An immediate concern of many Americans is the threat of lawsuits, liens, judgments and financial loss from major medical or nursing home costs.

People worry that major medical costs, or a lawsuit, will steal the equity in their home or plunder their savings and retirement accounts.

One of the biggest threats is from driving automobiles or other vehicles. If you or your teenagers have an accident, which is your fault, the liability is almost unlimited and can go far beyond your insurance limits.

Other serious risks come from business activities or ownership. That is, business deals gone bad, debts that cannot be paid, unhappy customers, overzealous regulatory agencies, employee lawsuits, product and professional liability, and malpractice issues, etc. Ownership of rental real estate, or construction equipment where an accident could occur are some other big danger areas.

Some are concerned over risks they face from divorce and ex-spouses.

All these hazards leave your property at immense risk, and insurance and incorporation simply will not protect your family home or personal assets. A claimant or his family can legally come after your home, business, vehicles, investments, vacation property or anything else of value that you own.

Before deciding whether to take a case on a contingency basis, against you or your business, an attorney will log on to a web site such as www.docusearch.com and enter your name in the Asset Search section. Within hours he will have details of all real estate that you own, autos, boats and airplanes in your name and up to date details of all of your stock and mutual fund holdings and your family checking and savings accounts. Welcome to big brother in this United States of America. If your assets are off the radar screen, your chances of being sued are greatly diminished. And even if a judgment is obtained against you, your assets are secure.

So how can you protect your home, your cash assets, your autos and boats