May / June

Showing 513–528 of 621 results

  • More and more contractors turn to lead services

    May / June 2010
    Newsletter: Contractor

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 444

    Abstract: In this tough economy, more and more contractors are turning to lead services to get the jump on competitors. There are three primary choices: a subscription-based service, a pay-per-lead service, or a database service. The first two are more economical. Yet those who are serious about using a lead service, and can afford to do so, might want to take a calculated risk and sign up for a database in order to quickly achieve more precise results. But due diligence is important.

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  • Don’t wait to get paid – How to build a good collection process from the ground up

    May / June 2010
    Newsletter: Contractor

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 693

    Abstract: Building a good collection process begins with developing a realistic payment plan and then including it in the job contract. Contractors must employ prompt and frequent follow-up to avoid giving the impression their bills can be given lower priority. This is not just an issue for accounts receivable staff; collections should be a companywide concern. As a last resort, it may be necessary to resort to a collection agency. But this might mean burning a bridge one may need to cross in the future, so the pros and cons of this harsh measure must be weighed carefully.

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  • Keeping your wheels on the road – Key aspects of fleet management

    May / June 2010
    Newsletter: Contractor

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 949

    Abstract: There’s no doubt that fleet management requires an investment of time and finances. But the long-term savings, decreased equipment downtime and better efficiency gleaned from the effort can be significant. One must begin by comparing savings and tax considerations in regard to buying equipment vs. renting it. Maintenance and antitheft issues must then be addressed. A contractor might also need to hire a dedicated fleet manager or outsource the duties to a fleet management company. A sidebar to this article shows how to prepare for the next tier of Environmental Protection Agency engine emissions regulations.

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  • Tax Tips – Have you reviewed your estate plan? – Courts give LLCs a boost – Now’s the time to restructure loans

    May / June 2010
    Newsletter: Tax Impact

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 473

    Abstract: This issue’s “Tax Tips” briefly discusses the importance of reviewing one’s estate plan in view of present uncertainty regarding estate tax law; recent court rulings in regard to whether limited liability companies (LLCs) can offset business losses against active income; and why now may be a good time to restructure a loan.

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  • Making sense of multistate taxation

    May / June 2010
    Newsletter: Tax Impact

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 545

    Abstract: To trigger a state’s income or sales and use taxes, a business must have a substantial connection — or nexus — with that state. Historically, that meant a physical presence in the state. But, in today’s digital age, most companies — even small ones — do business beyond their state’s borders, and cash-starved states are eyeing out-of-state businesses as potential revenue sources. Ever-changing rules regarding what constitutes nexus increase the risk that multiple states will attempt to tax the same income. Congress might act to establish uniform standards, but, in the meantime, it’s important that businesses review their activities in each state for potential tax liability.

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  • Cause and effect – The estate tax repeal also modifies carryover basis rules

    May / June 2010
    Newsletter: Tax Impact

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 799

    Abstract: How a person transfers assets can affect the recipient’s income tax liability because of the basis he or she receives. Basis is the cost associated with an asset — and, from an estate planning perspective, it’s important because it affects the amount of taxable gain or loss a beneficiary will realize should he or she sell the asset. But the 2010 estate tax repeal has temporarily modified the carryover basis rules. So is this the best time to transfer appreciated assets? The answer is that every person’s situation is unique.

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  • The Roth IRA: Should you convert?

    May / June 2010
    Newsletter: Tax Impact

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 1119

    Abstract: Starting in 2010 anyone, regardless of income, can convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. But even though this may present a golden opportunity for many taxpayers, it’s not right for everyone. From an income tax perspective, whether it makes sense to convert to a Roth IRA depends on whether the taxpayer is better off paying the tax now or later. It also depends on whether one needs to tap their IRA funds during retirement for living expenses; if not, Roth IRAs can make ideal estate planning vehicles. A sidebar lists several specific factors that may indicate whether one should or should not make the conversion.

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  • Guidance issued on valuation of partial interests

    May / June 2010
    Newsletter: Viewpoint on Value

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 524

    Abstract: After a six-year development period, the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) recently added a new procedural guideline to its Business Valuation Standards: PG-2 — Valuation of Partial Ownership Interests. Although not a binding standard, PG-2 offers valuable guidance to ASA members and other business valuators on this difficult and often controversial subject. This article looks at some of the highlights.

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  • Lucent sheds light on patent infringement damages

    May / June 2010
    Newsletter: Viewpoint on Value

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 497

    Abstract: Courts are generally loath to disturb a jury’s verdict on damages. But an appeals court threw out a $350 million patent infringement award that wasn’t supported by substantial evidence. This case illustrates the need for detailed expert testimony, which will establish credible evidentiary facts and conclusions and, thus, support a claim for patent infringement damages.

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  • What’s behind the veil? — Digging for the truth in alter-ego cases

    May / June 2010
    Newsletter: Viewpoint on Value

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 740

    Abstract: When a plaintiff can’t collect a judgment from a corporation and seeks to obtain it from the corporation’s owners, it may try to show that the corporation and its shareholders lack separate identities — that is, the corporation is the owners’ alter ego. Key factors in determining an alter-ego relationship include not only this lack of separateness, but also financial dependence of the corporation upon its shareholders or parent, and undue influence upon a corporation.

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  • Struggling economy presents business valuation challenges

    May / June 2010
    Newsletter: Viewpoint on Value

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 1046

    Abstract: In bad times, appraisers may face a disconnect between the income and market approaches, creating a wide gap between valuations. The challenge becomes reconciling these differences. This article explains how to approach valuation for both profitable and distressed companies, and notes that the purpose of a business valuation can have a big impact on the valuation methods that are used. A sidebar looks at one case in which a court rejected the uses of the discounted cash flow method by both the creditors’ and the debtors’ experts.

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  • Don’t let line-of-credit schemes defraud your client

    May / June 2010
    Newsletter: Advocate's Edge / Litigation Support

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 615

    Abstract: Hard economic times typically lead to more “creative” fraud schemes. One that gets little attention, but potentially is extremely damaging, involves a company’s line of credit (LOC) with lenders. Employees who are closely involved in arranging for LOCs or are calculating periodic receivable availability reports are most likely to commit this complicated type of fraud. But forensic experts have several methods at their disposal to detect complicated LOC schemes.

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  • Valuation expertise is critical when a company is liquidating

    May / June 2010
    Newsletter: Advocate's Edge / Litigation Support

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 612

    Abstract: Both financially distressed businesses and buyers considering acquiring a company in bankruptcy require the expertise of an experienced valuator. These experts can help owners make informed decisions about their troubled company’s future and maximize liquidation proceeds. And, as this article explains, valuators can provide buyers with accurate appraisals of bankrupt businesses and their assets.

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  • Is your appraiser vulnerable to attack?

    May / June 2010
    Newsletter: Advocate's Edge / Litigation Support

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 523

    Abstract: Attorneys who rely on professional appraisers should know about some revisions made by the Appraisal Foundation to its 2010-11 Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) — generally considered the performance and ethical standards for U.S. real property appraisers. Under the revised standards, subject appraisers must disclose any current or prospective interest in the subject property or parties involved. This latest USPAP also rewrites the competency rule for appraisers.

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  • Burden vs. benefit – Court weighs in on inaccessible ESI

    May / June 2010
    Newsletter: Advocate's Edge / Litigation Support

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 870

    Abstract: Attorneys increasingly face discovery requests for massive amounts of electronically stored information (ESI). Litigation parties generally aren’t required to produce ESI that isn’t “reasonably accessible,” but courts can nonetheless order production on a showing of good cause by the requesting party. When a defendant in one case complained that meeting the plaintiff’s request for archived e-mails would involve poring over 2,500 tapes at a cost of $1.5 million, the court relied on a Federal Rule of Civil Procedure to determine whether the plaintiff had good cause to order discovery. A sidebar discusses this court’s order regarding the discoverability of attorneys’ litigation hold letters.

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  • Market niche insider – A roadmap for lending to trucking companies

    May / June 2009
    Newsletter: Commercial Lending Report

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 477

    Abstract: More than 80% of communities rely exclusively on commercial trucks for their delivery of goods, according to the American Trucking Association. A cornerstone of our economy, the trucking industry provides opportunities to lease and finance equipment purchases.

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