“Tax free” – two words that often bring great delight when they are spoken by a tax adviser to the owner of a business, whether he is considering the disposition of a single asset, or of substantially all of the assets, of his business. (It’s the feeling I have when the local McDonald’s offers two-for-one

Picking up on yesterday’s discussion, how can a PEF reconcile its preference to acquire a depreciable or amortizable basis for its target’s assets while, at the same time, affording the target’s owners the opportunity to roll-over a portion of their equity in the target into the PEF HC on a tax-favored basis? The answer is hardly simple, and it will depend upon a number factors.
Continue Reading Rolling Over Target Equity Into A PE Fund: Part II

For many business owners, the final step of a successful career may be the sale of their business. At that point, the investment into which the owners have dedicated so much time, effort and money is liquidated, leaving them with what is hopefully a significant pool of funds with which to enjoy their retirement, diversify

A business entity that is treated as a “flow-through” for income tax purposes enjoys the benefit of a single level of tax – the entity itself is typically not subject to tax on its net income; rather, that income “flows through” to the entity’s owners, who then report it on their own income tax returns. This flow-through treatment occurs whether or not the entity has made a distribution to its owners. For that reason, partnership/LLC agreements and “S” corporation shareholder agreements often provide for so-called “tax distributions,” meaning that the entity will distribute, on an annual or quarterly basis, enough cash to enable its owners to satisfy their income tax liabilities attributable to their share of the entity’s income that is flowed-through to them.
Continue Reading When Investing In A Partnership May Be A Tax Problem

According to statistical data released by the IRS earlier this year, the examination rate for partnership tax returns has been increasing significantly over the last couple of years; of course, this includes returns filed by LLCs that are treated as partnerships for Federal income tax purposes. This should come as no surprise given the significant

Business Owners & Employment Taxes

In general, self-employed individuals are subject to employment taxes on their net earnings from self-employment.

The wages paid to individuals who are non-owner-employees of a business are subject to employment taxes regardless of how the business is organized.

The shareholders of a corporation are not subject to employment taxes in

Partner or Employee?

It has long been the position of the IRS that a bona fide member of a partnership is not an employee of the partnership. Such a partner, who devotes his or her time and energies to the conduct of the trade or business of the partnership, or in providing services to the

It Happens All The Time

A business owner dedicates every waking moment to the growth and well-being of the business. Invariably, the owner is motivated, in no small part, by the desire to provide for his or her family. After years of effort, and maybe some luck, the business succeeds. The owner and his or