eSignature Document for Legal Myself

So I'm the founder and CEO of ApproveMe and the WP E-Signature WordPress plugin [ https://www.approveme.me/wp-digital-e-signature ] which focuses 100% on legally binding documents and UETA & ESIGN compliance in the WordPress space. Being an eSignature geek myself, I have the same concerns you do about the vulnerability (and enforceability) of eSignature based documents. I can only tell you how we handle this... All WP eSignature signed documents and signatures are kept hidden and encrypted on the server at all times, using a GUID encryption sequence. If a hacker ever attempts to unencrypt a document and change so much as a period to a comma the document will automatically throw a 404 Document not found message and alert all parties associated with the document that their document has been tampered with. If this were to happen you could prove in court that the document was tampered with and not the original document that you eSigned.

Email Signature is a subtle yet important part of your brand identity and marketing strategy, that’s why you’ve got to get it right.A well-designed email footer will help you set a professional business-like tone, increase brand loyalty, and earn the trust of your customers.The ideal process of creating an email signature looks like this:1. Develop the designRemember that consistency is number one priority. While designing your company email signature choose brand consistent colors and fonts. This way you’ll increase brand recognition and open rates. Don’t go overboard with colors, it’s usual practice to use 2–3 colors. I’d personally recommend you to use web-safe fonts. Otherwise, you might risk wasting a lot of time on some fancy font which will not be visible on different devices or email clients.DON’T create an email signature in Photoshop or Microsoft Word, or other image editors.An email signature is NOT an image. If you create it as an image, it will most likely end up being an attached file, not visible to the recipient. So all the point of creating the email footer will be lost. Even worse, it can get your whole email into the spam folder, because of the image blockers.2. Coding and testingIf you know HTML then it’s great - you get the full control over the template, and you can edit it any time, in any way you want. But you should keep in mind that email clients have different tech requirements, so you need to spend much time on research and testing. This will ensure that your email signature looks perfect for all recipients and doesn’t get messed up.If you’re not a computer guru, you’ll need to hire a developer for this job, which is not cheap.BUT if the word coding itself sends shivers down your spine, you can simplify your life by choosing a signature generator. There you don’t have to bother designing templates, learning HTML, coding, testing and installing.3. Distribution across all team membersA well-branded email signature is a powerful tool to promote your business with every email you send. That’s why your company email signature should be consistent across all employees.With some email generators, there’s an option of central management or department division. It’s very useful when you need to add different clickable banners based on the department’s purpose and update the master template with a new banner or other CTA button in one click for all the employees.4. Installation controlDoing everything manually is such a headache, especially with bigger companies. That’s why it’s easier to use email signature generators, where you can upload and create batches of signatures in seconds and easily install them into email clients.USE EMAIL SIGNATURE GENERATORFor example, you can check out NEWOLDSTAMPit can be free or almost free (premium features are available in paid version )you can create email signature yourself (you don’t need to be a techie, just insert your personal data and upload images)it’s compatible with all email clientsit’s mobile-friendlyemail signatures are clickable (you can add clickable social media icons and promotional banners with effective CTAs )it’s easy to update and manageno spam issuestransforms email signatures into a measurable marketing channel (email signature can generate more traffic for your website, inform your customers about upcoming events, sales, new blog posts)So as you can see, the easiest and most hassle-free way to create an email signature for yourself is to use an email signature generator. It saves lots of time, as you don’t have to learn HTML yourself or design to make it look professional and visible in all email clients and devices. And last but not the least, you can use it as a marketing channel to promote either yourself or your company.If you want to find out more, check out this article.

So I'm the founder and CEO of ApproveMe and the  WP E-Signature WordPress plugin which focuses 100% on legally binding documents and UETA & ESIGN compliance in the WordPress space.Being an eSignature geek myself, I have the same concerns you do about the vulnerability of storing images of a signature on a server... unlike many eSignature WordPress add-ons (Gravity Forms, Formidable Pro, etc) our WordPress eSignature plugin does not save images but rather tracks the unique mouse strokes of the signature, we assign a unique serial number to that sequence of mouse strokes and encrypt it in your database (so it's not easily accessible).  If someone so much as alters one dot of a signers signature the Audit Trail serial number updates itself and will not match up with the serial number emailed to ALL signers at the time of signing their document.  If this were to happen you could prove in court that the document was tampered with.

As a startup founder of three years myself, I can relate to how legal housekeeping can be messy. Once a year, I have our own lawyers go through and do an audit of all of our legal paperwork (which costs a couple thousand dollars to be extremely thorough, but it’s worth it). Luckily, there are now many ways to easily manage and track all of your legal, financial, and HR documents via third-party sites that specialize in these management proceedings. I wrote a blog post about this awhile back titled “5 Ways to Save Time Dealing With Documents” which highlights certain sites that can be very beneficial depending on what paperwork you’d like to track or manage. They are as follows:1. GroupDocsGroupDocs is a new, comprehensive online service for document creation and management. It has multiple features, including a viewer for reading documents in your browser, an electronic signature service, an online document converter, a document assembly service, a feature for comparing different versions of a document, and an annotation feature. An individual plan is $10 per month for limited storage and 500 documents, while a group plan for up to 9 people is $19 per user per month. Based on the number of features and pricing, GroupDoc is a good-value purchase for a small business. As you’ll see below, GroupDocs can be cheaper than a service that offers only one such feature.2. signNowWhen you’re closing a deal and need to get documents signed, the last thing you need is a slow turnaround due to fax machine problems or the postal service. The solution is to use an electronic signature service such as signNow, which is one of the most popular e-signature companies in the world. This service allows you to email your documents to the person whose signature you need. Next, the recipient undergoes a simply e-signing process, and then signNow alerts you when the process is completed. Finally, signNow electronically stores the documents, which are accessible at any time. As a result, you can easily track the progress of the signature process and create an audit trail of your documents. The “Professional” plan is recommended for sole proprietors and freelancers, and costs $180 per year ($15 per month) for up to 50 requested signatures per month. The “Workgroup” plan is geared towards teams and businesses, and it costs $240 per user per year ($20 per month per user), for unlimited requested signatures.3. signNowsignNow is another e-signature service. Similar to signNow, signNow allows you to upload a PDF file, MS Word file or web application document. Next, you can edit the document, such as by adding initials boxes or tabs, and then email them out for signatures. Once recipients e-sign the document, signNow notifies you and archives the document. signNow offers low rates for these services: a 1-person annual plan with unlimited document sending costs $11 per month. An annual plan for 10 senders with unlimited document sending costs only $39 per month.4. ExariExari is a document assembly and contract management service that assists in automating high-volume business documents, such as sales agreements or NDAs. First, the document assembly service allows authors to create automated document templates. No technical knowledge is required; most authors are business analysts and lawyers. Authors have a variety of options for customizing documents, such as fill-in-the-blank fields, optional clauses, and dynamic updating of topic headings. They also can add questions that the end user must answer. Once you send out the document, the user answers the questionnaire, and Exari uses that data to customize the document. Next, the contract management feature allows you to store and track both the templates and the signed documents. Pricing is based on the size and scope of your planned implementation, so visit their website for more information.5. FillanyPDFIt’s a hassle having to print out PDF forms in order to complete them. Fortunately, FillanyPDF is a service that allows you to edit, fill out and send any PDFs, while entirely online. This “Fill & Sign” plan costs $5 per month, or $50 per year. If you subscribe to the “Professional” plan, you can also create fillable PDFs using your own documents. With this service, any PDF, JPG or GIF file becomes fillable when you upload it to the site. You can modify a form using white-out, redaction and drawing tools. Then, you can email a link to your users, who can fill out and e-sign your form on the website. FillanyPDF also allows you to track who filled out your forms, and no downloads are necessary to access these services.  The “Professional” plan costs $49 per month, or $490 per year.Switching firms can be a hassle. As a former startup attorney, I have a bit of advice about finding the right attorney for your business: it’s best to focus on the specific attorney you’ll be working with. He or she should have a solid understanding of the ins and outs of your business industry, a deep knowledge of the legal issues your startup may face, and previous work experience with startups to ensure a quality and efficient work product. This is absolutely key when matching our startup clients at UpCounsel to attorneys on our platform who can perform their legal work and hash out their legal projects in a timely manner. We also allow clients to store any and all of their legal documents directly on UpCounsel so they don’t have to go searching in alternative places for the correct paperwork. It’s proven to be a free and lightweight way to store legal documents that our clients love. Here's what it looks like:As I’ve mentioned, it’s more important to find the right attorney as opposed to the right law firm. And seeing as you’re a startup, our own startup clients typically save an average of 50-60% on their legal work, since the attorneys don't include overhead fees (a.k.a. the fees included for doing business with the firm itself) in their invoices.Hope this gives you a deeper look into what other sites and services are out there. If you have any questions or would like more information on how best to handle your legal housekeeping/ attorney matters, feel free to signNow out to me directly. As a former startup attorney at Latham & Watkins, I’d be happy to give you some guidance.

- it would be recommended to do registration with professional help, because its needed a professional and during the filing of Documents and Forms its authorized by a Chartered Accountant/Company Secretary/Cost Accountant DSC so you can understand Signature value and Risk of CA/CS/CMA.Following is the procedure to register1) Process Involved in LLP ?Step 1- Apply for your Partners DINStep 2- Apply for your Partners DSCStep 3- Application to Government for Name Availability of the proposed LLPStep 4- Verification of Documents and Forms by Government.Step 5- Filing of Incorporation Documents and Forms by Government.Step 6- Certificate of IncorporationStep 7- Drafting of LLP AgreementStep 8- Filing of LLP Agreement e) Time take to incorporate a LLP ?Ans- A Limited Liability Partnership Completed in 14-20 days. The time taken for incorporation will depend on submission of relevant documents by the client and speed of Government Approvals. To ensure speedy incorporation, please choose a unique name for your LLP and ensure you have all the required documents prior to starting the incorporation process. f) Initial Documents Required ?Ans- For all Partners required DocumentsID Proof and Address Proof for all Partners.PAN Card Mandatorylatest utility bill (electric bill/telephone bill) for the property to be used for registered office (not older than 2 months)latest tax receipt/ownership deep of the property (not older than 2 monthsG) Government Charges and other legal expense for Incorporate LLP ?Director Partner Identification Number ( DPIN/DIN)- Costing for DIN 1000 Rupees on 2 Partners. its valid for Lifetime.Its just like UserId for the Partner.Digital Signature (DSC)– Costing vary from 2000 Rupees on 2 Partners. Its made by Sify, Emudra and some other companies and used for signing and filing forms during registrationApplication for Name Reservation- Costing is 500 Rupees. Its filed for reserve your LLP Name.Government Charges including Stamp Duty Costing around 750 Rupees.Preparing LLP Agreement by professional costing around 250 Rupees.Preparing LLP Partner Consent by Professional costing around 250 Rupees.Total Government Expenses around 4750 rupees to 5000 Rupees.H) Professional Charges which take by Professionals(CA/CS/CWA) in Market ?Ans- Professional Charges to Incorporate a LLP In India is from 4000 to 6000 Rupees & more.Any help regarding this, visit us at Wazzeer - Smart Platform for Legal, Accounting & Compliance services.Also read:Why Private Limited Companies convert into LLP?

Perhaps my fellow quoran is correct and your feelings are about guilt rather than feeling sorry for your parents. It sounds as if you feel that you somehow let them down- disappointed them and yourself by not living up to some fairly specific expectations that either you gave yourself or your parents furnished you. Ouch! This a real burden to carry around and if not addessed can lead to depression, self hatred and living life as if you have a never ending tragedy that can never be resolved.As an exercise, try and imagine that this dark cloud of sorrow and self recrimination has been dispell...

A Quora inquiry is neither legal advice nor attorney work product. I am not your lawyer.While the answer others have given (“No”) is correct, I’d like to argue some of the reasoning.TL;DR:It’s not. As of right now, it’s only available in the U.S., although there have been plans announced to acquire a lawfirm in the UK. See: LegalZoom to make first UK acquisitionA note on other answers to this questionThe claim that “Mexico is not standardized” is at least as false as the claim that the U.S. is. Let me elaborate:For most of the reasons people need LegalZoom, which is fairly standardized documentation like wills, company charters of incorporation, or real estate deeds.Both the United States and Mexico are Federal countries, which means, among many other things, that some laws governing these documents (like tax laws stating how much tax should a corporation pay and how) are Federal, but most laws setting forth how the company is set up are State laws. (In Mexico’s case this is slightly different - most stock companies would be governed by Federal law, because they would be considered comerciantes (merchants) and therefore be subject to merchantile laws which are Federal - but I digress.)For the sake of example, if you wanted to incorporate a company in Mexico, you would have to go to a (State) Notary Public (who is a licensed attorney in Mexico), he or she would either draft the articles of incorporation or revise the ones you have drafted, seal the articles of incorporation and thereby issue a formal incorporation deed, then enroll the corporation into the Public Registry of Property (State) or Commerce (Federal) depending on whether the company is considered a merchant, and enroll the company with the Tax Registry (Federal).Depending on what the company does, its contracts and its activities will sometimes be regulated by State laws and sometimes by Federal laws - but this is at least as true for the U.S. as it is for Mexico.For example, in Mexico, only Federal authorities can authorize banks, whereas some U.S. states retain the power to issue State-only banking licenses; a Federal authorization is part of the myriad requirements needed to open a private hospital or import a medical device into Mexico, whereas in some limited cases, the U.S. allows State authorities to do it.As an important final note, it bears pointing out that, unlike the U.S., where State bar accreditation is required to practice law (which has raised interesting challenges for LegalZoom already - see Settlement Allows LegalZoom to Offer Legal Services in N.C.), in Mexico, all licensed attorneys can practice throughout the country. Recently, there have been attempts to change this through legislation, but to this date, they have not prospered.The ChallengeMany of the “traditional” criticisms for the lack of innovation in the global legal sector are doubly or triply true for Mexico, where the Chambers Tier 1 lawyers in each practice area have shown very similar names throughout at least the last 20 years. The pressure for top-tiered Mexican lawyers and lawfirms to innovate usually does not come so much from the innovative technologies making waves in other jurisdictions, but rather, from the competition that arises from the integration with (or assimilation by) “global” (but really mostly U.S.) law firms to smaller Mexican firms. (See for example Jones Day to Open New Office in Mexico City | Law.com, Baker & McKenzie, DLA Piper Beef Up Presence in Mexico | The American Lawyer, Greenberg Traurig’s Mexico City Office Celebrates 5th Anniversary | News | Greenberg Traurig LLP, to mention a few).In terms of legislation, Mexico is arguably on the vanguard of technology adoption - on paper. Contracts that are considered “commercial” acts for purposes of Mexican Federal commercial laws can, in theory, be valid if executed by e-mail, digitally signed, and even digitally signNowd if the law requires that they be, since at least 2005. The recent Fintech Law draft bill would have provided a fairly robust legal framework for a number of fintech market participants, from debt and equity crowdfunders to payment system providers and cryptocurrency exchanges, but it got suspended because of the earthquake and is in hiatus at least until Congress’s first ordinary sessions period.However, Mexican contracting parties have been slow and distrustful to adopt these new changes - I drafted my first memo on a client consult of the legality of digital contract in 2012, and saw my first digitally signed contract last week - this despite the fact that since 2003, the Mexican tax system requires all taxpayers to have an electronic signature that complies with the legal safety standards, and which can, in theory, be used to sign contracts.A lot of this resistance comes from the (correct or incorrect) appreciation in the market that Mexican courts would not necessarily understand or agree that a digital contract was concluded at a given point in time, despite the apparent clarity of “black letter law” in the matter.Nevertheless, many lawyers, including me, believe that this reluctance to embrace innovation can be overcome if and when more lawyers are the first to embrace these changes.The opportunityAs the 15th economy in the world, with a small-but-growing startup ecosystem greatly bolstered by government support across many administrations and more than one governing party, with many global corporations having a relatively strong presence, and with its proximity to the U.S., Mexico is an attractive destination for tourism, foreign investment, and even expats. These people all need legal services, and they would much prefer a service they are familiar with than a lawyer who, on occasions literally, doesn’t speak their language.In addition, the domestic market often complains about the fact that it does not understand what it is paying for when it retains legal services; especially when many lower-tier notaries and lawyers simply push forward their templates of legal documents and expect to charge for that.LegalZoom’s “self-help” offer of standardized documents with a ‘wizard’-type assistant to fill in blanks can be expanded fairly easily to include a repository of standardized Mexican documents in Spanish language, and rapidly complemented with natural language processing and machine translations (reviewed by Mexican lawyers who speak the client’s language) to prepare legal documents with their “courtesy translations” included for the client.Likewise, its more comprehensive offers, which include packages of legal consults with a licensed specialized attorney, can be resolved quickly by partnering with local firms much in the same way LegalZoom already does in the U.S. - without the added problem of needing one partner per state.In a limited number of cases, partnerships with notaries and digital certification service providers could allow LegalZoom to turn its standardized documents into actual signNowd deeds, certified digitally - thereby reducing duplication and messaging costs for both LegalZoom, its partners, and ultimately, the client.The marketA key factor for the success of a startup is its capacity to adapt its product to the markets it caters for. In this respect, LegalZoom’s market requires a fairly tech-savy customer - someone who, in addition to needing the service, at the very least owns a home computer and has relatively good internet access.Unfortunately, and despite a signNowly growing trend of further digital inclusion, this is still not true for an important sector of the Mexican market.The problemThe greatest resistance to change comes from the legal industry itself ( and by industry, I mean this in the broadest possible sense - including judges, officials and regulators). If judges cannot be convinced that the digitally signed contract is, in fact, a contract, or, for that matter, if trustees, banks, government officials and private counterparties still refuse to accept electronically signed documents or what they view as machine-generated content, LegalZoom would have to engage in costly litigation to get its document accepted.Furthermore, even this dire picture fails to take into account the reaction that traditional lawyers are likely to have to LegalZoom’s competition.ConclusionLegalZoom would, without a doubt, be welcome by clients in Mexico. Probably not so much by lawyers and regulators (but these resistances can be overcome). None of this is new for LegalZoom. The question, then, is whether the existing market for legal services in Mexico is best served by services provided in the form of a digital platform with self-help tools.I personally think it would be a great opportunity for LegalZoom.PostscriptLegalZoom - if you’re listening, should you ever take an interest in the Mexican market, some of us are very interested in seeing this change. It makes sense to signNow out to younger lawyers (myself included) and notaries public who can probably help.

(I started to answer a very short answer and ended up with a long entry. I hope you find it useful.)As Richard Tuisk said, it depends a lot on where you are from. However, let me tell you what my experience has been so far in Estonia, what I think it is good and what I would see as a downside of living here. Of course, I need to qualify my answer by saying that I am Latin American, but also have lived in four other countries (including the US where I went to college).A quick introduction: Estonia is a small country located in the Baltic Sea next to Russia and Latvia and very close to Finland. It is part of the European Union. The area of the country is roughly the same as Switzerland or as Maryland and Massachussets combined. There is about 1.3 million people living here which means it is not densely populated. The country is essentially flat, except in the south where you find the highest point at 318 meters (1043 ft). The main city and where I live in is Tallinn. The population is about 400,000 people. Tartu is the second city with about 100,000 people and all the rest of towns are smaller than that.Immigration systemIf you are European, moving here is no problem as you enjoy all the benefits of any country within the European Union. If you are not European, the main reasons people immigrate here is to work which would guarantee a working visa or if you are married to an Estonian citizen which allows you to apply for a visa as long as you have enough funds to live here.Overall, the process to get a short-term visa is straight forward. Obtaining a long-term visa is more complicated as you have to speak the language at a relatively high level. Obtaining a citizenship requires that you give up your own citizenship.JobsAlthough Estonia suffered also during the 2008 crisis, there is enough jobs in areas of business and technology for people to move here. One of the problems Estonia faces is that it does not have enough people to fill all jobs in IT areas as I hear.There is a few big companies who recruit people from abroad, but if you don't speak the local language, your opportunities are reduced to the IT area (I work for Skype which originated here in Estonia which was acquired by Microsoft in 2011). You can see a list of notable companies here: List of companies of EstoniaSocial interactionEstonians tend to be reserved in comparison to other Europeans. I suggest to foreigners who come here to be aware of differences so they are not taken by surprise. Some examples of faux pas I have encountered:Using smalltalk in a conversation.Saying good morning when coming to office or good bye when leaving.Smiling with no reason (I have to accept that this could be awkward in Northern Europe and some parts of the US, but it is totally normal in Mediterranean or Latin American environments).Being noisy. People love their quiet here.However, it is totally Ok to try to make a conversation in English especially with young people. I am learning Estonian and try to use the language when I can, but in some occasions (say, at the pharmacy), I need to switch to English and have never found anyone being annoyed by that.The exception to all of this is if you meet young people. They tend to be more open and curious (especially women). I am speaking about more casual environments such as a cafe or a restaurant, but a bit less at work. Another obvious exception is if you are in a touristy area (such as the Old Town in Tallinn), but this should go without saying.It is totally Ok to be in a group of people and be totally silent. For example, you can have lunch or share a cab with Estonians when no one is speaking, but there is no awkwardness on it. Another thing is that people do not demonstrate much through their expressions which is one of the difficult things to deal with for me. Remember, I come from a country where you smile or frown or show your teeth if you want someone to understand you clearly.When having a conversation with an Estonian, you should say what you mean and mean what you say (remember what I said about smalltalk?). For example, if you ask "how are you?" to an Estonian, do it only if (a) you really want to know how the other person is, and (b) don't ask it if you don't know the person well. I value that Estonians take your word at face value and you should do the same with them.One word of advice is that Estonians can be very critical of others, but they are mainly critical of themselves. Someone told me once that complaining is a national sport, and I have to agree with that. In other words, when they tell you that something is truly bad here in this country, you have to take it with a grain of salt.Because of this, you should also expect that people are straight forward with you. In some cases, this borders on rudeness if I measure by my home country's standards, but here is totally Ok. I have seen a few foreigners getting shocked by that, but you get used to it. In other words, they are not politically correct (this I like very much).Also, because people are economical with the language, you shouldn't expect what I would call, a "warm" communication most of the time. As a latin person, I need to say and hear things on a beautiful way, but this doesn't happen here much. It is different when you start to get to know locals.Which brings me to the last point. It takes a while before you break the ice with an Estonian, but it is worth waiting. I have had the chance to establish a closer link with some locals outside my wife's family and I find an honesty and sincerity that I haven't seen in other places. If you get to that point, congratulations, as you have made it through this journey. By this time, you should also be an expert on sharing saunas with people you don't know (and yes, naked) and have had your share of vodka.Quality of life, services, infrastructureWhen compared to other places where I have lived, I have to say that Estonia still doesn't signNow the level of living in Germany or the US, but it is getting closer by the day. However, I would say that Estonia is already at the level that I would call it first-world country in most aspects.Infrastructure and services need some improvement, but they provide the minimum level of service. For example, if you don't have a car, you can use public transportation everywhere even if buses, trains or trams are sometimes old. Roads in Tallinn are Ok, even if you find potholes in some places. Services such as schools and hospitals are public which means that there is always a waiting list. If you need to visit a specialist doctor, you have to wait. On the other hand, the wait is not as bad as in third-world countries (like where I come from). Also, those services are basically free. The downside is that there is almost no private service, and even the ones there are rely partially on the public health system for some aspects.I have had two children born here and had no complaints about the process. In fact, I felt that everything was very professional and that they always try to do their best. However, when I spoke with Estonians, some of them were very surprised that I spoke highly of the hospital system. I guess it's up to my personal point of view in this case.Taxes are low. Personal income tax is 21% flat for everyone. If you live here and your visa allows it, you can create your own start-up in no time which is prevalent among young people in IT.By the way, unemployment was at 8% at the end of Q3 in 2013. I am no economist, but I understand that this is still considered high. However, it came down from 10.2% at the end of 2012.Food, shoppingEstonia has the typical supermarkets like any other European country. There is also local markets, but you probably need to speak Estonian or Russian. Typical food you find are potatoes, wheat-like grains, oats and so on. Pork meat and fish are eaten often here, but beef is not yet too common. Vegetables and fruits tend to be expensive. I miss having international food though. There is one supermarket in town (Stockmann) that carries some international products, but it is very expensive. I was used to visiting Oriental-type shops in Ireland and Germany, but there is none here that I know of.There is a few shopping centres, but the variety is not wide. I am in favor of buying local to support businesses here, but in many cases, we end up buying from abroad because of the lack of options or because we would have to wait for too long. For example, my wife and I love movies (yeah, still buying old-fashioned DVDs), but there is no shop that fills our expectations. Because of that, we buy everything from Amazon.ActivitiesIf you love nature, you are in luck. There is a lot of natural areas in the country and they are a short drive away. There is plenty of sea shores, forests, rivers and lakes. In the Summer you can do hiking, camping, canoeing and you can add cross country skiing in the Winter. Estonians love nature in general.If you are a city person (like myself), then that's another story. There is a few theatres, cinemas, galleries and so on, but everything is limited. Tallinn itself has the most interesting activities in the center. There is plenty of good restaurants though.Cinemas show the popular movies like everywhere else and you can find some artsy type of cinemas for alternative movies. No movie is dubbed here, but they usually carry subtitles in both Estonian and Russian.What is impressive about this countryThere is a few good things that I haven't seen outside Estonia. The first one is the electronic system prevalent in this country. When you are a foreigner and get your Estonian ID, you are also getting your electronic identity. With that, you can file taxes online, access information about property, bank accounts, mobiles, whatever services you need. When you get your local ID number, you automatically get a local e-mail address at the eesti.ee domain that you can redirect to your personal account. With that, you never miss an official communication (such as whenever is time to file your taxes).That ID has also legal validity and you can sign documents electronically anywhere in the world. For example, if you apply to get a car leasing, you don't have to show up at the bank necessarily. They send you some forms, you put your ID card in your computer reader, sign the document electronically, and send it back and that's it. It is the equivalent of putting your signature on paper in front of the bank official or lawyer. Estonian citizens and permanent residents are even allowed to vote online with their ID.A second impressive area is bureaucracy: it is a well-oiled machine. One recurrent example is taxes. You get the notification that your taxes are ready to file, you login to the tax office site, sign in, check that they have the correct information that they have collected from your company, employer and so on, sign with your ID card, and that's it. It might take as little as five minutes. My wife and I file jointly, so it takes us much longer: twenty minutes (and that's because we always forget to do one crucial step so we are delayed).The government doesn't even use paper for their minister meetings. They file everything electronically which is made available so you can follow up agendas, minutes and whatever happens there.You want to open your own company? It might take literally twenty minutes to do that too. All of this thanks to the frictionless bureaucratic system they have here. You want to park? Send a text to the number 1902 with your plate number and where you are parking and it will be charged to your mobile.One more impressive part: internet. Besides having decent speeds, there is practically free access points everywhere through the country. I personally have witnessed free available working access points in national parks and public beaches. You can read this article that talks about this (read the date: 2005!): Estonia sets shining Wi-Fi exampleIn my case, I don't use access points much because I have a decent LTE connection with my mobile. Mobile companies have good coverage and relatively good service. I remember that when we got our internet when we moved here, it took only one day to install it. When I measured the effective speed a few months later out of curiosity, it was 50 Mbps. Not bad.The downsidesAs anywhere else, there is a few things that you need to be aware of that could be difficult to adapt to.The first part for me is the social interaction which tends to be dry and quiet. I mentioned that above, so not much more to say here.Another one is the weather. In Winter, the sun might rise at 9:30 in the morning and set at 3 in the afternoon. That's just about six hours of sunlight. If you add that it is cloudy most of the time during the Winter, then you realise how dark it might be. As counterposition, Summers are amazing (up to 20 hours of sunlight and clear skies easily).Winters are relatively long. It gets cold around the end of October and stays that way until around April. It varies from year to year, but sometimes the temperature drops to -30 degrees Celsius (-22 F). Life rarely stops here because of the cold or snow though. I have taken the bus at -30 degrees Celsius. It makes for an interesting ride.One more problem for a foreigner to live here is that you feel a bit isolated from the world. Flights are available mainly to neighbouring countries plus Germany, UK and the Netherlands. If you are from another country, you always need to make connections which makes it longer and more expensive to go back home.Last, if you are from a big city, you might find even Tallinn a bit provincial. It is changing as of late though. On the other hand, there is some positive things out of this too: less crime and virtually no traffic jam as I know it (I live 20 km. from work and make it in 30 minutes on a good day and 45 on a bad one).If you are thinking to move here, I definitely recommend this place.

GST is not a Law, it is a Festival… atleast as of now, it seems like that!Law - Law is a system of rules that are created and enforced through social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior.[1]Festival - A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect of that community and its religion or traditions.[2]Until now, GST has barely exhibited characteristics of a Legal enforcement, but more of a joyful celebration for a day coming soon -Everyone is happy that GST is coming, like we are before Eid or Diwali.Everyone is cleaning their Accounts & Business, like we clean our houses before Diwali or such festivals.Everyone is preparing their business, documents, accounts, employees, etc. for GST, like we prepare special food, buy crackers or items for celebration before a festival.Everyone is contacting suppliers, customers & consultants, planning how routine would be like under GST, just like we plan with our friends & family, where & when, what & how we will celebrate the festival.So it doesn’t seem like a law that is coming, it’s a festival; and we all know, in festivals, all of us prepare, participate and enjoy! Everyone in the house, has some role to play. That’s one more common charteristic.What does the situation look like? A practical insight.Let’s say I am businessperson, running a medium scale manufacturing business. With the advent of GST, I will need the following services.GST migration and registrationProduct Pricing strategy under GST regime (recaculation of MRP & re-negotiation of distributor’s margins)Re-consideration of Suppliers of Raw Materials, their Cost, which state to buy from and whether some better suppliers exist, since now the tax would be almost equivalentGuidance with regards to Transitional provisionsSoftware upgradationFirm wide training for employeesReturn filing under New Law and adjusted returns under the Old Laws.I will have three options to resolve the above issues -Outsource it to my existing Professional (most probably the professional would be a Chartered Accountant, can be tax consultant at times)Hire some new professional providing specialized GST services (if I am not confident about my current professionals capabilities)Hire new employees who are skilled in handling this.Train myself and my employees to handle the new situation.Now consider both the issues and options available -Do I need Chartered Accountant specifically anywhere? Do I need CA approval or signature anywhere? - No.Do I need Cost & Management Accountant specifically anywhere? Do I need CMA approval or signaure anywhere? - No.What kind of help do I need? - Anyone with thorough knowledge of GST law who can help me with implementation.What would be my preference? - My existing professional provides me the services, I won’t prefer somebody new, unless there are added benefits.What would be my cost preference? - I am not going to get any benefit from GST (Credit would be passed on; Future hassles would be reduced, but current implementation also involves hardships). I want the right guidance at least possible cost.So the conclusion is - it is more about learning, rather than degree. Even a Bcom graduate can take the benefit of opportunities created by GST, if he/she takes the efforts of learning.Specific Comparision of Opportunities between CAs and CMAsGST Registrations - For registration or migration, most obviously, businesses might have preferred going to their regular Chartered Accountants. However, if other professionals, whether CA or CMA or even CS, were smart enough, they would have definitely pitched in and tried to grab a new client.Pre-GST, Post-GST Implementation - This is one area which Big firms made a lot of money from - “Dear Client, don’t you worry. We will guide you with things to be done during Pre-GST period and also help you with Post-GST implementation. We will charge you Rs. (a big bill) only.” Fear, once again, being used as a tool to manipulate & earn abnormally. This service can be provided by any one who knows what GST is, whether CA or CMA.GST Training - While ago, there was a dearth of Public Speakers in this profession. All of sudden, every tom, dick & harry is now conducting sessions of GST. More than knowledge or skills, here the contacts have worked for them. So people who had networked before, have grabbed the opportunities. These opportunities are again, available to both, CAs and CMAs.Pricing Revisions & Strategy - This is one area where usually CMAs would be working in Corporates and therefore, an opportunity for them to pitch in, however, definitely many Chartered Accountants would have tried to grab these opportunities.GST Returns & Compliance - This is more of a maintenance service. Now whoever has supplied the asset, the maintenance contract would also go the same vendor. Similarly, whoever has helped the company with GST implementation, certainly they have a much higher chance of being appointed to file GST returns and take care of compliances.Jobs in Indirect Taxation - Jobs in Indirect Taxation are available to both Chartered Accountants and Cost & Management Accountants currently. With GST, I think the slight preference that Chartered Accountants get, may get reduced marginally and in future, we might see a tough competition between Chartered Accountants, Cost & Management Accountants, Tax Consultants and Accountants in company, to gain the regular services. Whoever, outsmarts the others, wins the opportunity.GST era brings new opportunities for all, not just Chartered Accountants or Cost & Management Accountants.Politicians, especially the ruling party in the centre is the one most benefitted from GST. It will obviously bring them more votes. Non-ruling parties are happy that they have a new topic to tease Government on and for.State Governments are happy because under the hood of GST, they have collected higher taxes from the Businesses. VAT rates were increased under the name of bringing equity with GST rates.Information Technology Enabled Software (ITES) companies are happy that now they can serve some new softwares & ERPs for GST. Customers will have to buy these new softwares or atleast purchase an upgrade to the existing ones.Corporates are happy because now they will get credit of Service Tax against VAT and vice versa.Businesses are happy that ‘maybe’ the tax compliances would be easier.E-tailers are happy because now they have a new reason to give Discounts ‘Pre-GST Sale’ and clear their stocks.Freshers are happy because they have more opportunities to look forward to or the companies have increased their hiring capacity.Salaried People are happy because they have got nothing to do with this. It’s just everyone is celebrating, so why we should be behind.Remember, opportunity for someone, means threat for others.If someone is getting opportunity, certainly it is threat for somebody else, since the balance of environment is maintained automatically. While Government, Consultants & everyone have highlighted the benefits of GST, one important short term hassle that everyone has to face would be ‘inflated prices’. Yes, that’s exactly opposite of what GST is brought for, but it’s true.The prices under GST would fall (‘by 5%’ everyone mentions prices would fall, but nobody mentions this would be just a marginal change). These prices would fall when the manufacturers and the entire chain of suppliers pass on that credit. Do you really think everyone would just reduce their prices immediately?The opposition party had also requested for including a ‘Price Monitoring Cell’ under GST as an ‘Anti-Profiteering Measure’, to ensure that the companies are passing on the credit to the ultimate consumer and reduce the prices of products. Hoever, neither the corporates supported, nor the Government considered it a matter as signNow as it should have been considered.[3]Conclusion: GST is going to be effective very soon. All those who were going to be benefitted from GST have already taken the benefits. It was an opportunity for all professionals to reshape their clientele. Primarily, the existing Professional Service Providers, whether CA or CMA would have been benefitted, since they are the go-to-contact, unless somebody else pitched in, with a better offer & services. However, who and how many such professionals outsmarted the others, who really took the benefit of this open market situation, cannot be quantified. Anyways, now it’s your turn, the aam aadmi, to firstly take the wrath of GST, & then wait to reap its benefit, someday! GST is good, I expected better.Footnotes[1] Law - Wikipedia[2] Festival - Wikipedia[3] GST: anti-profiteering measures necessary?