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IRS Tax Scam
Have you received a phone call from someone who claims to be calling from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), demanding payment for owed taxes and threatening to call the police to have you arrested in the event that you do not pay? You are not alone. According to a recent report from NBC News, there has been a surge in consumer complaints about scammers claiming to be federal investigators. To be sure, the recent rise in complaints suggests that this new scam tactic is among “the most pervasive in history.” All too often, these scams target members of the immigrant community.
Understanding Fraudulent IRS Calls
As the NBC News report explains, these scammers often call and claim that the recipient has only a short period of time to pay owed taxes before the police get involved. Why do so many people fall for such a scam? It does not have anything to do with a person’s intelligence or ability to root out fraud. To be sure, the NBC News report suggests that “many people fear the IRS,” and as a result, they “believe [such a call] may be real.”
Last Will and Testament in Time for Hajj
For Muslims in Oakbrook Terrace who are currently planning for Hajj, you should ensure that you have your affairs in order before you begin upon this once-in-a-lifetime journey. While preparation for Hajj is an important time to create a Last Will and Testament, it is important for everyone, regardless of your income or the economic value of your possessions, to think about inheritance issues. Islamic law has specific mandates when it comes to inheritance, and if you do not prepare a last will and testament, your estate may be subject to Illinois intestate succession law.
The Hajj is the largest gathering of people worldwide, and for many Muslims, and given the sheer number of people, accidents can happen. To be sure, millions of people undertake this annual five-day pilgrimage, and you should have plans for your estate in place before you travel. An experienced Islamic lawyer in DuPage County can assist you today.
Termination of Parental Rights
For Muslim families in the Oakbrook Terrace area, family law issues involving parenthood and the termination of parental rights can be difficult ones to face. Generally speaking, the Illinois courts want to do their best to keep both parents in a child’s life and to ensure that the child has both parents play a role in the child’s life and upbringing as long as it is in the best interests of the child. Yet in some situations, it may be in the best interests of the child to terminate the rights of a parent. What does it mean when the law decides to terminate a parent’s rights? In short, it means that the parent not only will not be responsible financially for the child, but that parent also will not make any decisions about the child’s care or upbringing.
Voluntary Termination and the Adoption Act
It is important to understand that Illinois law does not allow one parent simply to petition to terminate the other parent’s rights. Rather, parental rights can be terminated either voluntarily or involuntarily, and the court takes these cases very seriously. Under 750 ILCS 50/1 and other relevant Illinois law, the voluntary termination of a parent’s rights generally can occur in one of the following circumstances:
Illinois Divorce 101
Last year, Illinois family law changed in a number of ways, and it is important to understand how these changes might impact you and your family in the event of divorce. Divorce is difficult for Muslim families in DuPage County under any circumstances, but understanding how our state’s laws function during divorce proceedings can help you to be prepared for the weeks and months ahead.
No Fault Divorce in Illinois
We mentioned above that Illinois family law has recently undergone some changes. All of those alterations are reflected in the current Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (IMDMA). One of the first major changes concerns grounds for divorce. Until just recently in Illinois, divorcing spouses could cite grounds for divorce such as adultery, impotence, mental anguish, and habitual drunkenness. However, those terms are different now.
Muslims and Prenuptial Contracts
Picture this scenario. You are about to invest between $50,000-$150,000 in a business venture. The business venture has about a 50% chance of failure. If the venture fails, the losses incurred will include the entire initial investment as well as possibly tens of thousands of dollars more in additional costs and legal fees. You can, however, protect yourself substantially from future costs, legal fees, and recoup part of your initial investments if you enter into a contract prior to the investment. The cost of that insurance would likely be between $2000-$3000, split between the two parties entering into the business venture.
Given the probability of failure and the potential sunken costs, it would be almost irresponsible to enter the business venture without entering into an initial contract to protect yourself and as much of your investment as possible. The reality is, however, that Muslims enter into such a venture nearly every day without contemplating how to protect themselves from the failure of that venture.
Five Reasons to Hire a Lawyer When Buying or Selling a Home
Buying or selling a home can be one of the major turning points in the life of a person or a family. However, the process can become extremely complex. Some believe that they can manage by themselves, but in truth, there are several aspects of home buying and selling that can cause real problems if not handled appropriately by a competent real estate legal professional.
The main reason to hire a real estate attorney to help with your home sale or purchase is their experience. Real estate, unlike many other legal fields, is infinitely complex. It is not uncommon for a home buyer or seller to let their agent act on their behalf, only to discover they have missed some integral part of the purchase agreement--some covenant or restriction--that binds them to performance. If an unusual situation crops up, most laymen are not going to be familiar enough with the law to be able to successfully negotiate.
Issues Faced by American Muslims during Divorce
Islamic law can be quite complex in several areas, none more so than divorce. While standard secular divorce has many different requirements and stages, there are certain common occurrences that conflict with Islamic principles. Sometimes you may require the services of an experienced Islamic family law attorney in order to successfully navigate these obstacles in an Islamically acceptable way.
Who Keeps the Mahr?
Mahr, often incorrectly translated as “dowry,” means a gift from the groom to the bride upon the occasion of their wedding. There has been much ink spilled on the question of whether or not a wife may keep her mahr even after divorce. The short answer depends on who possesses the right of divorce and who initiates it.
2015 Spousal Support Changes: How Do They Affect Muslim Couples?
Starting January 1, 2015, Illinois made significant changes to its laws regarding spousal maintenance. The formula for determining maintenance underwent significant alteration. This revives an ongoing debate among Muslim scholars and attorneys, however: a non-religious court may order spousal support, but it is generally considered to be haram amongst Islamic faithful. Divorce laws in the United States take precedence over religious laws, but within Islamic law itself, there is a growing trend to argue in favor of maintenance, under the Islamic principle of mut‘at-al-ṭalāq. It is possible for some to reconcile the two bodies of law.
Traditional Rationale
Generally, under traditional Islamic law, post-divorce maintenance was held to be haram because it was seen as an "additional" benefit to the wife. She was said to have “exhausted her share” during the marriage by being fed, clothed and sheltered by her husband. Support was permissible during the three-month religiously imposed waiting period (“‘iddat al-ṭalāq”) but not afterward.
Observant Muslims Need for a Will
When someone passes away, the next step for most families is to divide the assets according to the wishes of the deceased. However, for observant Muslim faithful, dividing the assets is supposed to be a much easier procedure than for non-Muslims. There are specific tenets in shari’ah law governing the disposition of one’s assets. However, these requirements do not always mesh harmoniously with secular intestacy laws. Therefore, it is considered mustahabb, or recommended, that Muslims always leave wills, or wasiyyat, which provide explicitly for their wishes. Wasiyya, in Arabic, can be translated as “instruction.”
Asset Disposition and Wills in Shari’ah Law
Wills and other testamentary interests are extremely important in Islam. Several hadith make clear that if a man is just in his last will and testament after a lifetime of wickedness, “the goodness of his deed will be sealed upon him, and he will enter the Garden.” Leaving one’s affairs unsettled can be extremely harmful to one’s family - for example, accounts or property may have clouded title, or the position of one’s children (that is, who will be their guardian) may be undecided. A will is the observant Muslim’s last chance to set things right.
Business Law in the Muslim Community
Are you in the process of forming a business or expanding a business venture? Do you have plans for upcoming business negotiations or business litigation? No matter what kind of business law issue you currently are facing, it is extremely important to seek advice from an experienced DuPage County business law attorney. Dealing with contracts and other business agreements can sometimes result in complications for the Muslim community.
Negotiating Business Contracts
For Muslims in the business world, it is important to understand the relationship between business law and the terms set forth for doing business in the Quran. Generally speaking, for contracts to be valid under U.S. civil law, they must have two elements according to the U.S. Small Business Administration:
We serve clients throughout DuPage County and Cook County including Oak Brook, Lombard, Skokie, Elmhurst, Hinsdale, Glendale Heights, Oakbrook Terrace, Burr Ridge, Downers Grove, Glen Ellyn, Carol Stream, Addison, Westmont, Chicago, Wheaton, Des Plaines, Bridgeview, Lombard, Villa Park, and Illinois.
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