When Fortune 500 companies were asked to name the law firms they routinely turn to for legal services, Nagle Law Group was on their list. Nagle Law Group has been named as a 2011 Go-To Law Firm® and will be featured in the 8th Annual "In-House Law Departments at the Top 500 Companies," a guide produced by the publishers of Corporate Counsel Magazine. Surveys sent to general counsel at each of the top 500 public companies asked what law firms are the best and Nagle Law Group was nominated by client The Home Depot, Inc.

"This honor puts Nagle Law Group in an exclusive group of firms that deliver exceptional work for Fortune 500 companies and we are thrilled to be selected," said Robert Nagle, Founder and Managing Partner.

To our friends and clients:  if you or someone you know have, or had a home loan in which Bank of America, Countrywide, or BAC Home Loans Servicing LLP was the lender or servicer, and you tried unsuccessfully to modify the loan with the bank, you may be entitled to compensation. Please contact Christopher Stuart of Stuart & Jabbar, PLC for more information at (602) 341-3453.

According to a Psychology Today poll the most common New Year's Resolutions people make every year are losing weight, exercising more, and quitting smoking; but with the economic woes facing our nation this year, more people will make financial resolutions. If you are one of the many people doing so for 2011, here are five things we suggest:

Review your mortgage and its costs. Your home is your number one cost. If you think you might be underwater, try to assess how far. If so, then you are figuratively speaking a "renter." But that alone isn't the definitive question when determining whether to remain in your home; the key question is "can I live in a comparable home (or a home I would be comfortable living in) for less money per month?" If the answer is yes then you owe it yourself and your family to assess whether it makes financial sense to remain in your home. Remember, your first mortgage lender expressly agreed that if you stopped paying your mortgage, for any reason whatsoever, that it would merely foreclose, take back your home and forgive the difference. Thus, there is little reason why you shouldn't accept the terms you've negotiated with your lender.

Also, keep in mind that loan modifications do not resolve the reality that the home is underwater; the need to obtain your lender's consent to sell the house in the future remains even after the monthly payments are changed.

Review your credit score. The three major credit reporting agencies are Equifax, TransUnion and Experian, and all three should be monitored regularly. You are entitled to a free report from each of them every year. Take advantage of that and review your credit score.

Review your insurance policies. If you have life insurance, are your beneficiaries current? Do you have enough coverage? Check the deductibles on your auto and homeowners insurance. Are they too low? Could you afford to raise them and "self-insure" the first $1,000 of damage? And is your liability coverage high enough? If you are carrying different policies with different companies, consider consolidating them; many providers will offer a multi-policy discount, which can save you money.

Review your estate plan. As the end of the year approaches it is important to be aware of the changing estate tax landscape. Congress has approved an estate tax to return next year with a top rate at 35 percent and exempt the first $5 million of an individual's estate. Married couples could exempt an aggregate of up to $10 million. The law will change on January 1; a reminder that estate planning is not a once in a lifetime event. Laws, exemption amounts, and IRS rulings can change frequently, let alone the changes that occur in a person's life. Everyone should plan to revisit their documents periodically to ensure they still achieve the desired aims.