Mark David Nusz

Attorney Mark D. Nusz works hard to resolve your toughest problems - the ones that keep you awake at night. He strives to set the foundation for clients to prepare for a secure and successful future while clearing away the problems from the past. Whether it is reduction of debt, major tax issues with the IRS , or structuring an effective estate plan, he will sit down with you one-on-one and help you figure a way to achieve an excellent outcome.

A graduate of the University of Washington's Tax Law LL.M program, Mr. Nusz has extensively studied the law as it relates to business, tax, debt management, and bankruptcy. His business background, legal training, and wide-ranging experiences over the years have molded a unique perspective and his sharp business-oriented legal approach to finding a solution . As a business executive, he's worked with various Fortune 500 clients from Florida to Washington, and Boston to Los Angeles to improve their businesses.

University of Washington School of Law

LL.M. (2017) | Taxation, Estate Planning

2017

Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University

J.D. (2015) | LAW

2015

Activities: Law, Science, and Technology Certificate

University of Colorado - Denver

MBA (2006) | Entrepreneurial Business

2006

University of Colorado - Boulder

B.S. (1998) | Business Finance

1998

Honors: Cum Laude

Principal Attorney

Westward LAW pllc

Current

Law, Science, and Technology

Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University

Bravo

IBM

Golden Circle

IBM

NextGen Leadership

IBM

Skagit Country Bar Association

Member

Current

Snohomish County Bar Association

Member

Current

American Bankruptcy Institute

Member

Current

Federal Bar, Western Washington District

Member

Current

U.S. Tax Court

Member of the bar

2017 - Current

Washington

Since 2016

• Free Consultation
  I enjoy meeting with folks in the community, and will generally devote 15 to 30 minutes to prospective clients that would benefit from the discussion. This is typically done in one of my offices, by appointment. However, there are situations and areas of law where I do not provide free initial consultations.
• Credit Cards Accepted
  In most instances I will accept a credit card for payment of most fees. Please check, as there are certain situations and legal matters where we will not accept a credit card. We will, however, almost always accept your debit card after we have entered into a representation agreement.
• Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
  I prefer to work under a fixed fee arrangement when possible. When I deem it necessary, I will use a billable / hourly rate - depending on the circumstances of the matter and other business factors.

Q. Can a consulting firm employ a consultant as Exempt and hourly, paying them an hourly rate based on billed hours?

November 14, 2018

A: If you are an exempt employee, that means that your employer does not have to pay you overtime rates (i.e. time and a half for weekly hours over 40) or the minimum wage. In order to classify you as an exempt employee, there is a three-part test that must be passed. One of these tests is that you must be on a salary that pays you more than a specified amount per week. Another of these tests requires a determination of the type of work you are doing. If it is a "white collar" type of work, then this will generally allow the position to be an exempt one.

If you are exempt, you should generally be receiving a salary (i.e. - paid the same amount each week regardless of how much you work). Many employers prefer the salary, since they may be able to get more work out of the employee without having to pay them any more. The payroll is also a little easier to manage and forecast.

This area of employment law is full of complexities. You should seek the counsel of an employment law attorney to get a definite answer that is based on your unique situation. ... Read More

Q. My stepfather owns his home, but the electric bill is in my mother's name, she also pays the electric bill, and has been

September 1, 2018

A: No. If she's there and has utilities in her name then she probably had a right to be there at some point. She would have to be removed with proper notice and due process.

Additionally, if your mother has any ownership rights to the house, it is unlikely that she could be removed at all (i.e. if they were or are married). Just because only one spouse has their name on the deed to the home, the other spouse may still be considered to own an interest in the property under Washington community property law. Lots of factors to consider here.

Q. "Charged-Off" real estate debt--What are my options? In 2013, my home was foreclosed with a 1st & 2nd mortgage.

September 1, 2018

A: Many people in you situation in 2013 would have filed for bankruptcy so that the 2nd mortgage would have been completely removed / discharged. Then the creditor would not have any recourse to you personally for the deficiency.

The charge off only means that the creditor has "written-off" the amount owed as "bad debt," likely so they could get a tax deduction for the loss. This does not mean, however, that you still don't owe the money. The right to collect the past due amount still has value. It is common for the creditor to either assign or sell the contract / paper to a collection agency and then that company will start trying to collect.

There is a statute of limitation, but there are ways that the time clock can be "put on hold." It is common for it to take many more than 6 years for the debt to completely fall away solely because of aging.

The impact to you, at this point, is that this is hurting your credit and making it much harder to get approved for a new home loan. However, if you are able to get a new home and a mortgage on it - the old 2nd mortgage will not automatically attach to your new house. The creditor (or their agent) would have to file a collection lawsuit and get a judgment against you. Then, the judgment would attach to any real property that you owned. ... Read More