Business valuation experts who testify in court are often asked, “Did you follow appraisal standards in performing your engagement?” The next question is likely to be: “Which ones?” There are a number of different standards that cover business appraisal practice. USPAP Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) is one of the most widely recognized standards.  Continue Reading »

ABCs of Education-Related Tax Breaks It’s back-to-school time in Maine and across the country. Whether or not the school buses are already disrupting your commute to work, the start of the school year brings opportunities for tax breaks. There are numerous education-related federal tax deductions and credits to consider on a personal level. But save those  Continue Reading »

Berg v. Young, 2015 Fla. App., LEXIS 13077 (Sept. 2, 2015) In a Florida divorce case, the trial court heard copious expert testimony on the value of the husband’s interest in a car dealership. The dispute turned on the validity and interpretation of the parties’ prenuptial agreement; a secondary issue was how to treat any  Continue Reading »

Now that both major political party conventions are finally behind us, it’s time to focus on the upcoming national election. Among their many differences, the Republicans and Democrats have widely divergent tax platforms. It’s good to know what tax positions the two parties and their presidential candidates have staked out even though platforms are always relatively  Continue Reading »

When selling a business, did you know there are some buyers who would be willing to pay a premium above the fair market value of the business on a controlling basis? These are strategic (or synergistic) buyers, and might include competitors looking to build market share, joint venture partners who already understand the business model  Continue Reading »

Even though few people in Maine enjoy giving money to the IRS, some types of taxes are viewed more unfavorably than others. Here are three worthy candidates contending for the title of most-hated tax. Penalty Tax on Individuals without Health Insurance The Affordable Care Act (ACA) imposes a penalty on individuals who fail to have so-called  Continue Reading »

Charitable giving is on the rise, and given the natural disasters and human tragedies that have happened in recent months, the momentum is expected to continue. Charitable donations reached an all-time high last year of approximately $373.25 billion, according to Giving USA 2016: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2015. This report is published jointly  Continue Reading »

Guardian Energy, LLC v. County of Waseca, 2015 Minn. LEXIS 437 (Aug. 12, 2015) Quantifying external obsolescence (EO) poses a challenge even for experienced appraisers. No wonder the Minnesota tax court recently got into trouble when it rejected the analyses of the experts and created its own methodology. Assessment dispute: The owner of an ethanol  Continue Reading »

If divorcing spouses own part of the stock in a closely held corporation, this may be one of their biggest marital assets, and often one spouse decides to buy out the other party’s shares by transferring some assets in exchange for the stock. However, it’s important to consider the expected tax consequences before jumping into these  Continue Reading »

The time for filing last year’s individual federal income tax return passed you by in April, unless you’ve extended the due date to October 17. What if you didn’t extend and you haven’t yet filed your Form 1040? And what if you can’t pay your tax bill? Here’s an explanation on how to handle these  Continue Reading »