Grieve v. Commissioner In a gift tax dispute, the U.S. Tax Court recently found for the taxpayer when it rejected the unusual reasoning and methodology the Internal Revenue Service’s trial expert proposed to keep low the discounts applicable to the nonvoting membership units in two limited liability companies (LLCs). Nonmarketable, noncontrolling interest In late 2013,  Continue Reading »

This past Friday marked the opening of Maine’s recreational marijuana market, which allows licensed retailers in the state to legally sell cannabis and cannabis products. While marijuana businesses in Maine may be in compliance with state laws, the federal government considers them to be engaging in an illegal activity. This can create some unique tax  Continue Reading »

A small payment from the IRS may be coming your way in the near future. The tax agency announced it was sending interest payments to those who filed their 2019 returns by this year’s extended July 15 deadline and either received a refund in the past three months or will receive a refund. An estimated  Continue Reading »

With the extended July 15 deadline for 2019 federal income tax returns behind us, it’s time to think about your tax situation for this year. Obviously, 2020 has been far from typical, and it is quite possible that this abnormal year has created some abnormal tax considerations. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many losing  Continue Reading »

The $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is delivering some much needed relief to Maine people and businesses. While this legislation is designed to help us move forward economically, it also provides some retroactive tax relief. There are provisions in the CARES Act that can affect 2018 and 2019 returns that  Continue Reading »

The fast spreading COVID-19 pandemic has forced the closure of many nonessential businesses — threatening the livelihoods of numerous small businesses here in Maine as well as the people they employed. In response to the economic and health impact of this pandemic, Congress recently passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. In  Continue Reading »

If you’re a business owner here in Maine, the new year comes with new payroll rules. Here are five of the most significant changes for 2020: 1. Significant revisions have been made to Form W-4 The IRS has redesigned Form W-4 for this year to reflect changes from the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA)  Continue Reading »

Maine has seen an increase in startups and technology-based companies, especially around the Portland area. Many — if not most — went through a process that included designs, models and patents that helped bring their respective idea to market. For a long time, those self-created intangible assets qualified as capital assets, and, thusly, qualified for  Continue Reading »

There are many perks of working from home, including the tax deduction available to many taxpayers who have a home office. However, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) has effectively eliminated the long-standing home office deduction through 2025. But if you are self-employed, there are still some deductions you may be able to take  Continue Reading »

With unemployment at record lows — both here in Maine and across the nation — retaining and attracting employees is a high priority for many business owners. So as the year winds down and you look ahead to 2020, one way you can address this issue is by improving your employee benefits, which may include  Continue Reading »