July / August
Showing 385–400 of 616 results
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Estate Planning Red Flag – Your will contains a formula clause
July / August 2013
Newsletter: Estate Planner
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 321
Abstract: Now that the federal estate tax exemption has been set permanently at an inflation-adjusted $5 million (currently, $5.25 million), fewer people are subject to federal estate tax. But that doesn’t mean estate planning is any less important. Out-of-date formula clauses, in particular, can create unwelcome surprises. This article shows how an outdated plan can end up effectively disinheriting the very person it’s supposed to benefit.
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Using an FLP as an income tax planning tool
July / August 2013
Newsletter: Estate Planner
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 580
Abstract: For many years, family limited partnerships (FLPs) have been a popular vehicle for consolidating and managing family wealth while reducing gift and estate taxes. Now that fewer people are subject to these taxes, an FLP may have lost some of its appeal as an estate planning tool. But with individual income tax rates at their highest level in years, it’s important to not overlook an FLP’s potential as an income tax planning tool. Transferring limited partnership interests to children or other family members in lower tax brackets can reduce a family’s overall tax liability.
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Should you consider a Roth IRA conversion?
July / August 2013
Newsletter: Estate Planner
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 745
Abstract: Converting all or a portion of a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA can allow one to turn tax-deferred future growth into tax-free growth and take advantage of a Roth IRA’s estate planning benefits. As this article explains, a Roth’s exemption from minimum distribution requirements allows funds to continue growing tax-free for many years. And, since amounts converted into a Roth IRA face immediate taxation, heirs will benefit by receiving future distributions tax-free. But whether this makes economic sense depends on several factors.
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The BDIT: Have your cake and eat it too
July / August 2013
Newsletter: Estate Planner
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 884
Abstract: Many people are reluctant to consider advanced estate planning strategies because they’re not ready to give up control over their property. A beneficiary defective inheritor’s trust (BDIT) is a relatively new tool that, when structured properly, allows one to take advantage of sophisticated tax planning and asset protection techniques without losing control or enjoyment of the trust assets. This article explains how it works, with a sidebar offering a specific example.
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Rogue managers can lead to retaliation claims
July / August 2013
Newsletter: Employment Law Briefing
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 953
Abstract: If managers, inadvertently or otherwise, make employees feel like they can’t complain about discrimination, the legal implications can be huge. This article discusses a case in which a woman filed a gender discrimination complaint with her company — and was later warned by a superior that, if she wished to keep her job, she “needed to become invisible” and “stay off the radar for the next six months at a minimum.” The court ruled that she had suffered a materially adverse employment action, but a sidebar discusses a similar case with a different outcome. Maron v. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, No. 12-1146, Jan. 31, 2013 (4th Cir.) Hernandez v. Johnson, No. 12-50338, Feb. 22, 2013 (5th Cir.)
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Got to get back: An FMLA case
July / August 2013
Newsletter: Employment Law Briefing
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 626
Abstract: Many employees who take leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) maximize their time off to rest and fully recuperate. But this article looks at a case in which the plaintiff sued his employer for not reinstating him earlier than the 12 weeks to which he was entitled. His contention was that the FMLA requires an employer to restore an employee to the position he’d held at the time FMLA leave began or to an equivalent position. The court’s decision came down to whether the plaintiff was able “to perform an essential job function” during his leave. James v. Hyatt Regency Chicago, No. 12-1511, February 13, 2013 (7th Cir.)
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Beware of the office romance – Messy breakup prompts sexual harassment case
July / August 2013
Newsletter: Employment Law Briefing
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 879
Abstract: Employers — and employees — are often warned about the dangers of office romances. This article examines one court case that illustrates why. The female plaintiff lodged an administrative sexual harassment complaint against her male supervisor, who refuted her accusations. But her case was complicated by her previous sexual relationship with him. After her complaint was dismissed by her employer, she filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which issued her a right to sue notice. Gerald v. University of Puerto Rico, No. 11-2143, Jan. 28, 2013 (1st Cir.)
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Arbitration matters – Supreme Court decision expresses a key preference
July / August 2013
Newsletter: Employment Law Briefing
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 558
Abstract: State law vs. federal law … which has priority? This article discusses a case in which the U.S. Supreme Court overruled a state court’s authority to declare two particular noncompetes null and void, despite the existence of arbitration clauses in the agreements. The Court’s decision is the latest in a series of cases in which it has expressed its preference for resolving cases through arbitration, wherever possible. Nitro-Lift Technologies v. Howard, No. 11-1377, Nov. 26, 2012 (Supreme Court)
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Dealer Digest – Tax break still in play for improvements
July / August 2013
Newsletter: Dealer Insights
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 430
Abstract: This issue’s “Dealer Digest” looks at a tax break that extends accelerated depreciation for qualified leasehold retail-improvement property. It cites a forecast regarding dealership and sales growth in the years ahead, and discusses the effect on dealerships of recent changes to ordinary-income tax rates for individuals.
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Employee fraud – How to prevent the “inside job”
July / August 2013
Newsletter: Dealer Insights
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 705
Abstract: Alarming accounts of employee fraud at auto dealerships are, unfortunately, not unusual. This article discusses ways to prevent fraud. It discusses avoiding having one person being in charge of multiple financial duties; limiting access to the inventory system; and other safeguards.
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The ins and outs of earnouts – They can seal the deal, but be sure to think it through
July / August 2013
Newsletter: Dealer Insights
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 850
Abstract: It can be frustrating when a seller and potential buyer of a dealership can’t agree on price — but an earnout provision in a purchase agreement can help seal the deal. In an earnout agreement, the seller typically accepts at closing a payment lower than the asking price and maintains an interest in the business. The expectation is that the business will do well enough to compensate the seller with future payments — but this article also explains how to manage the risk that it won’t. A sidebar addresses the appropriate length of a term covered by an earnout provision.
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6 tips for conjuring service customer loyalty
July / August 2013
Newsletter: Dealer Insights
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 437
Abstract: Although it might take more know-how and creativity to instill customer loyalty nowadays than it did in days gone by, this golden commodity is still obtainable. This article offers six ways to conjure up loyalty among service department patrons. They include appointing someone to track and improve customer loyalty, enhancing the dealership’s waiting area, and following up on customer feedback.
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Construction Success Story – HVAC contractor cools down employee burnout
July / August 2013
Newsletter: Contractor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 448
Abstract: This issue’s “Construction Success Story” looks at the case of a contractor whose workforce had dwindled during the recession. He worried that this was causing employee burnout but, with the economy still uncertain, he didn’t want to add staff just yet. His advisor showed how increased collaboration and communication, along with additional training opportunities for employees, could improve profitability and employee morale.
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Why now is a good time to review your estate plan
July / August 2013
Newsletter: Contractor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 552
Abstract: Whether a company is family-owned or not, it’s important to plan for how the wealth one has accumulated to be passed to heirs — if not ownership of the business itself. Now that the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2013 (ATRA) has finally brought some certainty to estate planning, it’s a good time for contractors to review their estate plans. This article discusses how estate tax changes affect construction company owners.
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Have you considered lean construction lately?
July / August 2013
Newsletter: Contractor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 675
Abstract: The term “lean construction” was coined back in the early 1990s to describe an adaptation of certain manufacturing principles to building. In today’s technology-driven world of making everything as efficient as possible, the concept is worth considering (or reconsidering). This article explains how lean construction is designed to improve total project performance by emphasizing teamwork from concept through delivery.
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On the horizon – Contractors must prepare for impending health care penalties
July / August 2013
Newsletter: Contractor
Price: $225.00, Subscriber Price: $157.50
Word count: 883
Abstract: On Jan. 1, 2014, major provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will go into effect. This includes implementation of a state-level insurance marketplace and new requirements, penalties, and tax subsidies for individuals and employers designed to ensure compliance. This article goes over some of the details that small and large employers — and employees as well — should be mindful of. A sidebar reveals that defined-contribution health plans are gaining traction.