Business Law
General Litigation
Antitrust Laws Designed to Foster Competition
When you hear the word “antitrust,” you may think of Microsoft or IBM — or, if you’re looking at historical cases, Standard Oil, American Tobacco and Ma Bell. As a small or medium-size business, you might think antitrust law is an issue you don’t have to worry about. Defining Antitrust Behavior The difference between […]
Timely Opportunities
Should You Take Out a Loan to Fund Your Small Business?
If you need cash to operate and grow your small business, you have two options: debt and equity financing. Some business owners take on excessive debt because they won’t relinquish control to investors. But others have the reverse problem — they refuse to apply for a commercial loan even though doing so would make good […]
Timely Opportunities
Casualty Losses: How to Claim Deductions and Avoid Pitfalls
Every year, the United States experiences natural and manmade disasters, ranging from hurricanes and earthquakes to wildfires and electrical grid failure. If you’re unlucky enough to suffer a disaster-related loss, you’ll need to understand the federal income tax rules to determine whether you’re eligible for a casualty loss deduction. Personal Casualty Loss Deduction Basics You […]
Intellectual Property
Keep the Barn Door Closed
You probably spend a great deal of time and money developing unique ideas, products, and services. But the more people who know about your plans, the more you risk losing your secrets. To help protect intellectual property — your vital assets — it’s important to require confidentiality agreements. Sometimes referred to as non-disclosure agreements, confidentiality […]
Employment Law
Polygraph Tests: Use With Caution
If you suspect that an employee has committed an illegal act, don’t make plans to conduct a lie detector test unless there are special circumstances. To Tell the Truth:Grounds for Lie Detector Tests Under the Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA), one of the exceptions to the ban on lie detector tests involves continuing investigations of […]
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5 Tips to Help Prepare for a Possible Layoff
The threat of a recession has persisted for over a year. With this uncertainty, many businesses may be considering layoffs. If you’re seeing clues that your employer might slash jobs and you’re worried about being on the firing line, it’s smart to prepare. Here are five personal finance tips you can use … just in […]
Timely Opportunities
Have You Considered These SECURE 2.0 Retirement Saving Provisions?
President Biden signed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement 2.0 Act (SECURE 2.0) on December 29, 2022. It’s a critical part of the omnibus funding package that builds on the retirement-saving opportunities provided by the original SECURE Act of 2019. Hardship Distributions: Your Employer Counts on You to Determine Eligibility SECURE 2.0 allows […]
Business Fraud Prevention
How Crooks Use Bankruptcy to Cheat Creditors
When a company goes bankrupt, honest owners or directors do everything they can to hold creditors’ losses to a minimum. When it becomes clear the business can’t be saved, they halt trading (in the case of public companies), hire professional advisors to help guide them through bankruptcy proceedings and generally arrange for orderly liquidation. Less […]
Commercial Law