Financial Help For 9/11 Victims’ Families Could Be On The Way
On February 11, 2022 President Biden issued an executive order that will allocate half of the Afghanistan assets frozen in U.S. Bank accounts (a total of $7 billion) to the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. These victims have asserted claims and received judgments against those who sponsor terrorism including the State-Sponsored terrorism by Afghanistan in a process that has taken 20 years to unfold. The…
Read MoreDangers of Philips CPAP & Sleep Apnea Machines
Dangers of Philips CPAP & Sleep Apnea Machines Many people who suffer from sleep apnea used a device from Philips Respironics, and instead of it helping them sleep better, it caused cancer in many users. There’s nothing more frustrating than putting your trust in a medical device and a company that claims it can help you, only to have it injure you instead. If you were injured as a result…
Read More2022: New Year, New Laws
The New Year brings new resolutions, new beginnings, and of course, new laws federal and state laws. Patient Protection in Maryland One of the new laws that took effect January 1, 2022 brings changes to hospital billing departments in Maryland. Hospitals are now prohibited from taking certain actions when collecting debts. These actions include: (1) requesting a lien against a patient’s primary residence, (2) requesting the issuance of a…
Read MoreVictims, Veterans and More: New Laws in Maryland
Fall brings changes in the weather and a variety of new laws. Many such laws took effect in Maryland on October 1, 2021. Below is a summary of some that caught our attention. As representing victims is a significant part of our practice, we start with a couple of laws protecting victims. The General Assembly enacted the Maryland Senate Bill 327 (“SAFE Act”). Under the SAFE Act, a “susceptible adult”…
Read MoreHow to handle and protect assets in Maryland
You just learned you are inheriting assets. You have questions – lots of questions. What kind of assets am I inheriting — cash, stock, real estate, artwork, other personal property, retirement accounts or investments? Are there any taxes associated with the inheritance? Do I need to modify my estate planning documents? Will the inheritance be considered marital property if I get divorced? Can I protect them from claims by an…
Read MoreChanges in Maryland
A number of new laws and other significant changes are taking effect in Maryland on July 1, 2021. Among them is the institution of Maryland Health Services Phone Call Program. Additionally, the long-awaited lifting of the Maryland State of Emergency occurs on that date. Health Services Phone Call Program Maryland has instituted the Maryland Health Services Phone Call Program. The program will establish an opt-in mental health service phone call…
Read MoreRemembering Allen Schwait
Azrael Franz was saddened to learn of the death of our former partner and colleague, Allen L. Schwait. Allen was a partner of the firm from 1993 to 1997. He began practicing law in 1969 at the law firm of Garbis & Schwait where he practiced general and tax litigation, until becoming a partner at Azrael, Gann & Franz in 1993. Allen left the firm in 1997 to be sworn…
Read MoreA Message from the SSA: Don’t be a Victim
While Azrael Franz represents victims in serious personal injury cases, we do not want you to be a victim. That is why in business and real estate matters we strongly recommend that contact one of our attorneys to have them review your documents before signing them. We also do not want you to fall prey to scammers. To help protect you against some scammers we share the following message recently…
Read MoreFEMA to offer financial aid and reimbursement for COVID-related funeral expenses.
FEMA has opened applications for families looking to be reimbursed for COVID-19-related funeral expenses. The funds are coming out of the $2 billion the agency received from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021. Individuals and households can get reimbursement for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred between Jan. 20 and Dec. 31, 2020. FEMA has set up restrictions on who can apply: Applications must be U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals…
Read MoreHere’s how taxpayers can track the status of their refund
Tracking the status of a tax refund is easy with the Where’s My Refund? tool. It’s conveniently accessible at IRS.gov or through the IRS2Go App. Taxpayers can start checking their refund status within 24 hours after an e-filed return is received. Refund Timing Where’s My Refund provides a personalized date after the return is processed and a refund is approved. While most tax refunds are issued within 21 days, some may take…
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