The IRS and construction firms are often at loggerheads over whether certain workers should be treated as employees or independent contractors. Typically, the IRS will contend that the workers are employees, while the construction firm will argue that the workers should be classified as independent contractors. It’s not just semantics; there could be a bundleContinue reading →
Under the sweeping Affordable Care Act (ACA), which passed in 2010 and was upheld by the Supreme Court last year, the healthcare system in the United States will be overhauled and millions of uninsured Americans will become covered. The ACA has numerous provisions – some that have already taken effect and some major changes scheduledContinue reading →
Economic espionage has captured the attention of the United States government as a potential threat to the countries prosperity and national security. One court case involving an engineer stealing trade secrets from his employer’s system and sharing them with a competitor after leaving the company underlines the importance of protecting intellectual property. Although companies takeContinue reading →
Close to 100,000 discrimination charges were filed by employees to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) during the fiscal 2012, signaling that employers must keep up their guard to avoid being drawn into costly and potentially damaging litigation. As in recent years, the largest categories of employment discrimination accusations were retaliation (38%), race (34%), andContinue reading →
Encountering stock market losses early in one’s retirement years can deliver a blow to an equity-heavy portfolio. If you’ve determined that your equity weighting is extremely aggressive relative to your risk appetite, reducing risk by altering your portfolio’s asset allocation may be essential. The need to reduce the risk of your portfolio doesn’t mean youContinue reading →
The importance of keeping thorough and accurate records cannot be emphasized enough. If you have incomplete or no records and get audited by the IRS, it can cost you valuable deductions. A new Tax Court case illustrates what happens when adequate records are not kept throughout the year. Facts of the case: For the taxContinue reading →
Estate planning laws have undergone swift changes over the past several years and may change again in the years ahead. If you’re creating or updating an estate plan, it’s essential that you seek the advice of an attorney who’s well versed in this area. Before you hire an estate-planning attorney to draft or update yourContinue reading →
The NASDAQ recently proposed a rule that companies listed on the stock exchange will soon be required to establish and maintain an internal audit department. In response, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is in the process of circulating the proposal and gathering public comments. The comment period ends shortly on March 29, 2013. IfContinue reading →
A new I-9 Form, which is the document employers use to verify the identity and eligibility of employees hired in the United States, has been issued by the Department of Homeland Security. You can obtain forms now and should begin using them soon. However, you may continue to use the old forms a bit longer.Continue reading →
The IRS announced it is providing an extension of time to employers that want to claim the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC). Specifically, employers have more time – up to April 29, 2013 – to file the required IRS form to claim the valuable tax credit (IRS Notice 2013-14). The WOTC can be claimed byContinue reading →
