The Six Golden Keys of Change
Studies show that staff members and managers can be greatly resistant to change, whether it be a major restructuring or a simple change in the color of the office. It may feel like an over-reaction, but to some employees change can suggest an invasion of turf. They...
Is Your Expert Skirting the Standards?
In 1993, the Supreme Court positioned judges as "gatekeepers" against "junk science" in Daubert v. Merrell Pharmaceutical, Inc. (509 U.S, 579). Then, in 1999, Kumho Tire Company v. Carmichael (526 U.S. 137) extended the scope of Daubert beyond scientific testimony to...
Bankruptcy Court Accepts Rationale for Tax Affecting
Bank of America, N.A. v. Veluchamy (In re Veluchamy), 2014 Bankr. LEXIS 5106 (Dec. 18, 2014) A noteworthy discussion involving reputed valuation experts over how to value stock in one of the defendants’ S corporations lies buried in a bankruptcy case that features...
Fee Dispute Puts Appraiser in the Hot Seat
Valuation experts receive a lot of advice on how to guard against an attack from the opposing side, but sometimes an attack can come from the expert’s own client. A recent case shows how an appraiser who sued a client over unpaid fees was put on the defensive. Costly...
Considering an Expansion into Canada?
As a Maine-based small business owner, it may seem like a natural progression to expand north. Canada is a globally competitive country and an extremely cost-effective market. This makes it a good choice for businesses, especially those in the northern United States,...
Bad Behavior in a Forced Buyout Triggers Marketability Discount
Wisniewski v. Walsh, 2013 N.J. Super. Unpub. LEXIS 724 (April 2, 2013) Children learn that bad behavior has consequences. An appellate court recently taught a similar lesson to a troublemaking shareholder whose doings forced a buyout. Three siblings each owned a...
Maximize Business Expense Write-Offs
When you take out personal loans to buy a Maine-based small business, you want to maximize the tax write-offs for the resulting interest expense. The tax law in this area can seem complicated. But if you do some research ahead of time and talk with Filler &...
Write Off Business-Related Vehicle Expenses
As a Maine-based small business owner, you may be wondering how much can be deducted on your tax return for vehicle expenses. There are two basic ways to figure this out: The first is the standard mileage method. This provides a basic deduction for mileage and...
Protect Your Company Against Fraud
Fraud within a small business used to be rare. But now, many different types of organizations are falling victim to internal fraud. The good news is that while no anti-fraud system is infallible,there are things that small business owners can do to reduce the risk of...
Take Another Look at Paid Sick Leave
In recent months, several states and localities have passed laws to mandate paid sick leave. One way the local laws differ is in the grounds required for taking sick leave. Most cover sick leave when the employees or their family members are sick, and some also cover...