Most Common Tax Deductions for Small Businesses
There are many expenses incurred in starting, running, and growing a business. Luckily for business owners, many of these expenses can be deducted. Knowing which expenses you can deduct helps to lower your tax burden and keep more money in your business. However,...How to Pay Yourself When You Own an LLC
One significant advantage of organizing your business as a limited liability company (LLC) is the flexibility it affords. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) allows LLC owners to choose how their business will be taxed. As an LLC owner, you can be taxed as a sole...Hobby or Business: What Factors Does the IRS Consider?
There are some activities we engage in outside of work strictly for personal reasons, with no thought of ever profiting from them. You might, for example, enjoy photography, hiking on the weekends, or collecting classic records. There is no monetary gain—and no...Firing with Grace
Small business owners are accustomed to having grace under fire when it comes to running their business. But it is just as necessary that they demonstrate grace when firing an employee. Due to harsh economic conditions, some sectors of the American economy had to...Can I Provide Services Instead of Capital to a New LLC?
Small business owners put their blood, sweat, and tears into ensuring the success of their company, which, though difficult to measure, are no less valuable than capital contributions. At the same time, if you are investing your time and energy into a limited...How to Talk to Your Family About Business Succession
Benjamin Franklin famously quipped, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” From the very beginning, you had a plan for your business to succeed. You set goals and developed methods to achieve those goals. Your business has stood the test of time because you...What You Need to Know about S Corporations
S corporation status is one of several tax classifications that you may be able to elect for your enterprise. For C corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs) that qualify, S corporation election offers shareholders advantages that include pass-through...What You Need to Know Before Starting a Franchise
It has been a tough couple years for small businesses. Across the country, millions of small businesses have temporarily closed their doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even now, as the pandemic eases and operations begin to pick back up, many small businesses report...What Is Reverse Veil Piercing and How Should You Protect Against It?
Normally, limited liability business entities, which include corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs), prevent the entity’s creditors from going after an owner’s personal assets to satisfy their claims. But in rare circumstances, courts allow piercing of...How to Set Up Your Board of Directors
You might think that a board of directors is something that only big companies have, but all S corporations and C corporations—even small businesses—are legally required to have boards of directors. Specific rules for the board of directors are established in the...How to Conduct an Effective Employee Performance Review
Employee performance reviews can be stressful for workers and managers alike. Now more than ever, with workers quitting their jobs in droves as part of the “The Great Resignation,” managers may be hesitant to provide direct, constructive criticism that could be...What Is a Business Grant and How Do I Obtain One?
A business grant is a form of financial assistance given to a company by a government agency or private organization for a specific purpose. Grants, unlike loans, do not need to be paid back. Despite this benefit, finding a grant that your business qualifies for and...How Do I Prepare To Meet with a Business Lawyer?
Businesses are governed by laws and regulations that affect nearly every aspect of their operation. From formation, hiring, and firing, to drafting contracts, resolving disputes, and dissolving or selling the company, there are numerous legal matters that arise during...Personal Guarantees: What Are They and When Are They Required?
Your new business needs a capital infusion to get off the ground. The only problem is that a new business is not established enough to have generated a business credit report. It may also be lacking assets that can be used as loan collateral. Without a business credit...Key Person Insurance: What Is It and Do I Need It?
We protect what we value most with insurance. Car insurance and home insurance ensure that we can financially survive a major property loss. Life insurance pays money to beneficiaries after a death, acting as a financial lifeline to the deceased’s loved ones. Business...Business Ownership Considerations for Non–US Residents
Moving to a new country and starting a life there presents myriad challenges. Founding a business in the United States as a nonresident can be even more challenging. It requires navigating a convoluted immigration system, which specifically lacks a startup founders...Considerations Before Owning a Business with Your Spouse
Both running a successful business and having a successful marriage require commitment and hard work. Operating a business as a married couple can present its share of challenges, but being devoted to one another as spouses and as business partners can bring higher...Business Ownership and Divorce: What You Need to Know
Divorce is rarely simple. When two people’s lives are intertwined—physically, emotionally, and legally—separating the individual strands can be a task akin to untying the Gordian knot. The longer a couple has been together and the more they share, the more difficult...Why You Should Consider Putting Your LLC into a Trust
The limited liability company (LLC) is a popular business structure that offers liability protection and avoidance of double taxation. Trusts are popular asset transfer vehicles that allow you to avoid probate and keep assets out of the hands of creditors. By placing...Should My Business Use Arbitration Clauses?
Arbitration provisions, which allow legal disputes to be settled outside of the court system, are increasingly found in contracts of all kinds, including employment contracts. A series of court rulings over the years has spurred the increased use of arbitration...What Is the Difference between a Trust and an LLC?
Trusts and limited liability companies (LLCs) are both legal vehicles that can be used to manage and protect assets, minimize taxation, and avoid probate. Whether a trust or an LLC is a better choice may depend on the type of asset, but you do not necessarily have to...Considering Bankruptcy for Your Small Business? Here Is What You Need to Know
Starting a small business entails significant risk. You forego the security of a steady paycheck to create economic opportunities for yourself. Business failure rates have remained steady over the years, but the statistics are pretty daunting: by the five-year mark,...Member-Managed vs. Manager-Managed LLCs: What Is the Difference?
When setting up your business, one of the most significant decisions you will make is which type of entity to form. If you have settled on forming a limited liability company (LLC), you must also choose the type of management structure it will have. LLCs can be...How Do I Change the Directors on My Corporate Board?
Corporate directors act as the governing body of a corporation. They manage the corporation’s business on behalf of the individuals who own the corporation. Directors serve on a board, and the board acts as a group to exercise the corporation’s powers. The board of...What to Include In Your Business Service Agreement
Small businesses account for nearly half of the economic activity in the United States. To successfully compete with bigger competitors, small businesses are increasingly outsourcing to improve their efficiency and lower costs. Outsourcing allows companies to expand...How to Protect Your Personal Assets as a Business Owner
As a small business owner who puts in long hours to build your enterprise, it can sometimes feel like there is no separation between your personal and professional lives. You are probably willing to make this sacrifice to build a company that reflects your values and...How to Resolve Deadlocks in Your LLC
Membership in a limited liability company (LLC) may come with voting rights. Member voting rights are addressed in the LLC operating agreement, which typically provides that LLC members must vote on several issues that are material to the continuance of the business....Why You Might Want to Hire Someone to Be Your Registered Agent
If your business is registered with the state, you are required to name a registered agent at the time of registration or incorporation. A registered agent is the person who receives legal and tax documents on behalf of your business. You or other people in your...How to Start Your Business Year Strong
It has been a tough couple of years for many small businesses, but, as the adage goes, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Small businesses that survived the challenges of 2020 and 2021—the worst pandemic in US history, a nationwide labor shortage, supply chain...What You Need to Know about Buy-Sell Agreements
If you are a business owner, you probably worry about your bottom line, employee retention, and health insurance premiums, but have you also considered what will happen to your business if you are in an accident? What if your business partner gets divorced and...Five Considerations Before You Use a Payment Demand Letter
To our estate planning and administration clients with businesses in their estates: As a business owner, it is almost guaranteed that you will encounter some variation of the following scenario: You engaged a client and completed fantastic work. The products...Hobby Lobby Celebrates ‘Christ the Lord’ in Full-Page Christmas Ads
The reason for the season. "Today in the town of David a savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord." – Luke 2:11https://t.co/ePL8UKhjFY pic.twitter.com/P6L4hBPHeg— Official Hobby Lobby (@HobbyLobby) December 25, 2019 Do you have a...Is Your Original Written Content Protected from Theft?
Today, the majority of small businesses have their own websites. If you have included original written content such as blog posts, articles, or FAQs on your website as part of your efforts to draw people to your site and engage with new and existing customers,...4 Reasons to Consider Changing Your Business Structure
As your small business expands and evolves, it may make sense to consider changing its structure. Many small businesses start out as sole proprietorships or partnerships, with only one or two owners and no employees. Over time, as your business grows and...6 Key Considerations for Passing Down a Family Business
You have spent years building your small business, but have you taken time to consider what will happen to it when you retire, become disabled, or pass away? Although it is often hard to fathom an event that may not occur for many years, it is important to put...Funding a Buy-Sell Agreement with Life Insurance
As a partner or co-owner (private shareholder) of a business, you’ve spent years building a valuable financial interest in your company. You may have considered setting up a buy-sell agreement to ensure your surviving family a smooth sale of your business...Succession Planning for Wineries and Vineyards
With enough lead time, it can be possible to eliminate estate tax, or at least to minimize and defer the payment of such tax. With the estate tax rate a significant 40 percent, this can make all the difference in allowing a business to remain family-owned, for...Sackler Family Behind Oxycontin Faces Lawsuits Over Opioid Abuse
In at least one sense business succession planning is like planning for guns: you need to make sure beneficiaries are responsible enough to handle the asset. Plus a little asset protection might be a good idea. Putting aside the ultimate outcome of the...Family Business Succession Planning: Communicate Now, or Never Rest in Peace
It may seem oversimplified, but communication really is paramount to successful succession planning, and it needs to begin when the founders are still in control. This paves the way for properly communicating the founders’s wishes and plans, and will also give...Selling a Closely Held Business – Part 1: Exit Planning
More on this topic at our weekly seminar here. In closely held businesses, owners and managers are focused on operations and usually don’t have extensive experience buying and selling companies. However, advanced exit planning allows owners and management to...Rumors of Trust Demise Greatly Exaggerated
Some of the reasons listed here: Despite the proposed high estate, GST and gift tax exemptions and whether there’s repeal, trusts will remain extremely popular for many non-tax reasons, including: family governance/succession/education; ability to override the...Fifteen Minute Course: “Do I need to update my estate plan?” (Reward for Completing)
Because you are busy, but want the peace of mind that comes from knowing your family is protected, we’ve created a SHORT 15-minute online course for you to take and get an idea whether it is time to update your estate plan. Access the “Do I need to update...President Trump Signs Financial Services Executive Orders – YouTube
The IRS has been quietly confiscating millions from small business owners
And it’s not just that the IRS occasionally seizes the assets of innocent business owners by mistake and is unaware of the problems with its methodology: According to the TIGTA report, the IRS almost always misses the mark. The watchdog randomly selected 278...Key Considerations for Preparing a Family Legacy Plan
Over the next 20 years, $30 trillion dollars could be transferred from the current generation to the next, making now a critical time for advisors to discuss multigenerational planning with high net worth clients. Along with planning for the financial...Who’ll Reap The Millions From Chuck Berry’s Final Album?
In Missouri, wife Themetta can claim at least half of the cash and a half stake in the intellectual property. Odds are she’ll get a lot more if there was a will, since she was married to him a full 68 years and he was with her until the end.By the way, the...Six Ways To Improve Family Business Governance
Here are some ways that an advisor could help a family business instill better governance practices: Provide guidance. Each new corporation or LLC document should be accompanied by guidance on governance activities that are required and recommended. In the...The Game Plan to Successful Wealth Transfers
One common misconception is that sheltering the younger generation from knowing about the magnitude of the family wealth is in their best interest. Contrary to such opinion, the survey found that it’s important to teach children and grandchildren the family’s...Should You Choose an Internal or External Successor?
Succession planning involves more than valuations and buy-sell agreements. Given all the blood, sweat, and tears you’ve put into your business, you don’t want to risk passing it to the wrong person—someone who doesn’t care for your clients the same way you do...
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