Escheatment could be costing your corporation substantial interest, fines or penalties. The word means turning over to your state any abandoned, lost or unclaimed property, both tangible and intangible. This property is often transferred to the government because a person died without a will, legal heirs or claimants. Every state has adopted unclaimed property laws,  Continue Reading »

This year, the deadline for filing your 2017 individual income tax return this year is Tuesday, April 17, 2018, and the countdown to Tax Day has begun! Currently, many taxpayers are scrambling to wrap things up. But there’s an easy fix if you’re among the procrastinators: Ask your tax advisor to file Form 4868 by April  Continue Reading »

The trial involving the Michael Jackson estate has started in Tax Court in California. One of the issues in the case is the fair market value of Jackson’s posthumous right of publicity, which includes his name and image. The estate valued this at $2,105 because the pop star was mired in scandal at the time  Continue Reading »

A recent ruling by the U.S. District court recently stated that a company president was a “responsible person” who was liable for the trust fund recovery penalty. The court found that the president’s failure to pay over employment taxes was willful despite the fact there was a security agreement with a lender requiring the lender’s approval  Continue Reading »

For many individuals, the Roth IRA remains an attractive retirement planning vehicle for after the changes made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Here’s what you need to know about Roth IRAs and Roth IRA conversions under the new law. Tax Advantages There are several important tax advantages that Roth IRAs offer over traditional  Continue Reading »

When a small business is having their company appraised, there are many different pieces that factor into the final figure. The discount for lack of marketability is a valuation adjustment that requires a particularly detailed process, and is often contested. An appraiser needs a complete understanding of this discount, and obviously can’t just pick a  Continue Reading »

If your Maine company initiates a new paid family and medical leave benefit, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, enacted at the end of last year, will give your company a tax credit. Although the IRS has yet to issue its interpretive regulations, the text of the law itself gives you enough to go on to  Continue Reading »

In re Marriage of Chen, 2016 Wash. App LEXIS 2854 (Nov. 22, 2016) Double dip, like goodwill, is a challenging issue for valuators because different jurisdictions handle the subject differently, which makes it hard to keep up with the various approaches. A Washington state decision explains that jurisdiction’s case law and lays down the key  Continue Reading »

Starting in 2018 under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), Federal income tax rates for C corporations have been reduced to a flat 21%. But what about pass-through businesses? Congress devised a special tax break for pass-through businesses to help achieve parity between the reduced corporate income tax rate and the tax rates for business  Continue Reading »

If you own commercial or residential rental real estate in Maine, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) brings several important changes that owners of rental properties should understand. Rental property owners, in general, will enjoy lower ordinary income tax rates and other favorable changes to the tax brackets for 2018 through 2025. In addition,  Continue Reading »