As we enter the winter months, driving becomes much more hazardous. The nights and mornings are darker, and the roads can be frozen over. Throughout this period, you can adjust your driving behavior accordingly, such as slowing down and leaving a greater distance...
Erie Law Blog
State lawmakers may increase consequences for retail theft
Retail theft has become an increasingly serious and costly problem throughout the country. Takeover robberies carried out by multiple people (sometimes organized through social media) have spurred lawmakers in a number of states to strengthen their retail theft laws,...
Which type of bankruptcy is best for those with medical debt?
Many people associate the overuse of credit cards with an eventual need to file for personal bankruptcy. While it is certainly true that personal spending habits can impact the likelihood of needing bankruptcy protection, the most common reason that people file for...
Money laundering: What are structuring and smurfing?
Most people are familiar with the term “money laundering.” Fewer have heard the terms “structuring” and “smurfing.” First, it’s important to understand the federal Bank Secrecy Act (BSA). It requires financial institutions to report large cash transactions. The BSA...
Why are impaired drivers so dangerous?
A significant majority of Americans drive. Many of them do it every day to get to work. While driving is an efficient mode of travel, it can also be dangerous. Driving requires split-second decisions to be made all the time and road users need to have their wits about...
3 financial mistakes to avoid in divorce
Divorce is, without a doubt, emotionally taxing and full of difficulty, and the financial aspect of the process may quickly take center stage. The wrong move now could negatively impact your financial security for years into the future. While everybody makes...
How long it actually takes a driver to react
You may have heard that drivers need to leave a proper following distance between cars. Often, they are told to leave three or four seconds between each vehicle. This is done to give them enough reaction time so that they can avoid a rear-end accident or other...
The 3 types of distracted driving
When drivers get distracted, they are vastly more likely to make mistakes. In some cases, this is because they entirely disengage with the act of driving. Someone who is turning to talk to a passenger simply is not looking at the road ahead of them and may drift over...
Do not let avoidable mistakes wreck your estate planning efforts
As you likely know, estate planning is a means of arranging for the distribution of your assets after your death. It is critical to have such a plan to help ensure that your loved ones receive their inheritance and to protect them from needless financial hardships....
A DIY will can expose you to unnecessary risks
In today’s digital world, do-it-yourself (DIY) options for creating legal documents, including templates for wills, are readily available online. They may seem cost-effective and convenient, but they can expose you to pitfalls that may have serious consequences for...