Inadequate ESOP Valuation Vetting Gets Trustee Into Hot Water
Brundle v. Wilmington Trust N.A. The case involved a short-lived ESOP whose structure was unusual in that the sellers—the principal shareholders in a private security firm—agreed to sell 90% of their shares to the ESOP and exchange the remaining 10% for warrants. The...
New Law, New Limit on Deductions for Business Interest Expense
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) sets a new limit on deductions for business interest expense. This is a permanent change for tax years beginning in 2018 with no end date. Will your Maine business be affected? Here’s what you need to know. How Have the Rules Changed?...
Camp Counselors Were Incorrectly Classified as Exempt from Overtime
Violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for 461 summer camp employees is going to cost a Miami prep school almost $700,000 according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). (DOL News Release 18-1191-ATL) After an investigation, the school will pay $635,269 to the...
QBI Deduction Provides Tax Break to Pass-Through Entity Owners
The IRS has recently issued proposed reliance regulations that help clarify the new qualified business income (QBI) deduction that was introduced as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The guidance is involved and goes on for hundreds of pages. The IRS explained that...
Tax Law Expands Accounting Method Options for Small Businesses
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) included many changes, including that many more businesses can now use the simpler and more flexible cash method of accounting for federal income tax purposes. The TCJA also includes some other tax accounting changes that are good news...
Gen Z May Change How You Manage Employees
Is your company ready for Generation Z? Demographers and generation-focused marketing experts have begun talking about some of the differences they see in Gen Z, the newest group to enter the job applicant pool. There is no current consensus on the start of this...
Tax-Exempt Organizations: IRS Provides Guidance on New UBTI Rule
More guidance has been issued by the IRS in regards to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), signed into law in December 2017. This time the topic is the calculation of unrelated business taxable income (UBTI) for tax-exempt organizations and any separate trade or...
Tax Reform: Which Changes Are Temporary vs. Permanent?
There are a number of important tax changes for individuals and businesses in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). It can be hard to keep track of which changes are permanent and which are scheduled to expire at the end of 2025 without Congress extending them. Here is a...
Employers: Consider Telemedicine and Make Sure Employees Use It
The ways medical professionals and patients interact continues to change thanks to telemedicine. Your Maine-based company may already have telemedicine available, and it’s a benefit to both you and your employees. Nearly three-quarters of employers with at least 500...
Tax Court’s Valuation of Trust’s Interest in LLC Weathers Appeal
Estate of Koons v. Commissioner (Koons II), The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a 2013 Tax Court ruling involving a revocable trust’s interest in a limited partnership. The valuation turned on the marketability discount. The 11th Circuit opinion shows the Tax...