Monthly Archives: December 2018

Legal-Ease: Magic and miracles of Christmas

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For Christians, celebrating Christmas can be a time to recognize the magic of the season. For example, people who have items on layaway for the Christmas season may discover that a stranger has anonymously paid their bill. They might feel like they experienced a miracle.

But to the person who paid the bill, it was just something they do every day. Magic or a miracle to one person might be a simple act to another person.

Similarly, we can make magic or miracles happen in our own lives by making the good decision to plan ahead.

Legal-Ease: Am I responsible for my spouse’s bills?

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Being married means more than just living together. In some situations, being married can make a person liable for their spouse’s financial obligations. 

As Ohio is not a community property state, married people can have very separate lives both financially and legally. So in Ohio, most often one person’s financial obligations are not the obligations of the spouse…unless the spouse has “co-signed” or “guaranteed” a financial obligation. 

Legal-Ease: Safety deposit box law in Ohio

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Traditionally American families had a safety deposit box, often called a lockbox. Lockboxes were physical, metal-box drawers in locked vaults or at local banks. 

Many families kept important documents and heirlooms in their lockboxes. Families would also store some monetary proceeds in lockboxes with their important documents. 

Lockboxes were a major focus for taxing authorities in Ohio before 2013, when Ohio still had an estate tax. As a result, Ohio law dictated a process for opening lockboxes when its owner died. 

Legal-Ease: Why does my deed show a $1 price?

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A deed is the document that shows when property actually changed ownership. Once a deed is signed by the seller, it will be recorded at the courthouse. 

Almost every deed includes a sentence similar to “For one dollar and other good and valuable consideration” regardless of the actual cost of the real estate.