NRS 115) Here is the form you will need to complete and file with the Clark County Recorder's Office. You may only file a Homestead for your primary residence in Nevada. You will need to have a CERTIFIED or BUSINESS check made payable to the Clark County Recorder's Office for $14 for the recording of this document.                                                       

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