How Much Can Your Business Deduct for Vehicles Placed in Service in 2019?
While people are jumping in their cars and hitting the road here in Maine for some summer adventures, you and your small business may be hitting the road in a new vehicle. If you are adding a new car or truck to your business’ fleet, the purchase could qualify for...
Is a New Individual Health Plan in Your Future?
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires companies with at least 50 employees to provide health benefits and pay for a good portion of the coverage's cost. But many smaller employers in Maine and across the country provide health coverage too — even if they aren’t...
Appeals Court Upholds Grocery Store Buyout Ruling and Fair Value Determination
Lund v. Lund A protracted Minnesota buyout dispute involving the heirs to a local grocery store empire may have reached the end. The state appeals court affirmed most of the district court’s rulings, including the buyout order and fair value determination. The...
Should Employers Allow Emotional Support Animals in the Workplace?
We love our four-legged friends here in Maine. You'll often see people bring their dog along with them on their adventures, whether that be to the beach, the lake, the mountains or even a brewery patio in Portland. Which makes sense, many of us recognize and cherish...
When To Update Your Estate Plan
Between 2010 and 2018 the median age in Maine increased from 42.7 to 44.9, this according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That 2.2 year increase is twice the national average and a reminder that our state’s population is aging. When you consider this fact alongside the...
Analysis Holds Up in Divorce Litigation
Hultz v. Kuhn A Maryland divorce case illustrates the difficulties an appraiser charged with valuing a small company in the divorce context may face and how he or she may prevail in court. The wife was the sole shareholder in a tree services business. The issue at...
Exploring the Cashless Movement in Retail
Cash payments aren’t as obsolete as cassette tapes and VCRs, but they’re definitely becoming less popular. Only 30% of all retail transactions were completed using cash in 2018 — a 40% decrease since 2012, according to the Federal Reserve. And that trend is expected...
Does Your Company Allow Vaping on the Job?
Most employers try to strike a balance between encouraging healthy habits on the part of their employees and acting as a surrogate nanny. But as the use of e-cigarettes has become increasingly popular, the question of whether or not to allow vaping at work can be a...
Balance Your Right to Monitor Communications with Employees’ Privacy Rights
Have you considered monitoring your employees’ communications at work? It’s a delicate balance to create a policy to monitor employees activities and protect your company without violating employees’ legal privacy protections. But you may have legitimate reasons for...
Improper Use of Active/Passive Framework Skewers Valuation
Bair v. Bair When confronted with quantifying the appreciation of non-marital property, it is common for valuators first to classify the change in value as “active” or “passive” and then do the valuation. A Florida case shows that, when applied prematurely, this...