Law Office Of Steven H Leahy - August 2017

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August 2017

LEGAL ANSWERS ALL THE ANSWERS TO YOUR LEGAL QUESTIONS

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DRAG IT THROUGHTHE GARDEN How I Promote the Firm, Chicago Style

Believe it or not, I was not born an attorney. No one is. It’s a long and sometimes arduous journey to get here. One of the things that makes my story unique is my stop as "The Hot Dog Guy."

special events. It's a fun promotion because I get to be out there meeting people face to face and having conversations, and they get the best Chicago hot dog.

Recently, the law firm gave away 210 Chicago hot dogs at Joe Walsh's annual picnic. You know Joe Walsh — former congressman and host of the nationally syndicated “Joe Walsh Show.” I advertise on Joe’s Chicago show, and he is a good friend of mine. This was the second year that our law firm gave away real Chicago hot dogs to his listeners and guests. Maybe you are asking yourself the most important question: How good are the Rock & Roll hot dogs? Well, they are the very best Chicago-style hot dogs because we use the very best Vienna beef No. 10 dogs. You’ve probably heard the expression “drag it through the garden,” meaning “load it up with everything” — mustard (no ketchup, please), relish, diced onions, sliced tomatoes, sliced pickles, sport peppers, and celery salt. Now, I’m not a hot dog snob. If you want ketchup, I will include it. You should eat the hot dog the way you like it (even my wife puts ketchup on her hot dog). As life goes on, we tend to leave things behind — everything from hobbies to friends. Maybe something that you’re looking for in life is something you lost along the way. Maybe it can help you on your journey, just like my hot dog stand still does for me. I’ll tell you about our Halloween special in another issue.

When I was working my way through college 25 years ago, I bought a hot dog stand. I was working as an iron worker at the time, and the hot dog stand was a perfect addition. I could work my own hours and be my own boss. I sold hot dogs at Clark & Ontario, right across from the Rock & Roll McDonalds in River North. I named my stand the Rock & Roll Hot Dog Stand. I sold hot dogs on the weekends from 10 at night until the bars closed, and business was pretty good. I made a killing off the late-night bar crowd. Rock & Roll hot dogs got me through college. Since I became an attorney, I don't have to sell hot dogs anymore. But I believe our past is a part of us, and if we can incorporate our past experiences into our daily work, it brings our life around full circle. That's why I use my hot dog stand to promote my activities now, 25 years later. The hot dog stand sat idle for some years. I thought of selling it, but there is no real value in a used hot dog stand. Besides, my kids and family loved the hot dog stand and the hot dogs. Then, I realized that the Rock & Roll

Hot Dog Stand would be a great way to promote the law firm.

The law firm gives away hot dogs at

– Steven Leahy

community occasions, church functions, and

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Take Charge of Your Productivity with 30/30 GET TIME ON YOUR SIDE

Time is of the essence. You only have so much of it every day to get things done. And when you a mounting list of things to do, you can easily lose track of time. 30/30, a task management app available on the iPhone and iPad, changes that. At its core, 30/30 is a timer — but it’s no ordinary timer. It’s a task manager- timer hybrid. When you have a lot to get done, the app can assign time to each task.

30/30 is a way to visualize your day, and because we are visual creatures by nature, the timer feature adds a sense of urgency to your tasks. It helps you maintain a steady focus on what you need to get done. Once your task list and timers are set, you can organize your day with a flick of your finger. Prioritize tasks any way you wish. Then, simply tap the task, followed by the timer, to begin. If you do not complete a task in the allotted time, the app alerts you that it’s time to move one to the next task, while bumping the incomplete task to the bottom of the list (which you can move as needed). You can add or subtract time, if you need to give yourself an extra few minutes.

The 30/30 is simple, yet effective, tool to keep you on task and moving through your day. The app is free and available on the App Store.

First, you create a task (or list of tasks), then you assign a time limit for each task.

If you only want to spend 20 minutes checking email, give yourself 20 minutes. You can customize exactly how much time you want to spend on any given task.

“Mr. Leahy helped my husband and I with our tax issues. Prior to our meeting with Mr. Leahy, we had hired some firm that advertised help with tax problems. Well, they were no help and only made our problems worse. “When we met with Mr. Leahy, we knew immediately this gentleman knew precisely what to do, and we felt so comfortable speaking with him. He addressed our problems and identified exactly how our case would be handled. Well, I don't even think it's been 18 months, and to our great joy, Mr. Leahy has settled our case, and we are so very grateful for all his help. “I must also say that while going through this tax problem, we had just gone through so much legally and emotionally. Mr. Leahy went out of his way to help us, going above and beyond what any attorney would have done. We are ever so grateful to him for all his expertise and help that we could never thank him enough. He’s truly a gentleman and one outstanding attorney! Thank you!”

hildren. He spends as randkids, attending mes, basketball the like. If you have or Mike, give him a ct line telephone 12-262-5611, and his

Don't forget to listen to the IRS Radio Hour every SUNDAY AT 5:00 P.M. ON AM 560 THE ANSWER

–Alicia F.

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Know Your Rights File an Appeal if You Are Being Audited by the IRS

When the IRS finds an issue with your taxes, the first thing you want to do is make sure the issue is taken out of the hands of the tax compliance officer. These people often do not know much about IRS rules and regulations, and their sole responsibility is to get as much money out of you as possible. Recently, I worked with a client who had been audited by the IRS. Because they felt they had done nothing wrong, they attended their appointment with a tax compliance officer alone — something you should never do. The couple and the tax compliance officer reviewed two years’ worth of receipts, and at the end of the audit, the couple owed thousands of dollars to the IRS. After meeting with the tax compliance officer, my clients reached out to me and told me their story. We all met with the tax compliance officer, and after reaching a new agreement, a report was filed. The next day, the IRS provided us with a brand new report we had never agreed on. From there, we filed a tax court case, and our report was sent to an appeals officer.

The appeals officer didn’t know why a new report had been filed, so our only option was to start the audit process over again. After the tax compliance officer talked with his supervisor, the IRS agreed to the amount listed on the original report, and we won our tax case. Remember, if you are being audited by the IRS, you have the right to object and have an appeals officer review your case. This process is an invaluable tool and can end

up saving you thousands of dollars! If you are being audited and have a question about the appeals process, call the Law Office of Steven H. Leahy at 312-664- 6649. We can help.

MEMES

Ame r i can Bus ine s s TRIVIA

1.

In 1971, Starbucks opened its first store in which city? a. Boston b. Seattle c. Atlanta d. San Francisco What was the first item sold on eBay? a. Broken laser pointer b. Book c. Vintage T-shirt d. Used jeans

4.

Milton Hershey got his start making what? a. Paper b. Newsletters c. Insurance d. Credit cards

2.

Be the first to call with all the right answers and win FREE movie tickets!

3.

Who is the owner of Geico?

a. b. c. d.

Bill Gates

Donald Trump Warren Buffet John Donahoe

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Phone: (312) 664-6649 chicagotaxteam.com 150 N Michigan Ave #1120, Chicago, Illinois 60601

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Promoting the Firm, Chicago Style

Get Time on Your Side

Testimonial

Your Right to Tax Appeals

American Business Trivia

Don’t Become a Parking Lot Vulture

THEFIRST SPOT IS THEBEST SPOT Why Parking in a Prime Spot Isn’t Worth It

We are all guilty of circling the parking lot at least once in search of the perfect parking spot. There are spots we consider more valuable than others — spots where we desperately want to leave our vehicles. For some people, the prime spots are nearest the store entrance. For others, the

Foot traffic dominates the area around a store entrance. During peak hours (and peak shopping days), you may spend more time waiting for people to filter in and out of the store than it would take to park farther away and walk into the store. Areas near store entrances are routinely congested, and when drivers compete for those“best”spots, traffic jams are guaranteed. When it comes to scoping out the best spots, carinsurance.com has identified two types of drivers. Upward of 38 percent of drivers are“vultures.”These drivers circle around the parking lot at least twice before settling on a spot. Another 24 percent of drivers are“stalkers.”These drivers follow people carrying bags or pushing carts toward their own cars. Stalkers can be particularly troublesome for other drivers who only care about getting in and out. They are notorious for pulling near their target spot and waiting. This can cause traffic jams and hamper the parking process for others. Are parking tactics like this really worth it? If you value your time, the answer is a resounding no , according to the Southeastern Psychological Association. Drivers defined as vultures or stalkers“spend significantly more time on the lot” compared to virtually all other drivers. If you value your time, parking in the first available spot you see will get you in and out faster than parking anywhere else.

best spots are under trees, or spots that give you optimal door-opening space. All of these perfect spots have one thing in common: They offer convenience, a convenience many drivers are willing to fight for.

But is it worth it?

Let’s look at the parking spots near and around the entrance of the store. In an ideal world, parking in these spots ensures you get in and out quickly. But we don’t live in an ideal world. In reality, the spots closest to the store entrance are often the least convenient spots in the entire parking lot and almost never worth the hassle or aggravation.

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