The tax elections you make on your 2015 personal tax return can be extremely important to your financial welfare. Here’s a list of 10 potential elections for individuals (including self-employed taxpayers) to consider making before tax day on April 18, 2016 (or April 19 for taxpayers in Maine and Massachusetts due to their Patriot’s Day  Continue Reading »

The research credit is looking good for some small Maine companies, and it’s back for good. The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015, signed into law by the president on December 18th, does much more than extend this credit. Under the PATH Act, the research credit is restored retroactive to January 1, 2015,  Continue Reading »

In recent months, there have been several significant developments on the estate tax front, and in 2016, the federal gift and estate tax exemption increased to $5.45 million (up from $5.43 million for 2015). Here are some tips to help you stay atop the changes. New Basis Consistency Rules for Inherited Assets For federal income tax  Continue Reading »

Valuing a private business is a complex process, but most closely held business owners want to know the value of their investments, especially if they are going to sell or gift shares to family members or charities. It is vital to hire a valuation professional who understands the current marketplace and the relevant value drivers for your business.  Continue Reading »

Clear-View Techs., Inc. v. Rasnick, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 72601 (June 3, 2015); Clear-View Techs., Inc. v. Rasnick, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 71990 (June 2, 2015)  In an intellectual property case, the court determined what qualifies as admissible rebuttal testimony under Rule 26 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The defendants failed to designate  Continue Reading »

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) allow individuals and businesses to buy less expensive health insurance policies with high deductibles, and contributions to the accounts are made on a pre-tax basis. The money can accumulate year after year tax free, and be withdrawn tax free to pay for a variety of medical expenses such as doctor visits, prescriptions,  Continue Reading »

The IRS 2016 optional standard mileage rates are in. These rates are used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. You can generally deduct actual expenses incurred from driving your vehicle for business. The expenses may cover gas, oil, tires, insurance, repairs, licenses, and registration fees. Also,  Continue Reading »

During a divorce, when either spouse owns a private business interest, the divorce settlement is only as reasonable as the value of the business and the compensation of its owners. Replacement compensation can become a controversial issue, especially when the spouse owns a private business and has the control to set his or her salary, benefits  Continue Reading »

The new year brought some good news from the IRS for Maine Employers. They announced that the due dates for filing 2015 Affordable Care Act (ACA) information returns have been extended. This gives employers extra time to provide the forms to the recipients, and file the forms with the IRS. Under Internal Revenue Code Section  Continue Reading »

“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” This is a common phrase, but it’s not as common for businesses to realize that this same theory can apply in the valuation of interests in a business. Controlling Interest is Valuable A publicly traded business is often purchased for a greater value on a  Continue Reading »