Sharing Tax Issues in the Sharing Economy
You may be considered part of the "sharing economy" (also known as the Gig or on-demand economy) in Maine if you provide car rides through a mobile app, rent out your spare room using an online platform or repair computers for local businesses on demand. Participation...
5 Recent Supreme Court Decisions that Could Affect Your Business
The U.S. Supreme Court adjourned for its summer recess at the end of June. Here are five recent cases from its 2016 term that may be of interest to business owners and managers. 1. Advocate Health Care Network v. Stapleton (S. Ct. No. 16-74, June 5, 2017) Generally,...
Business ID Theft: Is Your Data at Risk?
Over the last two years the IRS and state tax authorities have made significant strides in curbing individual identity theft. But cyberattacks against businesses are on the upswing. Here are some simple ways business taxpayers can help protect their data from hackers....
Debtors’ Balance Sheet Not Reliable Indicator of Assets’ Market Value
In re Sunedison, Inc., 2016 Bankr. LEXIS 2959 (Aug. 11, 2016). When a company declares bankruptcy, investors often question the accuracy of post-petition valuations offered by other stakeholders. But, as a recent ruling in a major bankruptcy case shows, investors...
How the IRS Proves Fraud and Why It Can Be Devastating
A tax assessment by the IRS is generally presumed to be correct, but a taxpayer can overcome the presumption with proof. However, that situation is reversed when the IRS asserts fraud. In those instances, the IRS must prove, by clear and convincing evidence that fraud...
Revenue Recognition for Contracts: Changes Coming Soon
The top line of your company's income statement is revenue. So, it tends to receive a lot of attention from investors, lenders and other stakeholders. Why? It’s a telltale sign whether your company is growing or declining based on changes in revenue. Moreover, changes...
Truckers: Highway Use Tax Return Is Generally Due August 31
The next federal highway use tax return is due on August 31, 2017, so the IRS wants to remind truckers and other owners of heavy highway vehicle. Generally, the deadline applies to IRS Form 2290 and the accompanying tax payment for the tax year that begins on July 1,...
Understand Your Social Security Retirement Benefits
In July, the Social Security Board of Trustees released its annual report on the long-term financial status of the Social Security Trust Funds. For years, people have questioned the viability of the Social Security system going forward. The report projects that the...
Chancery Achieves Fair Value by Blending Three ‘Imperfect Techniques’
In re DFC Global Corp., 2016 Del. Ch. LEXIS 103 (July 8, 2016) A recent fair value decision from the Delaware Court of Chancery turned on the idea of uncertainty. Impending regulatory changes in key markets made it hard to predict the company’s future performance....
Capital vs. Ordinary: Classifying Income and Losses Affects Your Taxes
How to classify gains and losses from selling an asset in Maine is fairly straightforward most of the time. However, there are some gray areas that require a closer look at the facts and circumstances, especially when real estate is involved, as a couple of recent...