Applebee's May Have Been Hacked

Applebee’s, which was already having a pretty lousy 2018, is warning customers in 15 states that their credit card information might be at risk. RMH Franchise Holdings says malware has been found on the point-of-sale systems of 167 Applebee’s locations, which could expose an undisclosed number of diners to potential fraud. States with Applebee’s locations that were impacted by the security intrusion are Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wyoming.

Among the information the company believes was taken were guest names, credit or debit card numbers, expiration dates, and card verification codes. RMH says it discovered the security breach on Feb. 13. It did not notify customers until last week—and did not offer to pay for any credit protection services for affected customers. Last month, Applebee’s announced it would close as many as 80 locations this year—on top of the 100-plus it shuttered in 2017. Same-restaurant sales in 2017 were down more than 5% at the casual dining chain.

34 at Stephens” and published on June 21, 2018 is yet another important article. Somerset Group Llc holds 14.58% of its portfolio in 3M Company for 73,787 shares. Spinnaker Trust owns 584,926 shares or 13.97% of their US portfolio. Moreover, White Pine Capital Llc has 13.19% invested in the company for 161,565 shares. The Georgia-based Acg Wealth has invested 8.24% in the stock. Parsons Capital Management Inc Ri, a Rhode Island-based fund reported 283,286 shares. 197.68. About 1.85M shares traded. 3M Company (MMM) has declined 0.26% since July 12, 2017 and is downtrending. It has underperformed by 12.83% the S&P500.

Home repairs, like renovating a home or making permanent additions to the home, increase the value of the house while making it more habitable. This does not count towards tax deduction or credit. However, if you replace energy-efficient windows or doors for your home (falls under home improvement) or apply for home improvement loans, for the purpose of making certain improvements, then it qualifies for tax deductions.

A tax deduction reduces the amount of taxable income. A tax credit, on the other hand, reduces the actual amount of tax that a person has to pay. Hence, a tax credit is better than a tax deduction, as the former reduces the actual tax liability. Interest and Points on Home Improvement Loans Interest paid on a home equity loan or a home equity line of credit availed for the purpose of making capital improvements on the home, are fully tax deductible.

Capital improvements are those that increase the worth of the home, prolong its depreciable life or adapt it to new uses. The loan or the line of credit is secured by the main home. Points purchased are in accordance with the established practice of buying points. Points purchased were not more than the points usually paid for availing such loans.

The taxpayer uses the tax method of accounting. Medical expenses, that one pays for oneself, one's spouse and dependents, qualify for tax deductions. Home improvements that have been undertaken for medical reasons, also qualify as medical expenses and are thus, tax deductible. People suffering from heart ailments can install an elevator in the house, to avoid climbing the stairs, and can claim a tax deduction citing medical reasons.

Improving the home's air filtration system by installing central air conditioning or removing a drywall that may be damp and moldy can help abate the symptoms of asthma in people experiencing breathing difficulty. The doctor may have to provide a letter stating the necessity of making these improvements. All reasonable costs incurred to accommodate a handicapped individual, qualify for deductions.

Energy Star was initiated as a voluntary labeling program in 1992, by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, to identify and promote energy-efficient products in order to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission. A number of new homes qualify as Energy Star homes since the appliances used in these homes bear the Energy Star label.

On 2nd and 3rd July the European Coalition for Responsible Credit held its international stakeholder conference ‘Financial Services Providers and Consumer Protection - Two Worlds, ’ at Hamburg. The symposium, gathered consumer organisations, financial service providers, policy makers, academics and politicians to discuss current issues in retail markets for financial services in Europe and elsewhere.

Issues that were discussed include national reports on consumer credit and banking, a comparison of bankruptcy laws, bank reporting on responsible lending, financial literacy, and consumer information overload. Whenever you as an academic researcher get the chance to attend this type of events straightforward you get the flavor of the progressive nature of consumer credit law in various European legal systems. The panel on ‘information overload at the point of sale‘ conformed by Sarah Linch(European Commission), Prof. Geraint Howells(Uni.

Dr. Bernhard Dychhoff (VW Financial Services) explored quite interesting topics through their presentations. The lectures in this panel touched upon the provision of ‘adequate explanations’ related to credit. This duty encapsulated in article 5(6) European Consumer Credit Directive apparently aims at enhancing contractual fairness between contracting parties. At the same moment, the article may provide an opportunity to empower consumers in their contracting position. Since has been introduced as flexible element in the Directive it will provide a range of possible options for a Member States regarding implementation.