Here’s why: At 18, they become legal adults in the eyes of the law, so you no longer have the authority to make decisions regarding their healthcare, nor will you have access to their financial accounts if something happens to them.

With you no longer in charge, your young adult would be extremely vulnerable in the event they become incapacitated by COVID-19 or another malady and lose their ability to make decisions about their own medical care. Seeing that putting a plan in place could literally save their lives, if your kids are already 18 or about to hit that milestone, it’s crucial that you discuss and have them sign the following documents.

Medical Power of Attorney

Medical power of attorney is an advance directive that allows your child to grant you (or someone else) the legal authority to make healthcare decisions on their behalf in the event they become incapacitated and are unable to make decisions for themselves.

Whether that decision arises from failure on the employee’s part or economic turbulence, one thing is clear: How a business handles this delicate situation can either increase or decrease the risk of negative consequences like lawsuits and unfavorable public attention. Here are the best practices to keep in mind if you are considering terminating an employee.

1. Involve your Human Resources department from the beginning. The Human Resources (HR) department of your company can be especially helpful during the termination of an employee for a number of reasons. First, HR is likely familiar with (or has access to records regarding) the employee’s hiring process. Second, HR staff are likely trained to understand the implementation of applicable laws and to handle delicate situations with personnel. Third, HR can ensure that the final payments and health benefits issued to the terminated employee comply with legal requirements. Finally, your HR team can provide at least one witness to any termination meetings or communications that occur. With this training and experience, they are uniquely equipped to advise you regarding the proper steps to take.

Earlier this year, Boseman and Ledward were married, and the marriage gives Ledward the right to any assets held in Boseman’s name at his death.

Boseman died at age 43 on August 28th following a four-year battle with colon cancer, and based on the court documents, it seems the young actor died without a will. While Boseman’s failure to create a will is surprising, he’s far from the first celebrity to do so. In fact, numerous big-name stars—Aretha Franklin, Prince, and Jimi Hendrix—all made the same mistake.

What makes Boseman’s story somewhat unique from the others is that it seems likely the young actor put some estate planning tools in place, but it’s possible he didn’t quite finish the job. Based on the number of hit films he starred in and how much he earned for those films, several sources have noted that Boseman’s assets at the time of his death should have been worth far more than the approximately $939,000 listed in probate court documents.

Most elements of business branding—name, logo, design—are readily available online, making it easier for people to knowingly or unknowingly use the intellectual property of others. As a business owner, you must prioritize both protecting your own trademarks and avoiding infringement of others’ marks. The following are important concepts to understand as you develop your business’s trademark strategy.

1. What is a trademark? A trademark identifies a business or individual as the source of a good or service. It can take the form of words, phrases, symbols, designs, colors, or a combination of elements. Marks that identify the source of a service are called service marks; however, in practice, the term trademark is broadly used to identify both service marks and trademarks. The United States Patent and Trademark Office is the federal agency responsible for reviewing and registering trademarks in the United States.

This financial crisis is challenging that framework for many people. Even if you had a steady job, and even if you still have one, by now you’ve learned how easy it is for that security to disappear overnight. 

A recession can reveal all of our negative thoughts and internal monologues about money. A sad, yet common, attitude is for us to see money as a scarce resource, and income as something that’s outside of our control. Thinking or talking about money can trigger feelings of guilt and shame in many people. 

It doesn’t have to be that way. The truth is, money is a tool that you can access and multiply, independent of anyone else’s permission. And even if you do have anxieties that keep you from seeing how money can be a positive part of your life, that can change.

Other people may react to this period of uncertainty with the same, old-fashioned advice: live within your means and keep 3–6 months’ worth of income in an emergency fund. If you have a secure job that pays you well, and that you enjoy, this is great advice. But, if that’s not what is true for you, you may be looking at this time as a great opportunity to make a shift and create your own financial security.