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 »

“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 »

You may be able to deduct the costs of maintaining an office at home, if you’re self-employed in Maine as a sole proprietor, partner, or LLC member. But before you start jumping for joy, it’s important to note that in order to claim a business deduction for an office inside your home, you must use the  Continue Reading »

Federal law does not obviously require an “investment policy statement” (IPS), but the statute governing retirement plans (ERISA), does expect that plan trustees will have a specific policy in mind. In summary, there is an assumption that investments being offered to participants have been carefully weighed, and will be monitored for performance, as well as  Continue Reading »

A well-executed inventory count can provide valuable insight into improving operational efficiency for your Maine-based company, even if they seem time consuming and disruptive. Unfortunately, inventory counts are among the most dreaded chores for business owners and managers. Here’s how to run your count to maximize the benefits and minimize the hassle. Reviewing the Basics  Continue Reading »

If you are considering, or planning, to buy or sell business assets or an ownership interest (corporate stock or a partnership or LLC interest), beware of the tricky “related party” tax rules. The Internal Revenue Code contains a number of rules aimed at penalizing sales between individuals or entities that are considered closely connected and thus more likely  Continue Reading »

Private equity funds offer a way to get a capital infusion for your Maine-based company for a period of time while maintaining a role in its operation and avoiding a sale or a merger. It’s called equity recapitalization and it typically involves selling a minority or majority stake in your company to a private equity fund.  Continue Reading »

Have you ever heard a business owner brag, “I was offered $X million for my business!”, or have you been lucky enough to receive an offer from another party to purchase your private business stock? It seems that such offers reveal how much an objective third party thinks your business is worth. However, a purchase offer  Continue Reading »

Value is relative. Some assignments require the valuation of a minority interest that may lack control and “marketability,” while others call for an appraisal of the entire entity on a controlling basis. How do these situations differ, and how are these differences accounted for by a valuator? Level of Value The ability to sell an investment  Continue Reading »

Chancery Adopts Merger Price Sans Cost Savings Reduction Merlin Partners LP v. AutoInfo, Inc., 2015 Del. Ch. LEXIS 128 (April 30, 2015) In a Delaware statutory appraisal action, the Chancery once again determined that the merger price trumped values resulting from other valuation analyses. But before “placing full weight on the Merger price,” Vice Chancellor  Continue Reading »