Business Law

• New Sales and Use Tax Standards

  August 7, 2018

  The Michigan Department of Treasury has just released the new sales and use tax standards for remote sellers. Prior to 2018, Michigan could not force sellers without a physical presence in the state to remit sales or use tax to the state. On June 21, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned this longstanding restriction and […]

• IRS Enforces Passport Restrictions to Collect Tax Debt

  July 30, 2018

  Abroad summer travel plans may be indefinitely delayed due to a new tax collection tool – Internal Revenue Code (IRC) § 7345, which permits the IRS to certify to the State Department individuals who have serious delinquent tax debt. Once the State Department receives a certification, it may deny or revoke the passport of that […]

• Why First Impressions Matter in Business Valuation Litigation

  April 26, 2018

  In a business-divorce case or marital divorce case involving a business, each side typically hires an expert to provide the court or jury with an opinion as to the value of the business. Depending on a party’s position, their expert will seek to establish as high or low a value as possible. For example, a […]

• New Deduction for Pass-Through Entities

  January 23, 2018

  The recently enacted tax act significantly changes the way businesses will be taxed.  The tax rate for C corporations was changed from a progressive-rate system with a maximum rate of 35% to a flat rate of 21%.  Combined with a Qualified Dividend rate of 15% for many taxpayers, the combined tax rate on corporate earning […]

• Game Over for Entertainment Deductions

  January 16, 2018

  The cost of business entertainment just got more expensive.  The good old days of deducting expenditures to entertain clients and customers has come to an end.  Under the recently enacted tax reform, no deduction is allowed with “respect to an activity generally considered to constitute entertainment, amusement or recreation.”  While portions of the current IRS […]

• Commercial Litigation Team Shares Insight on 2017

  January 15, 2018

  Happy New Year! Our Commercial Litigation Team would like to say THANK YOU to the many accountants, financial advisors and other professionals for the confidence you show in our team by referring clients to us in the past year.  Our commercial litigation team has worked diligently to develop unique capabilities in finance, accounting, and business valuation, […]

• PACA Contracts: Court Ruling Outlines Best Practices for Payment Terms

  October 3, 2017

  Sometimes growers and other sellers of perishable agricultural commodities (fruits and vegetables) lack attention to the details when it comes to their contracts. Many sales occur by way of handshake. While that process may be what is expected in your locality, growers and sellers in the Western District of Michigan are putting themselves in serious […]

• New Regulations for Michigan Medical Marijuana Businesses Put Applicants on FBI’s Radar

  August 1, 2017

  (August 1, 2017) Last month, Michigan’s Governor, Rick Snyder, signed into law new amendments to the Michigan Medical Marijuana Facilities Licensing Act (the “MMFLA”) which once again highlights significant differences between state and federal laws pertaining to the use and regulation of medical marijuana. The new law could also force those who wish to legally […]

• Recent Ruling Clarifies Possession for Medical Marijuana Caregivers

  May 8, 2017

  (May 9, 2017) The air just got a little clearer for medical marijuana caregivers when it comes to determining how much of the drug they can keep on hand for patients. The Michigan Court of Appeals, in People v. Manuel, ruled that it’s the “dried” weight, not the “drying” weight, that counts when determining whether […]

• Recent Ruling Reinforces the Importance of Understanding Contract Terms

  December 2, 2016

  (December 2, 2016) An opinion issued recently by the Michigan Court of Appeals highlights the need for business organizations to pay special attention to not only the language of contracting documents, but also to understand the meaning and consequences of any documents incorporated into those contracts “by reference.” In Naturipe Foods, LLC v Siegel Egg […]