2020 YEAR IN REVIEW NEWSLETTER
The year 2020 has certainly been a trying, difficult year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, racial injustice and the US Presidential election. There has been tremendous change, suffering and crises in this country. Throughout the year, our office has tried to provide timely and relevant information in our email blast Newsletter each month as well as supplemental Newsflashes as new information relating to COVID came to light. As we come to grips with what happened in 2020 and begin to accept the new normal this Newsletter is a year 2020 year in review monthly recap of the email blast Newsletters and Newsflashes. If you would like to read a specific Newsletter or Newsflash, please click the hyperlink to be directed to Newsletter or Newsflash.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact our office to discuss any of the below topics and how they relate to your specific situation or any other legal matter that may arise. Our attorneys are available for telephone and Zoom meetings.
We hope you each have a happy, healthy 2021 and we look forward to serving you in all your legal needs.
Our March 2020 Newsletter was entitled COVID-19 Relief Measures – Emergency Updates. In this Newsletter we provided information on Federal and State (Pennsylvania and New Jersey) emergency relief that was available as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In our April 2020 Newsletter, entitled Domestic Violence During The Covid-19 Global Pandemic, we discussed the rise in domestic violence due to the COVID pandemic and provided resources for those experiencing domestic violence.
In May 2020 we provided a Newsflash entitled You Need To Act Now To Avoid Unexpected Taxes on any Section 529 Plan Tuition Refunds in which we provided information relating to COVID causing many schools to turn to remote learning and the tax impact on Section 529 Savings Plans.
The May 2020 Newsletter, entitled Employee Rights To Privacy During The Covid-19 Pandemic, provided guidance for employers on balancing employee privacy rights with protecting and safeguarding employees and customers during the COVID pandemic.
A June 2020 Newsflash, entitled Congress Passes Revisions To The Paycheck Protection Program, provided detailed information on an important update to the Paycheck Protection Program which was passed by Congress in early June 2020.
The June 2020 Newsletter, Estate Planning During COVID-19 And Beyond, provided useful information on what important Estate Planning documents individuals should consider having prepared in light of the ongoing COVID pandemic. The Newsletter also detailed how our office is able to meet your estate planning needs during the pandemic.
In the July 2020 Newsletter, entitled How the Terms of an Irrevocable Trust Can Be Modified, we provided helpful guidance on how to modify or terminate an Irrevocable Trust for reasons such as correcting errors or resolving ambiguities, repairing defective provisions, dividing or combining trust, early termination of trusts, addressing changes in the laws, broadening or deleting investment powers, adding or removing beneficiaries, adding, changing or removing trustees, and/or broadening or narrowing distribution provisions such as preserving a beneficiary’s right to receive dependent public benefits
Our August 2020 Newsletter, entitled Benefits of Using a Corporate Trustee, detailed the benefits of using a Corporate Trustee when creating your estate plan, how to choose the right Corporate Trustee for your specific situation, and the powers of a Corporate Trustee.
September 2020’s Newsletter, entitled Analysis of Biden’s Tax Plans and Proposals, provided a detailed and thorough analysis of the then presidential candidate Joseph Biden’s tax plans and proposals. This Newsletter is especially relevant now since Joseph Biden is president-elect and will become president in a few short weeks.
The October 2020 Newsletter, entitled The Pandemic – An Increase in Divorce, discussed how the COVID pandemic and its resulting lock-downs have resulted in an increase in divorces and separations. Further, we discussed how to navigate the “new normal” in proceeding with a divorce or separation.
Our November 2020 Newsletter, entitled An Employer’s Liability For COVID-19 Illness, provides a detailed summary of what COVID legal issues an employer needs to consider, specifically, employee privacy, failure to provide a safe work environment to protect employees, worker’s compensation claims, discrimination, federal, state and local leave requirements, and even wage and hour claims.
In light of the much anticipated emergency approval of the COVID-19 Vaccines, we ended our year with the December 2020 Newsletter, entitled COVID-19 Vaccine – Can An Employer Require It? In this Newsletter, we provided the most up-to-date information available based on the guidance provided by the government to date as to whether employers can mandate that employees receive the COVID vaccine when it is available.