Personal Injury Litigation

It's been almost two years and the Law Offices of P. Stephen Aita are back in the personal injury litigation business!

We believe that people who have been injured because someone else was negligent, and are possibly unable to work or afford attorney fees, have a right to legal representation and access to the judicial system in order to recover adequate compensation for their personal losses.

Give us a call at 253.858.5434 if we can be of service to you, your family members, friends, co-workers, or neighbors. We proudly serve clients throughout Washington and Idaho and are available to meet in person, by phone, or via Skype or FaceTime.

Idaho State Bar's "Attorneys Against Hunger" Fundraiser

Attention Idaho Clients, Colleagues & Friends - The Idaho State Bar Association's 2015 ATTORNEYS AGAINST HUNGER fundraiser will be next Thursday, September 3, from 4:00-7:00 at Boise Brewing (521 W. Broad Street in Boise). 100% of all proceeds benefit the Idaho Food Bank. If you can't make it for some beer from Boise Brewing and some chow from Goodwood BBQ Co., then give us a call to find out how you can still donate to assist this great cause!

Representing Small Businesses

Running a small business often touches on legal issues that, if not dealt with, can result in you losing money, closing your doors, or worse. Buying a business involves doing some due diligence to make sure you get what you pay for, and selling a business requires careful attention to ensure you're getting a good deal.

If you own a small business, then that business may hold your hopes and dreams for your family's future. The right legal counsel can make a significant difference in whether that business reaches its potential.

We can assist, guide, and represent you and your small business on legal matters that you face. We have worked with a broad range of companies, including retail, restaurants & bars, medical practices, web design firms, real estate management, architectural and construction firms, graphic design firms, trucking companies, mortgage companies, and more.

If we can be of service, give us a call at 253.858.5434. We proudly serve clients throughout Washington and Idaho and are available to meet in person, by phone, or via Skype.

Seattle Meetings

Clients and Colleagues - I will be working in Seattle all day on Monday (the 1st) and still have a couple time slots available for meetings in the afternoon. If you would like one, give us a call at 253.858.5434 to set something up.

Meetings with Idaho Clients

Idaho clients, colleagues, and friends - I will be in Boise June 5th-7th and have some time to meet with new or existing clients in the afternoon on Friday the 5th. If you or someone you know would like an appointment, give us a call at 253.858.5434 to set something up.

Estate Planning Reviews

Guess what we're spending the day doing? Every April 30th and October 31st, we review our estate planning files and send review letters to clients. We review these files so that we can alert clients as to changes in state or federal laws which could affect them and indicate a need to update their estate plans. We recommend that clients regularly examine their estate plans and suggest such review be made at least once every 3-4 years, and more often if major changes in family size, relationships, or assets occur.

If you would like a copy of our checklist of changes or occurrences that might warrant a change in your estate plan or if you think your estate plan should be reviewed or changed in any way, call us at 253.858.5434 for an appointment so that we can meet to discuss your needs and revise your estate plan accordingly.

ABLE Accounts Starting in 2015

It's looking like Congress will likely pass the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act this session, which will allow people to set up ABLE accounts (or 529A accounts) starting in 2015. ABLE accounts are similar to 529 plans, except that the payouts can be used for supplemental care of a disabled person, as long as the person was disabled before they turned 26. Contributions can be made up to $14,000 per year and as long as the account does not exceed $100,000, the account would not affect the disabled person's SSI benefits or Medicaid qualifications. ABLE accounts may prove to be a good way to make gifts or leave property to a disabled child or grandchild without having to set up a supplemental needs trust.

If you have questions about making gifts or leaving property to a disabled family member without disqualifying them for benefits, give us a call at 253.858.5434 to see how we can help.

Greater Tacoma Community Foundation Professional Advisors Network

We are pleased to announce that the Law Offices of P. Stephen Aita, PLLC is now a member of the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation Professional Advisors Network.

The GTCF helps people support the causes that matter most to them, fostering powerful and rewarding philanthropy. It manages more than 430 charitable funds supported by thousands of Pierce County residents. It also collects expertise on local issues and connects a variety of people, organizations, and resources to foster greater community participation.

If you want charitable giving to be part of your estate plan, the GTCF can help ensure that your generosity will have an impact that extends beyond your lifetime. So grants from your gift can support the arts, protect the environment, award scholarships, feed hungry families, or support whatever charitable causes are important to you and your family - it's all up to you. Give us a call if you want more information.

"Unbundled" Legal Services

We recognize that not everyone wants or needs a complete range of legal services or full representation to manage, present, or control their legal matter, but they face a significant lack of information and training as to the law and the legal system. Smaller litigation matters and probate proceedings particularly lend themselves to "unbundled" legal services. If a client's circumstances dictate, we can provide “unbundled" legal services providing any or all of the following without formal representation: drafting, document review, coaching, estimation, advice, and information on legal matters on a “by session” basis for a flat fee.

This “unbundled” approach means that the client can seek assistance limited by the parameters established by agreement of the lawyer and client. With "unbundled" legal services, we will create the legal document or provide the legal advice for a particular aspect of the legal matter. For example, in a probate matter, a client may hire us just to prepare the initial petition and notices to get the probate opened, but the client is responsible for ensuring that the documents are filed with the court and notices provided to the heirs and creditors and for moving forward with the probate from there. Another client with a litigation matter may hire us just to draft the Summons & Complaint to start their lawsuit or assist them in propounding or responding to discovery requests or coach them in preparation for a hearing, but we do not formally appear as the "counsel of record" in their lawsuit.

Under the “unbundled” model of providing legal services, the client maintains full responsibility for his or her case. Each session with the attorney is limited to the topics agreed to in advance and is paid for at the conclusion of the session based upon the agreed flat fee. It can provide significant savings, information, assistance, control, and peace of mind to the client who wants to do his or her own legal work.

Buying or Selling a Small Business

When you buy or sell a small business, it is critical that the terms of the sale be put in writing. But small business owners can get into trouble buying or selling a business as much for what’s not in the contract as for what is. Leaving important items out of a contract, including hard and intangible assets and liabilities, can cause problems months after the sale goes through. Payment terms are... another critical aspect of a contract. When you buy or sell a business, make sure both parties know exactly what they are getting at the time of signing, as well as in the future.

If you're buying or selling a small business and what advice on preparing a your Purchase & Sale Agreement, give us a call at 253.858.5434 to make an appointment. We proudly serve clients throughout Washington and Idaho and are available to meet in person, by phone, or via Skype.

Charitable Giving as Part of Your Estate Plan

When many people sit down to think about how they want to leave their property, of course they think of their family first. But many of us also want some of our legacy to go to causes or organizations we hold dear--a school, a church, a food bank, a group that advocates on behalf of people struggling with a particular illness, etc. Americans are a generous people, supporting millions of nonprofit organizations.

Our tax system is designed to support these generous impulses, granting donors tax benefits for giving. If you itemize deductions on your income tax return, you can simply deduct the value of gifts to tax-exempt charitable organizations. There are also more complex ways to give. Charitable annuity trusts, for example, are a popular way to donate to a charity and in return receive regular payments for life; both you and the charity benefit.

If you have questions about charitable giving as part of your estate plan, give us a call at 253.858.5434 to find out how we can help. We proudly serve clients throughout Washington and Idaho and are available to meet in person, by phone, or via Skype.

Powers of Attorney for Children's Health Care

If you die and your children are left parentless, the court will appoint a guardian for them. But what happens if you become incapacitated or are otherwise unavailable to make health care decisions for your children? Washington law allows you to create a special Power of Attorney for Children's Health Care, which says that if you and the child's other parent are both incapacitated or otherwise unavailable to make health care decisions, the person you appoint in the Power of Attorney is authorized to make health care decisions for your child on your behalf.

If you have questions or would like to discuss a Power of Attorney for Children's Health Care, give us a call at 253.858.5434 to make an appointment. We are available to meet in person, by phone, or via Skype.

Seattle Meetings Next Week

Clients and Colleagues - I will be working in Seattle all day next Tuesday (Oct. 21st) and still have a couple time slots available for meetings in the afternoons. If you would like one, give us a call at 253.858.5434 to set something up.

Lawyers Helping Hungry Children Annual Luncheon

Lawyers Helping Hungry Children is holding its annual fundraising luncheon to benefit Northwest Harvest, the King County Emergency Feeding Project, the Seattle Summer Food Service Program, CARE, and the Children's Alliance on Tuesday, November 4, in Seattle. Sure, Rep. Jim McDermott will be one of the speakers, but more importantly, the other speaker will be Rauuuuuuuuuuuuuul Ibanez! If you're interested in attending the luncheon or contributing to or joining Lawyers Helping Hungry Children, give us a call for more information.

Canadian Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to our Canadian friends!

Since the U.S. and Canada are children of a common mother, our laws are pretty similar. Nonetheless, if you have a vacation house or investment property in Canada, you should consider putting that property into a trust. Give us a call at 253.858.5434 if you have questions about how we can help with that.