Personal Message from Betty Miller

Personal Message from Betty Miller

Dear Internet Friend:Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for you. I pray that this email finds you full of hope and gratitude! I have written some amazing testimonies below that I pray will encourage you in this hour of chaos in the world.  One is how God changed the wind and kept a forest fire from coming to our house some years ago.“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy Name, oh Most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night…. For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands” (Psalm 92:1-5).

We have so much to be thankful for even in spite of the election turmoil and the Pandemic.  As I look back over the years, I am grateful to the Lord for all He has done for me personally and in the Internet ministry at BibleResources.org. My greatest challenge this year was when Bud, my late husband, went to heaven back in March, right at the beginning of the Pandemic.  He did not die of Covid19, but rather of complications after surgery for a kidney stone and bladder issues.  He was ready to meet the Lord, as he was 91.  I do greatly miss him, but I am so thankful that the Lord gifted me with a wonderful marriage of 43 years with such a great husband and a dedicated servant of God.  Over the years, so many things looked insurmountable as we faced our trials, yet the Lord brought us through every one of them in the most amazing ways. He brought the ministry through financial difficulties, lawsuits assailed against us, cyber-attacks where hackers tried to stop the ministry from continuing and then there were the threatening fires and tornados coming very close to our ministry property. On top of the ministry issues, there were the personal battles we fought against different physical infirmities, emotional heartache because of estranged relationships, long nights of prayer against spiritual entities, but through it all, I can say as the Psalmist did in Psalms 34:19: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” And, as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 6:3-4: “Giving no offence in anything, that the ministry be not blamed: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses.”

I only share this in order to give you my testimony that He has never failed me and therefore I give praise to Him!  I can boast in the Lord that He has brought me through every trial victoriously! Now, I want to encourage you in the Lord if you too are struggling with unexpected difficulties in your journey. I can confidently say that if you look to Him in faith, you can receive your answers, as well. Remember, He is faithful. I know that for a fact by just looking back over the years when Bud and I faced one obstacle after another. My prayer for you is: “Lord Jesus, you have taken care of all of my daily needs and you do not love me more than any of your other children, so I know that you will meet their needs as well, when they turn to you with their whole hearts. Father, meet those needs today. I am thankful that you called me to the ministry so I could pray for Your people and help to encourage them. Bless them today. Thank you, Jesus!”

Although we have made mistakes over the years and in spite of our faults, He has proved Himself faithful to us. We all still must trust the Lord on a daily basis, as in the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:11 that says, “Give us this day our daily bread.”  Now, receiving daily provision  has become a way of life for me, so I do not worry about the tomorrows, but trust our Lord with them. He told us He would never leave us nor forsake any of His children.

I just want to say to you that I am thankful for your prayers and offerings this past year.  It has been because of your help and prayer, in times past, that we have been able to press on through many difficult circumstances. We are so thankful for all who support the ministry. We are also grateful for your continued help at this time. You are a blessing. We must keep up with the evolution of the Internet to be able to reach the world for Christ through this ever changing media. It has been challenging, but also a blessing to be in a position to face such a steep learning curve (at my age, a young 80 thanks to Him). I have chosen not to retire, but to continue to work for the ministry until I have finished my course.  God certainly has His ways to keep us young! Also, pray for me to have the prayer support and trained and experienced workers that I need and most of all, pray for my continued strength and health.  I also need the Lord’s love, wisdom and guidance in all I do.

Once again, I truly thank God from the bottom of our heart for those who have stood with us through the years. We appreciate your volunteer work and financial giving to the ministry, and most of all, your prayers and friendship. One of the most precious things about ministering on the Internet, is meeting so many wonderful people. We, at Christ Unlimited Ministries, have been so blessed!  BibleResources.org would not be what it is today if it were not for every person who has contributed through the years. We thank you and we know the Lord does too.

If you need teaching material for your Bible Study Group, we have free downloads of the Overcoming Life Messages we have shared with others over the years.  They are in both English and Spanish. Click here to preview and download:  FREE OVERCOMING LIFE SERIES DOWNLOADS

Know that you are loved and that we do pray for you. May you experience more of His love during this Thanksgiving season. I write this with a thankful heart.  I know this is a long newsletter, but just save it and then you can read parts of it each day, as my prayer is that it will strengthen your faith to know how powerful and wonderful God is. He is with us right, so we face the future of our nation and personal lives with great anticipation. Jesus loves you and so do I.

betty_miller
His grateful handmaiden,
Betty Miller
Christ Unlimited Ministries
www.BibleResources.org
Click Here to Donate Online
We appreciate your love and support. Your love gifts will help us continue this work and expand it to reach millions. God bless you!  The website is currently receiving around 150,000 to 200,000 users a month. You can send an offering by mail if you prefer to: Christ Unlimited Ministries, P.O. Box 850, Dewey, AZ 86327 (Checks made payable to Christ Unlimited Ministries.)

The Biblical Time of Sorrows

The Biblical Time of Sorrows

by Betty Miller

In Mark 13 and Matthew 24 the Lord tells us about a “time of sorrows” that will come prior to the great tribulation before Jesus returns to the earth. We personally believe we are in the “time of sorrows” now.Mark 13:8 – For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. Matthew 24:6-8 – And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Increase of Prayer Needed

The Lord has impressed upon me personally to increase my prayer time and to pray in the spirit (tongues) more, so that we do not fall under the attacks of the devil. I felt He wanted me to encourage you to increase your prayer time also. And for those who have the gift of speaking in tongues and have not been using it, we encourage you to stir that gift up. If you have not received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues, we encourage you to ask the Lord for this gift, as it will empower you to live the overcoming life. We have a couple of teachings on the BibleResources.org website that will help you to understand the power of this gift in your personal prayer life at these links below:

Praying in Tongues

Baptism In the Holy Spirit

The Bible tells us that when we pray in tongues, we are praying in the Spirit, and the Holy Spirit knows what the will of God is for every situation, therefore when we do not know how to pray, the Holy Spirit does. We have seen amazing answers to prayer just by praying in the Spirit and standing on the promises of the Word of God.

Mark 16:17 – And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.

1 Corinthians 14:2: – For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

Romans 8:26 – Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

1 Corinthians 14:18 – I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all.

1 Corinthians 14:21 – In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.

Testimony of How Christ Protected Us From Forest Fire Threats
In Arizona these past years we have stood with friends and loved ones in faith and prayer against the wildfires that were threatening to destroy their property. As we all prayed and believed God, He did not fail us. The Lord was faithful to spare their home, as the fire went around their home and their neighborhood.

This year is not the first time we have stood and prayed for homes to be spared from fire, as a number of years ago, the forest service was doing a control burn in the forest near our home and suddenly the wind got up and the “controlled” burn became an “uncontrolled” wildfire. I looked out the window from my personal office in our home and saw flames coming down the hill near our house. The sun was setting and I saw this enormous red mushroom cloud over the forest area toward the west. It looked like something out of an apocalyptic movie portraying the end of the world.

There is a portion of scripture that we have prayed over our property and us personally for years and that scripture is Psalm 91. I gasped when I saw the fire headed for our community, although we had been on alert about the controlled burn, we never dreamed it would come near our little mountain community. I could feel the spirit of fear trying to come over me, so I started praying in tongues; then, I felt this overwhelming peace and I heard the voice of the Lord speak this scripture in Psalm 91:7 to my spirit. “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.”

Testimony of God’s Protection

It was amazing that the very scripture we had quoted so many times out loud in prayer, the Spirit of the Lord spoke that same scripture back to me. I knew the fire would not come to our house, but I was immediately concerned about our neighbor’s homes across the road, so I began praying for the Lord to spare their houses, as well. Since we had offered the fire fighters the use of our chapel on the property as a staging base, and a place for the crews to come and refresh themselves, they were coming and going. In just a little while, one crew of the hot shots came in and gave us all good news. They said they finally had the fire under control, as they got a break from “Mother Nature” and the wind changed direction and instead of the prevailing winds coming from the Southwest, they had shifted absolutely from the opposite direction, and the fire began blowing back on itself, causing it to cease and helping them put it out.

We praised God and testified to the firemen that we were praying and we knew it was God who changed the wind. We serve an amazing God. We must all remember that “Mother Nature” is subject to “Father God” and He has the final Word on any situation. Jesus spoke, “Peace be still” to the wind and it obeyed Him. God tells us what He will do for us, as His children, and He wants us to believe Him and take Him at His Word. Below are the scriptures we stood on for the Lord to spare us and others from the threats of destruction by fire. Another friend a few years ago in Yorba Linda, California had the same experience as we all prayed and stood on God’s Word. The homes in his entire neighborhood and all around him were totally consumed in flames, yet his house remained standing untouched by the fire.

Mark 4:39 – And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Isaiah 43:2 – When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Matthew 24:43-47: But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

We Can Walk in the Overcoming Life

We pray these scriptures will be a help to you. Remember there is only one safe place in the hour we live, and that is in the will of God, which is to “Abide under the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1).” To be in the shadow of the Almighty, means we must stay close to God in these perilous times and He will guide us through any tribulation that the devil throws at us. Please pray for me to have the time to write a longer article on the subject of “What Does God’s Word say about…Overcoming Natural Disasters.” We have personally, down through the years, faced a hurricane, tornado, hail storms, lightning storms, snow storms and fires and have come through all of them, protected by the Hand of God. In a previous newsletter we shared the testimony of how we stood against a tornado only a few miles from our home coming directly at us and the Lord led us to rebuke it and it dissipated.

We are grateful to know a loving God who extends mercy and grace to us and has protected many others in the midst of storms, as well. Although some have lost all their material goods, their lives were spared. His protection in the midst of a storm is an act of our God’s love. However, God wants us to come to a greater place in Him and be able to stop the enemy from all the destruction he is doing at this time. Many of God’s people suffer destruction because of a lack of knowledge. This means we do not know the promises of God written in His Word so the enemy robs from us. He robbed from me for many years until I understood the nature and love of God and how He is ever faithful to His Word.

Hosea 4:6: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge….”

The Lord once spoke to me about my prayerlessness and told me if I would spend as much time praying about my problems, as I did talking about them, I would not even have them. I realized many of my problems could have been prevented if I had been praying diligently. The Bible says, “We have not, because we ask not.” If we spend most of our time on worldly things and fail to pray, this is an open door for the enemy to come in and rob from us. His robbery can come many ways. He can rob us of our family members, our relationships, our homes, our jobs, our money, our spouses, our prayer time, our Bible reading time, our peace, our joy and his prime target is to rob us of our faith. The Bible says, that “faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”

When we do not spend time in the Word and in prayer, our sin of omission is the door by which the devil can get us to sin. Let us each shut that door right now and pray for one another and our land so that we can be healed and our nation can be healed. The devil is trying to kill people at this hour, while God wants us to have life and to have it more abundantly! Many right now are in life and death struggles. Prayer and faith can stop the devil from the destruction that he is bringing on this earth. We must stand together as God’s people and rise up against him at this hour and overcome the works of the devil in our nation and our culture. The Lord told us in Matthew 24 what the end times would look like before He returned, but also promised us that “he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” We must ask the Lord for the strength and power to overcome and endure unto the end.

James 4:2 – Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

John 10:10 – The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

1 John 3:8 – He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

I want to share in a new book how God has made provision in the Word of God for all of His children to be protected in these weather related situations (and really in any threatening circumstance.) Please pray that I will have the time to be able to get this book written so it can help God’s people to walk in faith to stop the works of the devil. Since we are living in the last days, we have to stay close to God and we must learn to walk in the Spirit and experience the Overcoming Life of Christ in our lives. We must remember we can do nothing without Christ, and it is not by our works of righteousness that we receive anything; it is rather by faith in what Christ did for us on the cross. We must also be totally committed to His will. Therein lies the power to rebuke storms and overcome in any circumstance, for without Him we can do nothing, but with Him nothing is impossible.

Matthew 17:20 – And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Luke 1:37 – For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Luke 10:19 – Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

John 8:28 – Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

John 15:5 – I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Titus 3:5 – Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

John 14:12 – Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

Let us not disappoint God, but rather let us desire to walk in His greater works. We can do it through the power of the Holy Spirit and by making a total commitment to God to give up our way and walk in His ways.


NOVEMBER 2020

UNITED STATES: NEW OFFICIAL FEES AS OF JANUARY 2, 2021

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) has announced new fees which will take effect on January 2, 2021. The main changes are as follows:

Trademark Application (TEAS Standard): US$350.00 per class
Trademark Application (TEAS Plus): US$250 per class
Section 8 or 71 Affidavit of Use: US$225 per class
Deleting goods/services/classes after submission and prior to acceptance of an Affidavit of Use under Section 8 or 71: US$250 per class.
Petitions to the Revive: US$150 per class
Petition to cancel: US$600 per class
Notice of Opposition: US$600 per class
Filing a Letter of Protest: US$50

The USPTO has also now codified the procedures for filing letters of protest. The new procedures now require that the letter of protest must include an itemized evidence index and submit no more than 10 items of evidence or 75 total pages of evidence.

If you are planning on new trademark filings in the near future, we recommend filing before January 2, 2021, in order to take advantage of the current lower fees.

EUROPEAN UNION: BREXIT’S IMPACT ON EU TRADEMARKS

On December 31, 2020, the Brexit transition period will end and EU trademark and design rights will no longer extend to the United Kingdom. On that date, all existing registered EU trademarks and Community designs will automatically be cloned and transferred to the United Kingdom register.

Trademark owners that still have pending EU trademark or design applications as of December 31, 2020, will have an additional nine months to file for transition to the United Kingdom. An application will then be reviewed by a UK examiner and a UK filing fee will be required additionally. It is possible to opt out of the transition procedure if the trademark owner does not need protection in the United Kingdom.

As from January 1, 2021, trademark owners will need to file separately in the United Kingdom in order to obtain protection in the UK.

QUESTIONS?

If you are interested in international trademark protection in the United States, Europe, or any other jurisdiction, please contact us at dstewart@gtilaw.com, and we can provide you with any information and fixed fee quotations you need to move forward in protecting your valuable intellectual property rights.

FIRM PROFILE

Founded in 2002, Global Trademarks, Inc. provides legal expertise in trademark and copyright protection around the world. We serve numerous Fortune 500 companies and other businesses of all sizes.

Global Reach: We have extensive experience in numerous countries and jurisdictions throughout the world. Global Trademarks, Inc. has long-term relationships with a network of agents and associates all around the world, ensuring responsive, reliable and superior work quality. We help clients protect and defend numerous famous brands all over the world, particularly in regions where it is difficult to find reliable legal representation.

Services:

  • Trademark registration (domestic and international)
  • Trademark portfolio management
  • Trademark watch services
  • Trademark renewal
  • Assignments of trademark rights
  • Copyright registrations
  • International infringement actions and investigations
  • Customs recordals

PROTECTING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AROUND THE WORLD

Being Thankful in All Circumstances

Being Thankful in All Circumstances

by Betty Miller

One of the most important keys that will make it possible for us to walk in kingdom living is our expression of praise. The Lord’s prayer begins in an attitude of worship and praise, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth” (Luke 11:2). Praise is the will of God, and heaven overflows with it.“And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready” (Revelation 19:5-7).

Since the presence of praise is voiced continually in heaven, our voices should also be lifted up in praise to our Lord. In 1Thessalonians 5:16-18 we are told to, “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” The Lord tells us here that we are to have an attitude of joy, thanksgiving and prayer at all times, no matter what the conditions or circumstances are that surround us.

This verse does not mean that we are to thank God for bad things and tragedies that come our way. It means that we are to remain joyful no matter what is happening in our lives because we have the Lord, and in Him we shall overcome no matter what the devil is trying to do to us. The Lord does not want us to thank Him for the bad things that happen to us because He did not send them. He is not the author of evil. We are not to become bitter over life’s circumstances, but rather to continue to rejoice in the Lord. It is the will of God for us to rejoice no matter what comes. It is not the will of God to receive evil things as from Him. It is an insult to God to thank Him for accidents, sickness, tragedy, etc. He does not send those things to us, the devil does. We are told to resist the devil, and submit to God. (James 4:7, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”) We are to love and rejoice in the Lord in spite of what the devil tries to do to us.

One of Satan’s favorite schemes is to send something bad into someone’s life and blame it on God. If he can get people to believe it is from the Lord, he has an easier time convincing them of his next lie, that God has failed them and deserted them. He follows this up with a further lie, “Why go on serving a God who does these kinds of things to you?” Satan’s real target is to destroy our faith in God. He just attacks different areas to get at different people.

Our prayers should be in an attitude of praise even in the midst of our trials. We should lift our voices and praise the Lord like this, “Father, I praise You and love You, and no matter what the devil is trying to do to me. I know that You shall bring me through victoriously! Show me what I need to do, Lord. Show me the door that I have opened to the enemy. I resist him in the name of Jesus, and I command him to leave with all of his oppression and attacks. Jesus, You are the Lord of my life, and I submit to You and will never deny You no matter what happens. Praise God!”.

Instead of praying like that, many Christians fall for the enemy’s lies and come under condemnation and suffering. They begin to question God and even become mad at Him. The fault is not the Lord’s but our own. We miss His complete victory because we have attributed Satan’s attack to the Lord. We can even open the door for the enemy to come against us by not having a cheerful and rejoicing heart. We may complain and gripe to God about our plight in life instead of using the weapons He has given us to overcome the devil. Telling our troubles to God is not complaining, but blaming God for them is. One of the greatest weapons is our weapon of praise. We must praise God that He is there for us and lean not to our own understanding.


“Wrap” Up Your Affairs: 2020 Year-End Estate Plan Review

estate pln review

“Wrap” Up Your Affairs:
2020 Year-End Estate Plan Review

We are all so eager for 2020 to conclude!  However, year-end is a terrific time to review previously completed estate plans or to finish one if the year has run away from you, as it has for so many of us this difficult year.

Evaluate & Adapt

Assets and family dynamics change over time. The holidays are a great time to evaluate and update any real property and gifts that you might have received throughout the year. The interactions and composition of many households have changed in 2020 because of the pandemic. Several of our clients have households that now accommodate the needs of adult children returning from college, an elderly family member, a spouse working from home, or young children attending school remotely. Some moved to be closer to family and others relocated to be further away from family!

Another issue to consider is estate planning laws that have changed in 2020 or will change in early 2021. For instance, the SECURE ACT significantly changed the laws for inherited IRAs (i.e., changes the timing of distributions from your 401(k) plans and Traditional IRAs to your beneficiary upon your death). California’s Proposition 19, which some say was constructed with multiple facets in order to pass, has key provisions that may impact property tax exclusions for inherited real property.

On the taxation side, the IRS has several new inflation adjustments for 2021.

It is important to monitor these types of changes and how they may affect your current estate planning documents, so it is critical to work with your accountant and attorney in this process.

Implement & Communicate

Your estate plan includes Healthcare and Financial powers of attorney (POAs). These are critical documents that are necessary to manage your affairs if you become sick or incapacitated. COVID-19 has forced many of us to reconsider whom to have as a Healthcare POA. For example, does it really make sense to have a sister who lives across the country act as your Healthcare POA? Perhaps, a trusted relative or friend that lives closer to you might be a more appropriate choice; especially given how skittish many of us are about the safety of travel during the pandemic.

Equally important is to make sure that your trusted loved ones know where your important documents are kept and your wishes should you become incapacitated or pass. Your documents should include names and contact information for your accountant, doctors, attorney and other key advisors. Also, make sure that passwords to your electronic accounts are known by your POAs. Be as specific as possible about your personal property bequests, as doing so will avoid jilted feelings, confusion, and unnecessary competition amongst your beneficiaries.

Other Considerations for 2021

The “small estate threshold” in California will remain at $166,250 for 2021. Estates above that amount will need to go through the probate process, if standard estate planning measures have not been enacted. The basic applicable exclusion amount (and generation-skipping tax exemption) in 2021 will be $11.7 million, up from $11.58 million. Married couples will potentially be able to shield a total of $23.4 million. The annual gift tax exclusion will remain at $15,000 for 2021, but the annual gift tax exclusion for a non-citizen spouse will increase to $159,000, up from $157,000 in 2020.

The basic salary deferral amount for a 401(k) and similar workplace plans remains flat at $19,500 for 2021, and the $6,500 catch-up amount if you are age 50 or older also remains the same. The amount you can contribute to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) stays the same for 2021 at $6,000, with an additional $1,000 catch-up limit if you are age 50 or older.

Need Help?

We are all available to serve you with your estate planning, conservatorships and probate & litigation requirements. While several of our personnel are working remotely, our Irvine Office is available on an appointment basis, so please contact us with your questions.

All of us at Mortensen & Reinheimer, PC want to take this opportunity to wish each of you our warmest holiday greetings and best for a healthy 2021!

Robert_Price_150x138About the author:

W. Robert Price, Esq., is President of Mortensen & Reinheimer, PC.  He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Orange County Bar Association, and the Society of Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriters. He is a California licensed Fire & Casualty Broker-Agent, a California licensed Life & Health Insurance Agent, and has an MBA from Pepperdine University.  Contact Robert at wrobertpriceesq@yahoo.com.

Avoiding Tax Surprises on Settlements/Judgments and Forms 1099: How Are Your Firm and Clients Impacted?

richard and debbie

{Editor’s note: Richard Warner, CPA and Deborah Dickson, CPA, CFF, MAFF recently published this article in “Orange County Lawyer” magazine, the official publication of the Orange County Bar Association,” excerpt below.}

Scenario: You successfully negotiated a settlement for your individual plaintiff client in the amount of $1,000,000 due to claims of emotional distress from non-physical injuries at work.  This total includes attorney fees of $400,000.  You call it a “win” and are certain that your client will be happy with the $600,000 net result – until you receive a phone call from the client, complaining that her CPA has informed her that she has to pay taxes on the entire $1,000,000 of proceeds, including your $400,000 fees, so her net after tax result is only $200,000!  Your client goes away unhappy and you wonder what went wrong.

CLICK HERE FOR PDF OF COMPLETE “ORANGE COUNTY LAWYER” ARTICLE