Articles

by: Michael Barg, Tax Supervisor as published in Law360 Lawyers across firms and organizations play a critical role in fostering a culture of compliance. Business meal and entertainment costs are one area where developing a strong compliance culture can help minimize the risk of an audit, assessment…

For most small businesses, having a website is a necessity. But what’s the proper tax treatment of the costs to develop a website? Unfortunately, the IRS hasn’t yet released any official guidance on these costs. Therefore, you must extend the existing guidance on other subjects to the issue of website development costs.

A new final rule from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) clarifies some of the ins and outs of multiple employer plans (MEPs). These are defined contribution retirement plans — such as 401(k) plans — that are sponsored by an association or employer group on behalf of member employers.

If your company has a qualified retirement plan or you have set one up in self employment — such as a 401(k), profit-sharing, or Keogh plan — the participants might be allowed to borrow from their accounts. (This option is not available for traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEPs, or SIMPLE-IRAs.)

The summer months are a good time to brainstorm tax planning strategies. Some ideas will help cut your tax bill for the current year; others will allow you to minimize future taxes. Here are various short- and long-term strategies to consider. They factor in changes included in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Perform…

Many middle-market companies are feeling the squeeze this year. Even as sales remain steady, their gross margins have shrunk dramatically. In many cases, closer review of the financials reveals the cause to be an increase in material costs, spurred by the ongoing trade wars. In March 2018, the Trump administration imposed hefty tariffs on most…

by: Michael Barg, Tax Supervisor E-commerce sites hold tremendous growth potential for small and mid-size businesses. Partnering with online marketplaces and facilitators can expand customer reach in ways traditional sales channels often can’t match. These new opportunities come with new challenges. In practical terms, an established New York-based business may sell products regionally and have nexus…

Industry 4.0 is shorthand for all the technological innovations fundamentally altering the manufacturing sector — including smart factories, the Internet of Things, cloud and hybrid computing, and augmented reality. Mobile devices are the gateway to Industry 4.0. Manufacturing managers still working with decade-old computers — or pencil and paper — will likely be left in…

Contrary to popular belief, no federal law prohibits multiple states from collecting tax on the same income. This article raises some important points to keep in mind for those who maintain residences in more than one state (or may soon do so). We’ll also look at some ways an individual can establish domicile in a…

as published in Trust and estate issues are always complex. While fiduciary and individual income tax matters in the past have generally been dissimilar, the new tax law compounds the differences. In contrast to individuals, trusts and estates can still claim certain deductions between now and 2025 that will save…