July / August

Showing 497–512 of 616 results

  • Is your spouse a U.S. citizen? If not, consider using a QDOT

    July / August 2010
    Newsletter: Estate Planner

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 560

    Abstract: The marital deduction allows for the transfer of property, either through lifetime gifts or bequests at death, to a spouse gift- and estate-tax free. But transfers to a spouse who is not a U.S. citizen may trigger immediate tax consequences. Fortunately, couples in this situation can take advantage of the deduction by using a qualified domestic trust (QDOT). This article looks at how QDOTs work and additional rules to be aware of. It also provides insights on how the 2010 estate tax repeal affects estate planning for noncitizen spouses.

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  • Ascertainable standards: Why you need to know about them

    July / August 2010
    Newsletter: Estate Planner

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 691

    Abstract: To design an effective estate plan, it’s important to strike a balance between minimizing taxes and retaining control over how wealth is distributed. In doing so, the language used in wills, trusts and other estate planning documents is critical. One area that demands precision is the use of ascertainable standards, which limit distributions to amounts needed for a beneficiary’s health, education, support and maintenance. This article explains why it’s important that these standards be clearly and precisely defined and covers which standards are ascertainable.

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  • Gifting offers certainty in uncertain times

    July / August 2010
    Newsletter: Estate Planner

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 1036

    Abstract: Uncertainty about the future of the estate tax makes planning a challenge. Planning based on the exemption amount is difficult when it’s not clear what that amount will be — or if there even will be an estate tax. Fortunately, gifting remains a powerful tool that can provide significant benefits regardless of what Congress does. This article discusses leveraging the annual gift tax exclusion, using trusts or family limited partnerships (FLPs), and making taxable gifts, while a sidebar shows how a qualified terminable interest property (QTIP) trust can be used to hedge one’s bets.

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  • Applicant’s failed drug test leads to questionable inquiries

    July / August 2010
    Newsletter: Employment Law Briefing

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 553

    Abstract: When a temporary employee failed a drug test after applying for a tech position, he was questioned by the Medical Review Officer in the presence of a supervisor. The applicant’s claim that the test results were based on an allowable prescription passed muster, and the MRO cleared the tech. But the supervisor told HR not to prepare an offer and instructed the temp agency that the tech was not to return to the company. The tech sued, claiming that the company had made an improper pre-employment medical inquiry. An appeals court explained why he was right.

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  • Is a disability an excuse for bad workplace behavior?

    July / August 2010
    Newsletter: Employment Law Briefing

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 927

    Abstract: An employee who puts a poster of Charles Manson in his cubicle and uses a company computer to surf Web sites about serial killers and assault weapons may seem a sure and justifiable target for termination. After this employee, claiming bipolar disorder, filed a lawsuit alleging that the company had failed to provide him with an accommodation, a U.S. district court weighed in.

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  • The Fair Labor Standards Act – Overtime case turns on employee’s sales activities

    July / August 2010
    Newsletter: Employment Law Briefing

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 962

    Abstract: Besides meeting a salary requirement, an employee must primarily perform work directly related to management policies or business operations in order to be exempt under Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) standards. When a terminated ad salesperson charged that her company had failed to pay her overtime, an appeals court examined whether she was an administrative employee for the purposes of the FLSA and, thus, exempt from its overtime provisions. The judges ruled no, but a sidebar to this article looks at a case with a different outcome.

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  • Stereotypes: Inadvisable – Hotel chain greeted with unwelcome sex discrimination case

    July / August 2010
    Newsletter: Employment Law Briefing

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 621

    Abstract: A hotel clerk was promoted on the basis of good performance, but when a Director of Operations saw her, she told the manager that the clerk lacked the “Midwestern girl look.” After the clerk was eventually fired, she filed a sex discrimination suit. Although appearance can play a role in some employment decisions, an appeals court found for the clerk.

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  • Dealer Digest

    July / August 2010
    Newsletter: Dealer Insights

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 476

    Abstract: This issue’s “Dealer Digest” looks at the tax break now available for hiring certain employees under the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act. It also discusses three vehicle-related tax credits that have been created or expanded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

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  • Hiring a top-notch finance manager – Personality mix and motivation are key

    July / August 2010
    Newsletter: Dealer Insights

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 668

    Abstract: Finding a finance manager who can help lead a dealership to profitability is challenging: The person must have a special mix of traits and skills and be able to negotiate purchase prices, payment terms and service contracts with customers day in and day out. To get such top-notch talent, dealers should offer this pivotal player an income that’s both motivating to him or her and fair to the business. There are several ways to design an attractive incentive-based plan.

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  • Buy-sell agreements make sense

    July / August 2010
    Newsletter: Dealer Insights

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 759

    Abstract: A buy-sell agreement minimizes surprises and prevents expensive lawsuits by addressing dispute resolution, valuation and buyout processes — while the parties are still on good terms. An attorney can draft a buy-sell agreement, but often a financial expert is called to fill in details and arrive at a definition of value for the company. He or she will also look at buyout terms and their tax consequences.

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  • Background checks – Be safe, not sorry

    July / August 2010
    Newsletter: Dealer Insights

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 895

    Abstract: Part of the classic recipe for fraud lies in opportunity, and even with strong internal controls at auto dealerships there’s plenty of opportunity for “bad apples.” Complete background checks are one of the best ways to make sure an applicant’s job performance doesn’t later disappoint. But they need to be performed without violating privacy rights and other laws, which are always evolving. This article discusses legal factors and what to look for in a background check company, while a sidebar lists information frequently examined in background checks.

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  • Construction Success Story – Beware the downside to downsizing

    July / August 2010
    Newsletter: Contractor

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 453

    Abstract: In this issue’s “Construction Success Story,” we look at a struggling general contractor who asked his financial advisor about the potential downside to layoffs. She pointed out reasons that layoffs might hurt him in the long term, and discussed ways the contractor could retain his best employees.

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  • How do you look to your surety? – A key question in today’s economy

    July / August 2010
    Newsletter: Contractor

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 644

    Abstract: Recently, bonding firms have been extra cautious because of the difficulties that so many construction companies have had in staying solvent. That’s why, now more than ever, it’s important for contractors to determine just how their business looks to their surety. Working capital and tangible net worth will likely sit near the top of any surety’s list of critical attributes, as will receivables and debt, performance consistency, and work in progress.

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  • No shortcuts: Quick fixes won’t solve money problems

    July / August 2010
    Newsletter: Contractor

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 436

    Abstract: In response to dire times, many construction company owners may look for quick fixes to tide them over until the economy recovers or at least until the next big project comes along. Yet this thought process can be extremely dangerous; amending and extending loan terms, for example, can become a vicious cycle in which interest rates increase and debts become insurmountable. Long-term thinking will include asking specific questions about the business to reassess overall strategy and implement system fixes.

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  • The hard road ahead – Managing the costs and risks of long-term contracts

    July / August 2010
    Newsletter: Contractor

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 904

    Abstract: Long-term contracts (those exceeding a 12-month period) can be tempting for contractors, as they’re typically associated with lower levels of competition and higher revenue. But because these arrangements transfer the risks from owners to contractors, many sureties hesitate to bond them. Even if bonding is obtainable, escalating costs and unforeseen glitches are a special concern in these types of jobs. But there are steps that contractors can take to become more bondable. A sidebar discusses tax and accounting considerations of long-term projects.

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  • Tax Tips – Expense it! – Health care help for small businesses – Will your taxes be higher in 2011?

    July / August 2010
    Newsletter: Tax Impact

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 462

    Abstract: This issue’s “Tax Tips” briefly discusses the extension of the Section 179 expensing election, a new tax credit for small businesses purchasing group health coverage, possible upcoming tax rate increases, and a variety of tax breaks that Congress may extend.

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