Many people assume that if an organization has been granted 501(c)(3) status by the IRS, it went through a stringent application and review process and must therefore be legitimate. However, the truth is that there is minimal oversight of the process of creating a non-profit organization. In fact, the IRS recently simplified the application for 501(c)(3) tax exemption from 12 pages (plus schedules) down to only 3 pages.
With almost no ongoing oversight, many of these groups use only a very small portion of donation money to fund products and services for veterans. Worse still, there are fraudulent organizations that are used only to line the pockets of their creators.
For example, the United States Navy Veterans Association (USNVA) was a registered 501(c)(3) charity. It had many markings of a legitimate non-profit – a quality website, supposedly in operation since 1927 and dozens of purported chapters across the country with thousands of members nationwide. In reality, USNVA was run by one man out of his duplex in Florida. This sham charity bilked donors out of nearly $100 million over a seven-year period. The ringleader was arrested in 2012 and sentenced to 28 years in prison and $6 million in fines, but sadly most of these donations will never be recovered.
Fortunately, there are resources available to assist potential donors in verifying the legitimacy of a charity before donating. First off, the charity’s website can provide a first step – most legitimate charities post their financial statements and annual reports on their website so that the public may view them. Additionally, www.guidestar.org is a non-profit that provides detailed information about 501(c)(3) registered charities. Further, legitimate charities should be completely transparent. If an organization is not forthcoming about providing financial/audit statements, copies of their conflict of interest policy, or information about the board of directors and employees, there is cause for concern.
If you have questions about the authenticity of a veteran charity, or believe that you have been taken advantage of by a fraudulent charity, contact the experienced attorneys at Fausone Bohn, LLP. We can provide you the sound legal advice that you need. You can reach us at (248) 380-0000 or online at www.fb-firm.com.
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Upon hearing the term “service animal,” most people automatically envision guide dogs for the visually impaired. Dogs have also been trained to help individuals prone to seizures. But are other types of animals permitted to be used as service animals? Our municipal clients had to answer this question recently.
For instance, many cities have local ordinances preventing residents from keeping or raising chickens on property within the city. However, are those individuals permitted to keep chickens on their property if they are being used as “therapy” chickens? For example, to provide therapeutic benefits for special needs children.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) governs the use of service animals for disabled individuals. Under the ADA and its corresponding regulations, a “service animal” is defined as “any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.” The regulations specifically state that other species of animals are not service animals for purpose of the ADA.
The only exception to the “dogs only” rule of the ADA is, surprisingly, miniature horses. The ADA requires that reasonable accommodations must be made to permit the use of a miniature horse by an individual with a disability, as long as it has been individually trained to perform tasks for that person. The use of these miniature horses is more restrictive than guide dogs, however. In order to determine if reasonable accommodations can be made, the regulations provide several factors including the size of the horse, the handler’s control over the horse, and whether the horse is housebroken.
So, according to the text of the ADA Regulations, it is unlikely that “therapy chickens” would be protected under the ADA as service animals. While chickens arguably may provide a benefit to those with special needs or a disability, a local city ordinance prohibiting would likely be controlling.
If you have questions about the ADA or other legal issues, contact the experienced team of legal professionals at Fausone Bohn, LLP, at (248) 380-0000 or online at www.fb-firm.com.
Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC fights for veterans rights. We fight to make sure you get the benefits you deserve from the Department of Veterans Affairs. To learn more or contact a veterans attorney, visit http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com/ or call 800.693.4800
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The failure to address sexual assault in the military is costing the U.S. billions of dollars per year.
A new study released from the RAND Corporation calculated costs of medical and mental health services that victims of these assaults seek after an incident, as well as other “intangible” costs. All told, the study believes that these costs reached $3.6 billion last year.
These findings add to a growing sense of urgency surrounding this important problem. Reports of these incidents have spiked 35% since 2010. Astoundingly, as many as 26,000 members of the military were sexually assaulted last year.
Currently, military sexual assaults are dealt with through the chain of command. However, this can result in retaliation from co-workers and might discourage victims from coming forward. In an attempt to combat this, the U.S. House of Representatives has recently passed a provision providing whistleblower protection to victims of these assaults.
Additionally, some senators have proposed an amendment taking this process out of the chain of command entirely by creating special military prosecutors in charge of these investigations.
One thing is for sure – all necessary measures need to be taken to stop this atrocious conduct. It is our duty to protect those who protect us.
If you have questions about this topic or other veteran issues, contact Legal Help For Veterans, a practice group of Fausone Bohn, LLP, at 800.693.4800 or online at www.legalhelpforveterans.com.
Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC fights for veterans rights. We fight to make sure you get the benefits you deserve from the Department of Veterans Affairs. To learn more or contact an attorney about your Post Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury, Mental Health, Sexual Assault, Hearing Loss and Tinnitus, Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability, Medical Malpractice, or Aid and Attendance claim, visit http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com/ or call 800.693.4800
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