Davenport, IA - (November 3, 2015) Hupy and Abraham, S.C., P.C., personal injury law firm, has announced Attorney John Simmons as a new addition to the firm in its Quad Cities office.

Prior to joining Hupy and Abraham, Attorney Simmons successfully arbitrated numerous cases as an associate attorney in Illinois.  He was primarily responsible for several workers compensation cases and other personal injury practice areas. At Hupy and Abraham, Attorney Simmons will be representing clients in various personal injury fields.

Attorney Simmons earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2006. During his time at the university, he was awarded best oralist and best brief in the Intellectual Property Moot Court Competition. Attorney Simmons is licensed to practice in the states of Illinois and Iowa.

 

Hupy and Abraham, S.C., P.C.

Founded in 1969 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, personal injury law firm Hupy and Abraham, S.C. has a proven record of success with large settlements in serious cases, collecting $100s of millions for more than 60,000 satisfied clients.  The firm has a long-established reputation of providing sound legal representation to accident victims, securing fair compensation for its clients and giving back to the community.

With 11 offices located in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa, the law firm handles personal injury cases including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, wrongful death, pharmaceutical and medical device class actions and nursing home neglect and abuse cases.

The firm's 24 experienced attorneys are committed to going above and beyond the call of duty for their clients by tirelessly representing them to the best of their ability while being involved in the local community ? from raising funds for local charities to participating in safety and accident prevention initiatives.  In the past three years, the firm has donated more than $500,000 to more than 100 worthwhile causes.

 

Hupy and Abraham, S.C. has received top ratings from a number of national professional organizations for many years and was voted Best Personal Injury Lawyers in 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011 and voted Best Personal Injury Law Firm in 2014, 2013 and 2012 in another popular poll, and named Best Law Firm in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's 2015 Top Choice Award. In 2015, the firm was named a Webby Award Honoree in the Best Law Website Category and was honored at the Legal Marketing Association's "Your Honor Awards" for Best Website: Reboot.

By Nathaniel Sillin

Already dreading what you'll spend this holiday season? It doesn't have to be that way.

Gifts aren't the only budget-busting culprit during the holidays. The weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's are also a peak time for spending on groceries, travel, events, entertainment, energy, clothes and meals out.

Financial advisors recommend you use no more than 1.5 percent of your annual income on holiday spending (http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/holiday), so consider the following suggestions to keep it under control:

Start with a list and make a budget. Begin your planning by listing every possible holiday expense you'll face - and don't stop at gifts. Consult the Practical Money Skills for Life comprehensive holiday budget planner (http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/yourholidaybudget) to help organize your information and track your spending.

Be open about money trouble. If you are facing financial difficulties during the holiday season, don't spend to hide the problem. Don't be ashamed to make adjustments and tell friends and family members that you'd like to temporarily downsize your spending until conditions improve. They might actually appreciate a spending reprieve, too.

Build a bargain-hunting strike force. Let friends and family know you're looking for particular toys, gifts, foods or decorating items and volunteer to do the same for them. Save and share coupons. Encourage your group to find resources, check prices and share requests and ideas via social media. Results can come back in a matter of minutes.

Evaluate all transportation costs. Do you really need to run out of one or two items at a time? Designate certain days of the week for particular items, keep an eye out for free delivery and see if friends and family might want to share errands. Those with large vehicles or trucks can help move, deliver and even install appliances or electronics if they have the skills to do so. Smart transportation choices extend to car pools or public transportation for events and entertainment.

Leverage your creativity. If there's something you make or do really well that people love, consider making such accomplishments into gifts. From specialty food items your friends enjoy, to clothing or art, anything done well can be a gift. Don't rule out lessons or skilled labor as potential holiday gifts, particularly for relatives who can't afford such services at this time. Smart shopping for ingredients or supplies can make such creative gifts a real money saver.

Build a year-round gift stash. If there are gifts or foodstuffs you can buy on sale and keep for a while, you'll have a ready source of thank-you gifts for hosts, teachers or co-workers year-round. Set aside a similar area for cards, gift tags and wrapping paper. Also keep in mind that many retailers put holiday-themed items on sale before the holidays are finished. If you think you'll need these items next year, grab your coupons, take advantage and put those items aside for future gift giving.

Late saving for gifts? Do it anyway. If you don't have a holiday fund set up, don't let that keep you from starting one. Every little bit helps. Take 5-10 percent of your next paycheck and set it aside, doing it each week throughout the holidays. If you keep it up, your holiday fund can eventually become an emergency fund to be used for other savings goals, including retirement.

Take notes for next holiday season. Create a paper or digital file where you can collect ideas for next year. Check print and online resources like Consumer Reports for items that can be bought at specific times of the year at a discount so you are able to hide them for the holidays - but remember where you hid them.

Bottom line: Keeping holidays affordable isn't a challenge when you're willing to do a little planning, idea-sharing and record-keeping. Make it an activity you can do year-round.

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement today after the House voted on the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. The legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration.

"The budget plan that was voted on today in the House was far from perfect and I was reluctant to support it. Not only was this bill written behind closed doors, but it attempted to balance the budget on the backs of America's farmers and ranchers. I am pleased that due to pressure from me and other members of Congress, an agreement has been reached to avoid the possibly devastating cuts to crop insurance that were initially included in the bill. I strongly opposed this provision, and am pleased that House leadership will reverse this harmful policy during the appropriations process.

 

"In the end, passing a budget and making sure that America does not go into default was the right and responsible thing to do. Furthermore, this legislation makes sure that Social Security Disability payments will continue and drastically reduces a spike in Medicare premiums that was scheduled to go into effect. Washington must be working to boost our economy, not undermining economic growth. This bipartisan, commonsense, compromise budget plan is a good start and is needed to get past the political games."

After learning of the cap to crop insurance payments, Loebsack demanded Congressional leaders remove the provision that would devastate America's farmers and ranchers. In a letter to Speaker Boehner and Leader Pelosi, Loebsack called for them to reverse the damaging policy during the appropriation process.

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DAVENPORT, IA - On October 5, 2015, Monte A. Cox, age 55, appeared before the Honorable Stephen B. Jackson, Jr., and pled guilty to filing a false tax return for the year 2009, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt.
According to the plea agreement, Cox underreported income on his personal tax returns for the years 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. During this period Cox resided in Bettendorf, Iowa, and earned income as a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promoter and fighter manager. He operated his business under the name Ultimate Productions, Inc. For each of these years, Cox knew that he had received income from his MMA-related activities and ownership of Ultimate Productions, Inc. that exceeded the income he reported on his tax return. Cox underreported his income by an estimated $255,036 for 2007, $295,854 for 2008, $405,778 for 2009, and $152,509 for 2010.
Cox is scheduled to be sentenced before United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey on February 24, 2016, at 10:00 a.m., in Davenport, Iowa. Filing a false tax return is a felony that carries a maximum term of three years imprisonment, up to $100,000 fine, and up to one year of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
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