Buy, Sell, Pay Taxes: SCOTUS Decision Places Its Own Premium on Buy-Sell Insurance
All U.S. closely held businesses just received a warning from the highest court in the land that they should review their succession plans (or else risk a higher tax bill for the estates of their owners). On June 6, 2024, the Supreme Court of the United States (“SCOTUS”) issued its unanimous decision on Connelly v.…
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Decisions, Decisions: Choice of Entity vs. Choice of Tax Classification
Before forming any entity, founders need to make two fundamental decisions: which entity type is best for their business operations and which tax classification is best for the owners. Although the entity type and tax classification can be changed after formation, some forethought before forming a business can reduce expenses, taxes, and headaches. Choice of…
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What Florida Sales Tax Cut Means for Florida Commercial Tenants
Broadly speaking, according to the Florida Department of Revenue, each Florida sale, amusement park admission, storage unit and rental is taxable (unless it falls under an exemption, such as nonprofits). More specifically, sales tax is imposed on the rental of real property. As stated explicitly in the Florida Statutes, any business or person that rents,…
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Title Insurance or Not, Don’t Dismiss the Value of Title Search
For those of you who question whether an owner’s policy of title insurance is a waste of money, please remember that examining title is still an essential component of due diligence investigations. Real estate investments are usually significant transactions, whether for individuals or businesses. If you are focused on protecting your financial interests, a careful…
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New Domestic Content Adder Guidance: ‘Buy American’ is Back
On May 16, 2024, the Department of the Treasury and the IRS announced the release of Notice 2024-41,[1] which clarifies the safe harbor for classification of project components created in Notice 2023-38 and provides a new safe harbor for the domestic content bonus credit percentages for clean energy tax credits offered under the Inflation Reduction…
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Maximizing QSBS Benefits with Estate Planning: The Art of Stacking
The number of taxpayers seeking the benefits of Qualified Small Business Stock (“QSBS”) has picked up steam in recent years, particularly since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) lowered the federal corporate tax rates to 21%. The combined effect of lower corporate tax rates together with the benefits of QSBS have made corporations attractive,…
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Adverse Possession in a Closely Held Company? ‘Stash’ This One Away
Imagine for a moment that you’re a shareholder in a closely held corporation. In most jurisdictions, that status as a shareholder obligates you to a heightened fiduciary duty to your fellow shareholders. Now imagine that your closely held corporation is in the real estate business, and one of your fellow shareholders sues the corporation for…
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Florida State and Clemson vs. the ACC: Is There a Way Out for Both?
Both the Florida and North Carolina courts have now dipped their toes into Florida State University’s (“FSU”) dispute with the Atlantic Coast Conference (“ACC”) over the high exit price the school must pay to leave the conference. As we wrote last December, FSU and the ACC kicked off the holiday season with reciprocal lawsuits concerning…
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The Heat Is On SEC’s Climate-Related Disclosure Rules
On March 6, 2024, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) adopted new final rules requiring issuers to include extensive disclosure in registration statements and periodic reports regarding material climate-related risks and impacts on their business strategy, financial condition and results of operations.[1] The release promulgating the final rule, which is 885 pages long,…
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Noncompete, Overtime Rules Change, But Legal Challenges Remain
April 23, 2024, was a big day for the Biden Administration, as the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) and Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) almost simultaneously launched new revamped rules which will affect millions of employers and employees nationwide. There are important items and deadlines for both rules which employers will have to comply with absent…
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