Bellas & Wachowski, Attorneys at Law

George Bellas started what is now Bellas & Wachowski Attorneys at Law after leaving his position as a prosecuting attorney in 1973. The firm consists of six attorneys and six support team members working in areas such as business law, business litigation and personal injury claims. Our law offices are located in the Chicago area, near O'Hare Airport and easy for our clients to reach from anywhere in the Chicago area.

Website: http://www.bellas-wachowski.com/
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Latest from Bellas & Wachowski, Attorneys at Law

The recent deaths of Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and his wife of the past three decades, Betsy Arakawa, very close in time to one another have led to a potentially messy situation in which one of Hackman’s children might be contesting his will. The scenario highlights why it’s important that trust and estate documents account for all possible outcomes and give those you leave behind an unambiguous path to disbursing your assets.
Official reports appear to show that Arakawa died from the rare disease hantavirus and that Hackman—suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and likely not lucid enough to have called police…
Continue Reading Gene Hackman’s Death Underscores Need for Fleshed Out Estate Documents

Fen Cen Announcement
URGENT NEWS…..What Small Business Owners Need to Know
Small business owners have been scrambling to comply with the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), a new federal law requiring companies to disclose their beneficial owners to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). However, recent developments have provided temporary relief.
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Continue Reading HERE WE GO AGAIN…FinCEN Announces Temporary Non-Enforcement of BOI Deadlines

Reporting under the CTA is on again!
The ping-pong game regarding compliance with the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) continues.
On February 17, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas granted the government’s motion to stay the nationwide injunction that had previously halted enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). This decision in the case of Smith v. US Department of the Treasury, No. 6:24-cv-336-JDK, was influenced by the Supreme Court’s earlier ruling to stay a similar injunction in the Garland vs. Texas Top Cop Shop, Inc. case.
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Continue Reading REPORTING UNDER THE CTA IS REINSTATED (AGAIN!)


Regulations for Small Business

What new regulatory requirements from the federal government on down are small businesses facing in 2025? In this first of a three-part series, we will cover some of them, related to changes in and current status of tax policy.
First of all, the new year brings with it new payroll tax limits. Perhaps the most notable is that the Social Security wage base jumped by nearly 4.5%, to $176,100 from $168,600. Most of the other increases were more modest, such as the 401(k) contribution limit rising from $23,000 to $23,500, or business mileage reimbursement going from…
Continue Reading New Regulatory Requirements for Small Businesses, Part 3


BOI Reporting

The landscape on the requirements for reporting under the Corporate Transparency Act has changed again.
The requirement that companies report Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI)—details about people who are senior officials and/or own at least 25% of the company—to the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) remains voluntary for now. That’s despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s stay of a nationwide preliminary injunction that suspended enforcement of the act and its implementing regulations.

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Continue Reading BOI Reporting Under Corporate Transparency Act Remains Voluntary – For Now!


New Laws, New Year Part 2

Illinois small businesses need to get up to speed on a variety of state legislation passed in the previous session that came online on January 1.
We covered several new provisions in a post last week [LINK], including a higher state minimum wage and legislation prohibiting “capture audience meetings” focused on religion or politics, requiring “pay scale and benefits” information in all job postings, adding new requirements for businesses that want to employ children under age 16, and banning non-compete agreements for certain classes of workers.

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Continue Reading New Laws in New Year for Illinois Employers, Part 2

Rarely does something that is forced affect a lasting difference, much less result in an improved circumstance. That said, as I considered another flip of the calendar, I decided to at least partially break my own rule and to offer what I will call a few suggestions that just might make for a better business new year.
Resolution #1: Update your corporate minute book. For many businesses, particularly closely held ones, the corporate formalities tend to get relegated to the “we’ll get to it” pile. In the new year you might consider updating your corporate minutes. Hold the meetings that…
Continue Reading New Year Resolutions for your Small Business

Nationwide Injunction Halts CTA
FinCEN Suspends Enforcement
The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), enacted as part of the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020, has faced significant constitutional challenges, culminating in a nationwide injunction. As a result, the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has suspended enforcement of the CTA’s reporting requirements, providing temporary relief to affected businesses.
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Continue Reading Nationwide Injunction Halts Corporate Transparency Act

Wire Tapping vs. Browser Tracking?
Software like Meta Pixel and Google Analytics that website operators use to track what sites a person visits, or what footprint they leave on those sites, is not subject to the same restrictions as wiretapping a phone line, according to a split decision from the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, in a case brought against two hospitals.
The court in Vita v. New England Baptist Hospital, et al (SJC-13542), ruled that wiretapping and browser tracking are categorically different pursuits, in its eyes, unless the state legislature decides otherwise. “If the Legislature intends for the…
Continue Reading Browser Tracking Software – Is this a wiretap violation?

Holiday Business Parties
With the holiday season in full swing, workplaces often become the site of parties, gift exchanges, and other festive activities.  These activities foster camaraderie among coworkers and allow teams to celebrate their accomplishments.  Unfortunately, though, they can also sometimes lead to inappropriate behavior, including sexual harassment, which may lead to problems for the unweary business owner.
Employers can take proactive steps to ensure everyone feels safe and respected during these events.  Here are five suggestions to creating  a safe and positive environment for holiday celebrations.
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Continue Reading How to Keep Workplace Parties Festive and Harassment-Free This Holiday Season

Corporate Transparency Act
In a significant development, a Texas federal district court has issued a nationwide injunction temporarily blocking enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). This decision, handed down on December 3 in Texas Top Cop Shop, Inc. v. Merrick Garland (Case No. 4:24-cv-478), deems the CTA and its implementing rules likely unconstitutional.
Key Takeaways:
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Continue Reading Corporate Transparency Act Update: Nationwide Injunction Halts Enforcement

Conditional Gifts?
A recent decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has sparked interest across legal circles.  In a case centered around a $70,000 engagement ring, the court ruled that an engagement ring must be returned to the purchaser if the marriage does not take place, regardless of who may have been at fault. This ruling aligns Massachusetts with the majority of jurisdictions, where an engagement ring is considered a conditional gift—given with the expectation of marriage and thus, contingent upon the marriage actually happening.
While Illinois follows similar principles, this ruling offers a chance to examine how Illinois contract…
Continue Reading Engagement Ring – Gift or Contract?


Corporate Transparency Act

This is big reminder for every small business owner.

Under U.S. Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), most corporations, limited liabilty companies and other legal entities, including homeowners’ associations (HOAs), condominium associations, and co-op associations, are required to file Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) with the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) by no later than January 1, 2025.  Every U.S. business must register and file this report.
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Continue Reading  REMINDER! Mandatory Reporting Deadline under the Corporate Transparency Act


Neural Data: What Illinois Business Owners Need to Know

California enacted an Amendment to the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) that adds neural data to the list of protected personal sensitive information. For Illinois business owners—especially those conducting business in California or utilizing neurotechnology—this development is worth understanding, as it marks another step in the expanding landscape of data privacy laws. Neural data, often collected through non-invasive neurotechnology tools, is now considered sensitive and will be protected under the same stringent requirements as other personal information like genetic, biometric, and geolocation data.

What is Neural Data and Why is it
Continue Reading Consumer Privacy Laws Include Neural Data: What Illinois Business Owners Need to Know