The Fryer Law Firm

Fryer Law Firm celebrating 20 years of success and wishing success to our Falcons!

Legal Tip from Fryer Law Firm: Funds Needed for Closing General Rules 1.Buyers and sellers must wire funds due for closing.... 2.Small cashier’s checks (up to $5,000) or personal checks (up to $500) may be accepted; confirm with your closing firm. 3. No personal checks from sellers. Procedure 1.Get estimate due from loan officer or law firm any overage will be refunded at closing. 2.Get wiring instructions from closing firm or firm website. Warning beware of hackers who can intercept and change emails to divert funds to their own accounts 3.Contact your bank to make wire arrangements 5-7 days prior to closing. Warning brokerage firms, internet accounts, and out-of-state banks may take longer to set up and send a wire. Warning some banks offer less expensive options to send funds, such as ACH transfers; these are not acceptable for closing. 4.Go to your bank and/or provide all required authorizations and IDs to approve the wire. Recommendation if possible, stay at your bank until the wire is confirmed as sent. 5.Send your wire 2-3 days before closing; notify the law firm when sent and how much was sent. Fryer Law Firm 70 Lenox Pointe, NEAtlanta, GA 30324 404-240-0007www.fryerclosings.com Clara Fryer Karen Ingram-Tello Leigh Langston Clack David Barrett Linda Chmar Catherine Donnelly Kathryn Newman

Remember to file for Homestead Exemption by April 1, 2015 If you bought a property in 2014, you may be eligible to file for the homestead exemption discount on your property taxes. Even if you closed in late December and your deed is not recorded until January, the date on the deed will qualify you for 2014. The homestead exemption discount applies to your principal residence, and you must provide evidence that you owned and occupied the property on January 1, 2015. This evi...dence will vary by county, but may include a sworn affidavit, utility bills, voter registration, car registration, or the address on your driver’s license. Some cities also have a separate homestead exemption. Here are useful links for some of the metro Atlanta counties and cities: Fulton: 404-612-6440 http://www.qpublic.net/ga/fulton/homestead_inst.html DeKalb: 404-298-4000 http://taxcommissioner.dekalbcountyga.gov//homesteadgen.ht Cobb: 770-528-8600 http://www.cobbtax.org/property/exemptioninformation Gwinnett: 770-822-8800 http://gwinnetttaxcommissioner.manatron.com//HomesteadExem Clayton: 770-477-3311 http://www.claytoncountyga.gov//tax-commis/exemptions.aspx City of Decatur: 404-370-4100 http://www.decaturgatax.com/homestead (file by 3/15/15) City of Atlanta: covered by county application (Fulton or DeKalb) City of Marietta: 770-794-5680 http://www.mariettaga.gov/city/cityhall/tax/exemptions