Dear Friends,
Last month we celebrated our 5th Anniversary of opening our doors to provide affordable and quality legal services to individuals, families, and small businesses throughout Northern Virginia.
Thank you to all our friends and partners who helped us celebrate. But more importantly, thank you to our clients who have entrusted us with their important legal matters, and our referral partners, who have recommended us to their friends and colleagues. Referrals are the “lifeblood” of any small business, and we are grateful for your support!
In a short five years, we have grown from client meetings over Zoom, in my dining room, or under a tent in my front yard (remember COVID?), to a thriving law office with three dedicated professionals in the heart of the Fort Hunt Community.
I am proud to say we have provided estate planning and administration services to more than 300 families and general counsel services to more than 50 small businesses and nonprofit organizations. We have expanded our practice areas to include advance estate planning services for elderly and special needs clients, guardianship, conservatorship and adoption, contract development and review, and so much more.
And we are just getting started! We look forward to continuing to grow our practice in the coming years, while ensuring that our clients continue to receive the high quality personalized legal services we are known for. Here’s to the next 5 years!
Paul J. Dean, Esq.
SMALL BUSINESS ALERT: Small Businesses Required to File FINSEN Report with US Department of Treasury
All small businesses should be aware that the U.S. Department of Treasury is now requiring small business owners to file a “Beneficial Ownership Information” report with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN).
According to the Treasury Department, this new requirement is in response to the 2021 passage by Congress of the Corporate Transparency Act, which “creates a new beneficial ownership information reporting requirement as part of the U.S. government’s efforts to make it harder for bad actors to hide or benefit from their ill-gotten gains through shell companies or other opaque ownership structures.”
This requirement applies to all domestic and foreign corporations, non-profit organizations, and limited liability companies that have incorporated or organized within any U.S. State.
Businesses formed prior to January 1, 2024, must file this report electronically by December 31, 2024. Businesses formed in 2024 must file the report within 90 days of formation, and businesses formed after January 1, 2025, must file within 30 days of formation. Filings are completed online through the U.S. Treasury FINCEN website, at https://boiefiling.fincen.gov/.
For more detailed information, please see the following website: https://www.fincen.gov/boi-faqs#A_1
Please feel free to contact The Dean Law Firm if you have questions or need assistance with filing the report.
Wills for Heroes
In early February, Paul and Dina Koch, Of Counsel at The Dean Law Firm, volunteered their time to support the Wills for Heroes Foundation. Wills for Heroes was founded after the September 11, 2001, terror attack, in which so many emergency personnel lost their lives, several of whom did not have estate planning documents. Presently, the program connects first responders with attorneys to provide free wills and powers of attorney. This year, the Virginia State Bar Young Lawyers Conference partnered with Fairfax County Fire & Rescue to bring a Wills for Heroes program to first responders in Fairfax County. This event served more than 200 first responders and their spouses. The Dean Law Firm was honored to be a part of this worthy effort!
Meet Your Newest Mount Vernon Springfield Chamber of Commerce Board Member
On January 1 of this year, Paul J. Dean proudly began serving as a Board Member of the Mount Vernon Springfield Chamber of Commerce. After being a member for several years and committee lead on various initiatives, he looks forward to continuing his service to the local business community. In his new role, Paul will serve as Chair of the Chamber’s Legislative Committee.
The Mount Vernon Springfield Chamber of Commerce is focused on working for growth and prosperity for our member businesses. If you’d like to get your small business involved with this newly expanded Chamber of Commerce, please reach out and let us know.
