2011

Showing 65–80 of 649 results

  • Tax treatment of debt forgiveness – Watch out for tax bills delivered “COD”

    November / December 2011
    Newsletter: Tax Impact

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 970

    Abstract: For many debtors receiving financial help, the initial feeling of relief is quickly replaced by surprise and confusion when they discover they owe taxes on cancellation-of-debt (COD) income. This article explains what qualifies as COD income, and what debts qualify as exceptions or exclusions. A sidebar explains how some COD income can be excluded under the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007.

    Read More

  • Determining business value — Site visits can make all the difference

    November / December 2011
    Newsletter: Viewpoint on Value

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 759

    Abstract: A site visit is an important step that can make all the difference in determining a company’s value. The most obvious reason appraisers perform site visits is to gain a better understanding of how the company operates and view the onsite factors that may enhance — or decrease — the company’s value. This article explains how valuators conduct such visits and what they look for.

    Read More

  • Does goodwill equal noncompete?

    November / December 2011
    Newsletter: Viewpoint on Value

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 390

    Abstract: Goodwill is one of the gray areas in divorce. Most states specifically exclude all or part of goodwill when dividing the marital estate. A recent Ohio divorce case eliminates the guesswork by equating a dentist’s personal goodwill with the portion of the actual selling price that was allocated to a noncompete agreement. This article looks at the details.

    Read More

  • The what, when, how and who of blockage discounts

    November / December 2011
    Newsletter: Viewpoint on Value

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 681

    Abstract: Discounts for lack of control and marketability are common in business valuation. But a lesser-known discount for blockage may apply when valuing large blocks of public stock with limited trading volume. This article describes what blockage discounts are, when they apply and how valuators quantify them.

    Read More

  • Transaction databases: Handle with care

    November / December 2011
    Newsletter: Viewpoint on Value

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 923

    Abstract: Transaction databases reveal details of thousands of real-life stock sales, whether public or private, control or minority. But, used incorrectly, these databases can mislead — or skew the results. Handling these elements effectively requires competence, expertise and experience. This article explores the differences between various databases and how to select one or more pricing multiples. A sidebar explains the assumptions that appraisers make about what constitutes a “guideline” transaction.

    Read More

  • Hunting for treasure in hidden assets

    November / December 2011
    Newsletter: Advocate's Edge / Litigation Support

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 649

    Abstract: In a variety of litigation contexts — such as fraud investigations, shareholder disputes, divorce and business valuation — forensic accountants use several techniques to uncover and demonstrate the existence of assets. This article summarizes two important methods: performing net worth analysis and reviewing tax returns.

    Read More

  • Estate divided: Tax Court rejects fractional ownership claim

    November / December 2011
    Newsletter: Advocate's Edge / Litigation Support

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 508

    Abstract: Does the mere execution of grant deeds transferring undivided interests in property create fractional interests? No, according to the U.S. Tax Court. This article looks at a case in which the decedent had executed a grant deed transferring undivided one-fifth interests in land to each of his five children as tenants-in-common. But, because he retained a life interest in the property by retaining control of it, the ownership wasn’t split until his death. This meant that the entire value of the property was includible in the gross estate.

    Read More

  • After Kumho – Financial experts continue to face admissibility challenges

    November / December 2011
    Newsletter: Advocate's Edge / Litigation Support

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 829

    Abstract: In 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Kumho Tire Co. v. Carmichael clarified that the Daubert criteria for admissibility of expert testimony applies to all types of experts. This article discusses a recent PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) study that sheds light on some of the factors that determine the admissibility of expert testimony. A sidebar talks about correlations the study found between the frequency of challenges and whether the expert served the defendant or the plaintiff.

    Read More

  • TRIM command poised to change computer forensics as we know it

    November / December 2011
    Newsletter: Advocate's Edge / Litigation Support

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 736

    Abstract: Over the past decade, attorneys have come to recognize the valuable role computer forensics play in recovering key financial information from hard drives. But the increasing availability of the TRIM command in computer operating systems is poised to dramatically reshape the field of computer forensics. This article explains how the command purges data completely, so that not even remnants are left behind for experts to subsequently dig up and reassemble. But there are also ways to work around TRIM.

    Read More

  • Attorney-client privilege – Are e-mails on company computers protected?

    March / April 2011
    Newsletter: Advocate's Edge / Litigation Support

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 458

    Abstract: In an era when employers regularly provide employees with electronic communication equipment, questions often arise about employees’ expectations of privacy. This article examines one employment discrimination case, in which a court considered whether e-mails that the employee had sent her attorney using an employer-owned laptop were protected by attorney-client privilege.

    Read More

  • Final whistleblower rules – SEC addresses internal reporting concerns

    October / November 2011
    Newsletter: Public Company Insights

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 456

    Abstract: One of the more controversial provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) was to provide significant cash incentives to whistleblowers who report suspected financial misconduct directly to the SEC, instead of reporting it internally. Some critics have worried that it encourages employees to bypass their employer’s internal compliance and reporting systems. This article discusses how the SEC’s recently finalized whistleblower rules have addressed some of these concerns.

    Read More

  • CAQ takes the mystery out of audits

    October / November 2011
    Newsletter: Public Company Insights

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 304

    Abstract: Independent audits of public companies are a critical tool for building confidence in the U.S. capital markets. Yet many investors and other nonauditors lack a full understanding of the audit process and the auditor’s responsibilities. This article discusses a Center for Audit Quality (CAQ) guide that provides an overview of the audit process, key players and critical issues involved in audits of public companies.

    Read More

  • Does say-on-pay create a Catch-22 for companies?

    October / November 2011
    Newsletter: Public Company Insights

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 697

    Abstract: The “say-on-pay” provision in last year’s Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) requires companies to give shareholders a nonbinding “advisory” vote on compensation for top executives. But attempts to modify nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements may run afoul of Internal Revenue Code Section 409A. In fact, making changes to an executive’s nonqualified deferred compensation — even for legitimate business reasons — presents tax risks.

    Read More

  • How equity-based compensation affects EPS

    October / November 2011
    Newsletter: Public Company Insights

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 1080

    Abstract: No single number can fully reflect a company’s financial performance. But public company investors generally believe that earnings per share (EPS) comes close. This article explains how equity-based compensation programs affect calculation of EPS. It also makes a distinction between basic and diluted EPS and discusses how stock options and restricted stock affect EPS. A sidebar offers an example of the role that equity-based compensation plays.

    Read More

  • The Contractor’s Corner – What’s wrong with my project forecasts?

    Fall 2011
    Newsletter: On-Site

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 438

    Abstract: This issue’s “Contractor’s Corner” takes a look at the case of a contractor who frequently finds that project managers’ forecasts end up being way off the mark. As a result, the company either has to work twice as hard to get the job back in line with the estimate or simply lose money. The article shows how to improve forecasting accuracy by knowing what information to track and how to track it.

    Read More

  • Don’t let workers’ compensation costs get the upper hand

    Fall 2011
    Newsletter: On-Site

    Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50

    Word count: 644

    Abstract: When profit margins are uncomfortably tight, as they’ve been for many contractors in recent years, a sizable injury claim (or series of claims) can be devastating. This article takes a look at the key elements of workers’ compensation claim management and some ways contractors can keep these costs from getting the upper hand. It discusses the importance of “experience modification ratings” and offers ways to create a safer work environment.

    Read More