Benny L. Kass – Page 12

Whether you are 20 or 80 years old, you need a living will and other documents, writes attorney Benny L. Kass.

The four legal documents all adults need

May 20, 2019 at 8:11 a.m.

Q: My wife and I just bought our first house, and we also had our first child. I want to make sure my family is protected should something happen to...

In rare instances the IRS may call taxpayers who provided their telephone numbers on tax forms to clarify information needed to process tax returns. But the IRS will not demand immediate payment or seek credit or debit card numbers.

Why the IRS needs your phone number

May 20, 2019 at 8:11 a.m.

Q: You recently wrote "the IRS never calls people about tax problems." If so, why does Form 1040 require a phone number? A: I get a lot of email questions...

For those of us who own homes, itemized tax deductions are available to the average homeowner.

Breaking down tax benefits for homeowners

May 20, 2019 at 8:10 a.m.

Q: My husband and I are seriously thinking about buying our first house (or maybe a condominium). I know you have probably written about this before, but can you highlight...

You don't need a copy of your deed to sell your house; it is recorded on land records and that's all that a title attorney needs.

After paying off mortgage, get a copy of the recorded release

May 20, 2019 at 8:09 a.m.

Q: I recently paid off all loans on my property. What documents am I entitled to (deed, title, release of lien. etc.)? A: When you first got your mortgage, you...

If meetings of your community association aren't calm, collegial and organized, then the board needs to take control.

Community association meetings are out of control

May 20, 2019 at 8:09 a.m.

Q: I live in a town home community association of more than 200 units. Our quarterly and annual meetings are a mixture of confusion and unprofessional. Could you give me...

If a father gives quit claim deeds to a house to his children, but one recipient puts his into a trust with his wife and then dies, does the wife have a claim?

Son’s death creates confusion over title to house

May 20, 2019 at 8:07 a.m.

Q: Two people get quit claim deeds from a parent for full title to a house without any mortgage. Both deeds state there is a right to survivorship if one...

It's time for a delinquent condo owner to face his bills, suggests Benny L. Kass.

Time for delinquent condo owner to ‘man up’

May 20, 2019 at 8:07 a.m.

Q: I own a condo that was bought during the fever of the hot real estate market in mid-2000s. For various reasons, I immediately found out there was no chance...

Interest deductions may be limited with reverse mortgage because a reverse mortgage loan generally is subject to the limit on home equity debt.

Interest deduction may be limited with reverse mortgage

May 20, 2019 at 8:07 a.m.

Q: Five years ago we did a reverse mortgage on a home we owned. We were in decent shape financially but needed $180,000 to keep daughter out of foreclosure. We...

What can be done if the condominium association president allows his own renters to ignore rules about picking up after their dogs?

Association president lets rules go to the dogs

May 20, 2019 at 8:06 a.m.

Q: The president of our association is renting out his unit. His renters have been fined several hundred dollars due to not picking up after their dogs. They have not...

To encourage tenants to sign a new one-year lease, a landlord could offer to hold off on a rent increase for a month.

Follow landlord-tenant laws when raising the rent

May 20, 2019 at 8:05 a.m.

Q: I am acting as a landlord for family members. I have rented out a single family residence to tenants who have been very reliable, have solid work and have...

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