For those that don't already have health insurance through their employer, the Affordable Care Act provides a marketplace for insurance plans. Known more broadly as Obamacare, the ACA also requires everyone to have some health insurance plan while guaranteeing coverage regardless of pre-existing conditions.

So, when do you need to enroll? And when is it too late to get health insurance coverage for 2019 under Obamacare?

The United States government has potentially blessed over 8,000 underage sex trafficking cases in the past 10 years through its immigration portal, according to a recent report by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

In a country that is currently experiencing harsh immigration blocks, this is one loophole that has yet to be closed, for a variety of reasons. With the recent dissemination of some alarming statistics, lawmakers are hoping that perhaps at least one vein of this awful crime coming into the U.S. can be blocked.

Imagine trying to dig your way out of the mud without a shovel. Or stuck in an endless loop with no one to pull you out. That's how indigent people feel when faced with mandatory court fees for criminal convictions. But one court is putting a stop to it, at least in its own jurisdiction in California.

During the federal shutdown, some things endure. Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these romantics from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

We aren't lauding the Postal Service. We're talking about love that endures. More specifically, LOVE. The District of Columbia Council unanimously approved the Let Our Vows Endure (LOVE) Act to bypass the marriage shutdown that has occurred since D.C.'s Marriage Bureau was shuttered December 22, since they are considered a "nonessential service." Long live LOVE!

In 1993, Jeff Bezos married MacKenzie Tuttle. While he already had a successful career at hedge fund D.E. Shaw & Co., this was about a year before Bezos would launch a little online bookstore out of his Seattle garage. Amazon is now a trillion-dollar company, Bezos' net worth is estimated around $150 billion, and he and MacKenzie just announced they are divorcing.

The news of the divorce shouldn't affect Amazon's bottom line, even if splitting in 2019 will cost Bezos a few more tax dollars than it would've in 2018. He might also be wondering just how much of his personal net worth or stake in the company he founded will take a hit in the divorce, and if it might not be too late to sign a prenup.

With the advent of electronic signatures, and signatures on electronic devices that in no way resemble what was intended, one has to wonder how much signatures even matter. Does it need to resemble my name? And can I legally sign with just an "X"? The answer it yes, but that's not recommended unless absolutely necessary.

Generally speaking, most people don't check the tax code before deciding to get a divorce. But 2018 might've been a little different. The new tax bill made significant changes to how alimony is taxed, which had many people who might've been considering a divorce trying to rush the process before the statute went into effect in 2019.

The new year has brought new divorce laws -- beyond just taxes -- and new considerations for soon-to-be exes. Here's a short roundup of those laws and what they might mean for your divorce.

As the saying goes, good fences make good neighbors. But what happens when you need a little more? 

Some real estate disputes require third party intermediaries to reach resolution. This can transpire through a simple mediator, or through a more adversarial approach, such as arbitration or litigation. But what is arbitration? And how much does it cost?

If it pushes an industry underground, is it still a good idea? That is the dilemma Californians will soon find out. AB 485 went into effect at the beginning of this year, and makes California the first state to require pet stores to only sell rescues when it comes to dogs, cats, and rabbits.

The legislature intended to decrease the demand for animals coming from "puppy mills" and "kitten factories," which have a reputation for being cruel to animals. But by continuing to allow the sale of non-rescues by individuals, the legislature possibly hurt, rather than helped, a large majority of these animals.

For many parents and children, ear piercings are a rite of passage. And parents have a few options when it comes to piercing their children's ears. Some pediatricians will offer to do it, professional tattoo and piercing parlors are perhaps the most experienced option, and then there are the jewelry stores in the mall.

Then again, there are home piercing kits or even a sterilized needle in the kitchen or bathroom. But those parents turning to the home piercing option face an interesting legal question: Is it illegal to pierce your children's ears at home? And how old do they need to be before you can do it?