Entries by Carol LaCombe

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

If you are a contractor who also plows snow for public or private entities, there are a few things you should know before you start plowing this winter. Your automobile insurance policy will provide you with liability coverage — bodily injury and damage to the property of others — while you are actually plowing. And […]

Seeking Tax Nirvana in 2013

Presented by John B. Steiger, ChFC, AEP Certified Financial Planner ™ If we had to give 2012 a name, we could probably call it the Year of Uncertainty. The upcoming U.S. presidential elections, the pending fiscal cliff, and the ongoing economic issues in the eurozone have combined to make investors more concerned about their future […]

Lessons from Superstorm Sandy

Superstorm Sandy was a catastrophic event by any measure. The damage inflicted on New York City and the surrounding coastal communities was unprecedented. Insured losses are estimated to total between $20 billion and $25 billion. The impact of the storm was tragic but also serves as a reminder for both insurance coverage issues and emergency […]

MetLife Releases Tenth Annual Survey of Employee Benefits Trends

MetLife, the well-known insurance and financial services company, has released its Tenth Annual Survey of Employee Benefits Trends. The survey, conducted in the fall of 2011, included the results of 1,519 interviews with benefits decision makers at companies with staff sizes of at least two employees, as well as 1,412 interviews with full-time adult employees […]

Client Spotlight

The Boston Debate League was created in 2005 to help improve students’ academic achievement. The league offers a host of after-school, weekend, and summer programs to help Boston students become advocates and intellectuals. Competitive academic debate offers a powerful means of engaging students in their own education and reversing negative trends.  Debaters come from across […]

Combating Absenteeism

The zombie apocalypse is upon us. It’s real, and according to recent studies it costs employers billions. But the zombies aren’t taking the form of the undead rising from the grave in a quest to consume the living. Instead, they take the form of exhausted, sick, injured, or demoralized employees showing up to work yet […]

Update to Federal Service Contracts

The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division has issued a final rule to implement Executive Order 13495, Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers Under Service Contracts. This final rule will be effective once the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council (FARC) issues regulations for the inclusion of the nondisplacement contract clause in covered federal solicitations and contracts, as […]

Protecting Your 401K

If you’re changing employers, one of the many transitions you’ll face is what to do with the money you’ve accumulated in your 401(k). Making the right choice can keep you on track for a financially secure retirement, but making the wrong choice can wind up costing you plenty. Let’s take a look at your options. […]

Home and Automobiles in Living Trusts

As individuals and families look to preserve their assets against the uncertainty of tomorrow, the formation of a living trust is a viable estate-planning technique. It is not uncommon for a home and other major assets such as bank accounts, investments, and sometimes automobiles, to be transferred to a trust for that purpose. Although attorneys […]

Contract Surety Bonds

You don’t hear about government entities using stimulus funds on uncompleted public works projects despite numerous contractor failures during the recent economic downturn. Why is this? Public works projects have a third-party guarantee that ensures that projects are completed and that all bills to subcontractors and suppliers are paid. This guaranty is offered by a […]