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Injured by a Drunk Driver? You Need Aggressive Legal Counsel
The damages of an accident caused by a drunk driver can be ruinous for anyone. Regardless if you were involved in a car accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, pedestrian accident or bicycle accident, there are few combinations that are more fatal than mixing drugs or alcohol with driving. The truth of the matter remains that no one should ever have to live with the consequences of such gross negligence.

Your damages may include, but are not limited to, catastrophic injuries, brain injuries, spinal-cord injuries, burn injuries, disability and/or permanent disability, disfigurement, loss of limbs or necessary amputation for injury-related issues, non-physical damages, including total loss of your car or vehicle, and wrongful death of a loved one.

It is illegal to drive while intoxicated in the state of California. If a drunk driver caused your accident, not only will the driver be financially responsible for the damages that have been wrongfully caused to you, but the drunk driver will also be criminally accountable for their misconduct.

You may require access to a variety of medical professionals after your injury and need immediate access to transportation and more. Choosing an aggressive team of legal professionals with extensive experience can benefit you both during and after your case. Make certain your legal team will provide instant service, visiting you in the comfort of your home or while you are in the hospital if you prefer.
The Law Offices of Gerald L. Marcus 296-2992

FASTFRAME Takes "Best Of" Award Again
Locally owned and operated FASTFRAME, honored with the title of Small Business of the Year by the SCV Chamber of Commerce in 2015, has continued their winning streak. The framing company, which has built a reputation for exceptional-quality products and stellar customer service, again won The Signal's "Best Of" award for their framing work.
FASTFRAME 291-1325

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Pay for College or Save for Retirement?
by Arif M. Halaby
Many parents struggle with the choices between saving for their child's college or saving for retirement through their Individual Retirement Plan (IRA), or company retirement plan (401k, 403b, 457). Both are noble choices, but which one is right for you?
Student loans are used today as a choice for most people to pay for their college education costs. If it were just the cost of education, it may not be so bad. The problem is students are taking loans out to pay for room and board, supplies and even the day-to-day living expenses that we all have. This extra cost has added nearly twice as much to the student loan amount the average student accumulates on graduation day.

The retirement dollars saved by the average American is less than $50,000. Some experts say they will need nearly $1 million in savings in order to retire. Where is the biggest need for you? It depends.

It depends on whether you are married or single. It depends on you having a skill that you can continue to do later on in life, even when you are not physically 100 percent. Can you work until age 70... or beyond? It can also depend on a potential inheritance you may receive before you plan on retiring. The sale of your family business can also generate a lump sum of money before that retirement date.

Do you have a second source of income? A spouse or rental property can add another source of income to your family at a later date. Maybe, after the last child is away at college, you and your spouse can work overtime, second jobs or begin full time. Mega-saving this money for your retirement needs has been a solution I have seen many clients use.

There are many sources of payment for college. A student can work part time while going to school or during summer/holidays. Grants and scholarships are also a popular way to pay for some of the costs. The quality of education received at today's community colleges has led many students to take one or two years of the general education requirements at a much lower cost than the four-year universities. Taking on some student loan debt is certainly not ideal, but often a better option than saving nothing for retirement. The only student loan debt that should be taken out is in the name of the student and not the name of the parent. If that is not enough to pay for the costs, then refer back to the other choices.

Retirement used to have three or four options as well. With less than 5 percent of Americans being covered by a private pension, the choices have been reduced to two. You and social security.
Arif M. Halaby, CEP is the president and CEO of Total Financial Solutions, Inc., a financial and insurance services company based in Santa Clarita with offices extending to the San Fernando and Antelope Valleys. 753-9683

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Why You should Create Living Trust
The living trust offers a number of potential benefits.

Avoid Probate
Trust assets are designed to transfer outside the probate process, providing a seamless, private transfer of assets.

Manage your Affairs
A living trust can be an important tool for caring for you and your property in the event of your physical or mental disability, provided you have adequately funded it and named a trustworthy trustee.

Ease and Simplicity
It is a painless process for a qualified lawyer to create a living trust tailored to your specific objectives. Should circumstances change, it is also a straightforward task to change the trust's provisions.

Ensure that your Hard-earned Assets are Distributed the Way You Decide
Without a trust, California law, through the laws of intestacy, will determine where and to whom your assets will be distributed.
You work hard your entire life to provide for your family and ensure that they are taken care of. Don't let the courts have the final say in what happens to your assets. Instead, you, and only you, should decide where your hard-earned assets go by creating a living trust.
Edward O'Hare, attorney at law, is with Group One Legal, PC. 284-5000