Usually when a business is professionally valued, owners and managers immediately check out the bottom line to see what the company is worth. They may pay little attention to the reasons behind the final number, especially if the report was prepared for internal planning or financial reporting purposes. But it’s a good idea to take  Continue Reading »

You may have heard about the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) provides businesses with lower income tax rates, but there’s more to it than that. Here’s an overview of some lesser-known, business-friendly changes under the new law, along with a few changes that could affect some businesses adversely. The Good News Starting in 2018,  Continue Reading »

Starting with the 2018 tax year, most businesses in Maine and the U.S. will receive a big tax cut, thanks to the new law that was enacted on December 22. However, some industries (such as banking, hospitality and retail) generally expect to reap more benefits than others (such as certain professional practices). The provisions in  Continue Reading »

Many Mainers are considering going into business for themselves. One of the things that must be decided is whether or not a franchise would be the right choice for these new business owners. Basically, a franchise gives the business owner the licensed right to use a service mark, trademark, or business concept. The business owner  Continue Reading »

You’ve probably heard the old saying, “a verbal contract isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.” Yet many business owners and executives still enter into handshake deals. This can create problems later on that could have been easily avoided by simply getting things in writing. There’s nothing wrong with ironing out the details of a transaction  Continue Reading »

The term direct deposit does not apply to payroll only. This can be a time and money saving service to businesses in other ways too. What about the checks written for expense reimbursements or commissions? For a corporation, how about depositing the dividend checks of shareholders into the bank accounts of their choice? Today, it’s  Continue Reading »

Most small business owners realize that paying company debts is just as important as collecting accounts receivable and that these debts need just as much management. What business owners may not realize is that they can actually have a surprising amount of control over how and when company debts are paid, giving some advantages. First,  Continue Reading »

When individual taxpayers claim deductions for bad debt losses, the IRS is always skeptical. Why? Losses from purported loan transactions often fail to meet the tax-law requirements for bad debt loss deductions. For example, a taxpayer might try to write off a capital contribution to a business entity that underperformed. Or a taxpayer might have  Continue Reading »

When a business is being valued, sometimes working capital can be overlooked. It is important to remember, however, as it can have a material effect on value. Working capital is defined as the difference between a business’ current assets and current liabilities. If an appraiser is using the income or market approach to determine a  Continue Reading »

In re Books a Million Stockholders Litig., 2016 Del. Ch. LEXIS 154 (Oct. 10, 2016) The Delaware Court of Chancery dismissed a minority shareholder challenge to a going-private merger, concluding the defendant directors did not act in bad faith when they favored the controlling shareholders’ bid over a third-party buyer’s higher offer. The dispute arose  Continue Reading »