A Temporary Mortgage Assistance (TMA) program is offering help for Colorado federal workers on furlough due to the government shutdown. The assistance program also helps those who face a hardship due to a temporary layoff or reduction of work hours. This new program was drafted to help federal employees who may be in jeopardy of losing their homes from missed mortgage payments due to the shutdown. The Temporary Mortgage Assistance program, through a partnership with Mile High

It’s happened again, another wealthy celebrity passed away and did not have a will nor did she have a trust set up. Aretha Franklin will be joining the dozens of other celebrities who also died without leaving a will. Big names such as Prince, Jimi Hendrix, Pablo Picasso, Kurt Cobain, Howard Hughes, Michael Jackson, Sonny Bono and even Martin Luther King, Jr. all passed away without having a will. Prince died in April 2016. His estate is still tied up in the courts. Not a si

The Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) is the largest backer of mortgage credit in our nation. Recently, Fannie set new rules and guidelines that would let homeowners refinance their mortgages to pay off student loans. The new guidelines expand a program that was introduced last year with a personal finance company called Social Finance commonly known as SoFi. Fannie Mae said the resulting policy will be easier for borrowers to apply, and may result in a lower

The first tax levied in the United States was from the Stamp Act in 1765. The Act was passed by the Parliament of Great Britain. Basically any piece of paper was tax such as documents, ship’s papers, licenses, newspapers, publications and even playing cards were taxed. Great Britain enacted the tax to help with the costs of their maintaining a military presence protecting the American Colonies. Great Britain continued to levy more taxes. Common products imported into the Ame

There are millions of Americans who seem to be born with some kind of an entrepreneurial inclination. Think back to the Gold Rush times when tens of thousands headed west to claim their stake, or the Industrial Age where so many people made their mark with innovative inventions. The 1990s-2000’s belongs to the millions who took to the internet starting .com businesses. More than 28 million small businesses in the U.S. or the equivalent to about 10% of our labor force own thei

Congratulations to Gantenbein Law Firm Denver, Colorado attorney Keith Gantenbein Jr. who was again, recognized as Super Lawyers, Rising Stars for 2018. For Keith, this is his fourth consecutive year as a Super Lawyer, Rising Star. Mr. Gantenbein is nationally recognized for his work in Real Estate Law, which also includes Foreclosures Defense and HOA Law. Mr. Gantenbein worked extensively last few years with the Colorado Supreme Court to pass updated Rules of Civil Procedure

Millions of companies in the U.S. were started from an idea and a bit of a dream. These businesses typically began with two or more people sharing the same dream. Today, there are almost 30 million small businesses in the U.S., employing almost half (47.8%) of U.S. workers. In 2017, more new businesses were formed than in the past 4 years and women-owned businesses were at their highest level in 40 years. Colorado ranked number 1 in the nation for “Labor Supply”. Even the mos

According to numerous polls taken in Colorado, housing affordability is the largest issue facing Coloradans today.  The affordable housing crisis is not just limited to Denver and other large cities, but is now a statewide problem. In a recent survey, communities stated housing and real estate was their biggest issue, followed by the economy and then crime-drugs-violence. Throughout the state, in households earning less than $50,000 per year, 35% of their budget pays for hous

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued a warning for a quickly growing scam involving taxpayers. An original alert was issued February 2, however the number of victims jumped from a few hundred to several thousands in just a couple of days. The IRS Criminal Investigation division is investigating just how deep and far-reaching this scheme is. The new scam is actually just a new twist on a scam they’ve used before. These criminals have stolen client data from email phis

Two years ago, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) had 74,608 pages in their Tax Code (laws). More pages have been added since then. Is it no wonder taxes are one of the most complicated and complex legal issues today? Adjustments are made yearly to the income tax brackets which most of us are aware of. However, there are also other adjustments made, making taxes even more confusing. Thirty-three years ago “tax indexing” was added to the tax codes. Tax indexing adjusts variou

If you should inherit real estate property in Colorado, you will also inherit any ‘baggage’ that may be attached to it. Once you have received any inherited property, it’s always a good idea to seek an experienced attorney who will determine the legal disposition of the property, the status of the mortgage, the title and verify if there are any liens or judgments filed against the property. Gantenbein Law Firm’s accomplished real estate, tax and estate attorneys all have the

Nothing chills our veins like a letter from the IRS. Especially when you open the letter and find you’re under an IRS Audit or under an IRS Investigation. After you get over the shock - think twice before you even think of calling them. What you say to the IRS and what documents you provide can and most likely will be held against you. Most people think if they cooperate with the IRS, answer all their questions and give the IRS everything they ask, they’ll be treated better.

Your Estate Plan may consist of a Last Will and Testament, Trust, Power of Attorney and other important documents that need a tune-up from time to time. Not just because your life may have changed, but outside events can affect what’s in your estate plan as well. One recent outside event is the new tax reform that Congress passed at the end of December. Did the tax reform, or new estate tax limits affect or alter your estate plan? It’s the beginning of the year and time to th

Many properties in Colorado are used as a second home or a vacation home. These owners often rent these properties for part or all of each year to help cover expenses and provide additional income. When owners or investors buy a property that is under the jurisdiction of a Homeowner’s Association (HOA), they were given a set of Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (CC&Rs) that outline all the rules and ‘laws’ of the community. The buyers agreed to follow the rules and restric

On December 8, 2017, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) made changes to its authentication system. This is the system that verifies tax returns that mortgage applicants provide. The system is known as the Income Verification Express System (IVES) and is in place to make sure tax returns aren’t fraudulent. Within five days of the changes, on December 13, mortgage groups were finding problems with the new system. Other groups said problems with the changes began almost immediat

The decisions regarding end-of-life arrangements can be difficult to deal with. Whatever assets you have, an experienced and qualified estate planning attorney can evaluate your financial situation and create a plan that is custom-fitted to your needs. There are many aspects to consider besides the financial assets such as; taxes, medical issues, business succession, heirs, directives, Power of Attorney, living wills, guardianship designation, burial instructions and trusts.

When you buy a home in a covenanted community, you will receive a copy of the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs) along with your closing documents. The CC&Rs will spell out all the regulations (rules/conditions) and the amount of Homeowner’s Association (HOA) fees, which are typically paid monthly. Each year the HOA’s Board of Directors meet to discuss and set the budget that will include how much every household (property or unit) will be charged for their monthl

Gantenbein Law Firm, Denver, Colorado is proud to announce its attorney, Keith Gantenbein, was named to 2017 Colorado Super Lawyers, Rising Stars list. Congratulations to owner and managing attorney Keith A. Gantenbein Jr, who was selected, named and included on the “2017 Colorado Super Lawyers Rising Stars” list. Super Lawyers is the Thomson Reuters lawyer rating service. To be selected as a Super Lawyer, attorneys are nominated by their peers and evaluated on 12 indicators

If you’re thinking of buying a home you’ve probably noticed the inventory of available houses for sale has been declining and mortgage rates and housing prices are on the rise. After years of having a huge inventory of houses to choose from, thousands of foreclosures and very low mortgage rates, the market is heading the other way. Denver is number three regionally for having the fastest time to sell a house. The average amount of days in Denver to sell a home is now 18 days,

Nationwide, home foreclosures have dropped to their lowest level since November 2005. During April 2017, there were 77,049 filings reported in the U.S. This number includes default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions. The figures reflect the lowest number of foreclosures since the housing crisis began. While the drop is significant, at the same time there was a rise in repeat foreclosures. A repeat foreclosure is noted as any property address with the same owne