2010 Hiring Incentive to Restore Employment ("HIRE") Act -- Tax Breaks for Employers The recently enacted Hiring Incentive to Restore Employment Act ("HIRE") created two new tax benefits to encourage employers to hire and retain new workers. Employers who hire...

Appealing Michigan Property Tax Assessments in 2010 The ongoing decline in property values in Detroit and surrounding southeast Michigan communities has further-expanded the substantial discrepancies between taxable values and market values for real estate. Assessors...

Charitable Deduction for Contribution's to Haiti Earthquake Victims On January 22, President Obama signed into law "A Bill to Accelerate the Income Tax Benefits for Charitable Cash Contributions for the Relief of Victims of the Earthquake in Haiti." According to the...

The IRS Says, "You Can't Hide Your House Behind Your Spouse." On April 17, 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court decided U.S. v. Craft holding that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) can use a husband and wife's personal residence, or other property that is owned via tenancy...

Section 1031: What is a Tax-Deferred Exchange? There are many ways to accumulate wealth, even in periods of economic sluggishness. One of the more attractive investment vehicles is an investment in real estate. Careful consideration should always be given to selecting...

Your Employee Health Care Plan and The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Announcement For more than a year, the EEOC has maintained the position that the Pregnancy Discrimination Act requires an employer-sponsored health care plan to cover...

Do Company-Sponsored Disaster Relief Fund-Raisers Violate a No-Solicitation Policy? Following the terrorist attacks on September 11th, some employers sponsored fund-raising activities in support of the World Trade Center victims, or at least permitted their employees...

Estate Law Changes - Add Confusion and Some Relief On June 7, 2001, the Economic Growth and Recovery Tax Act (EGRTA) was signed by President George W. Bush. This law, which included a highly publicized "repeal" of the federal estate tax, brought about some relief, but...

Potential Law Changes for Gifts of IRAs to Charity In the event that an individual gives appreciated stock to the charity of their choice, they are able to take a charitable deduction for the full value of the gift despite the fact that they do not have to recognize...

Employer Control of the Ether: Email, the Internet and the Employee Are you worried about what your employees are doing with this wonderful new tool you have given them to assist them in doing their jobs? Aside from all the things you have thought about, have you...

Sixth Circuit Finds Qualified immunity exists under certain circumstances for non-profit child care agencies and their employees. On June 7, 2000, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals found in the case of Bartell v. Lohiser, et al, that a qualified immunity exists under...

National Labor Relations Board has reversed its own 15-year-old precedent. Weingarten grows everywhere. Until July 10, 2000 Weingarten rights only existed in unionized work forces. Now, the National Labor Relations Board has reversed its own 15-year-old precedent....

 The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act - Make Your Mark in Cyberspace On June 30, 2000, President Clinton signed into law the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act ("E-Sign"). The new law contains provisions regarding the...

Costly Conversations - Does Your Company Have a Cell Phone Use Policy? Do your employees use cell phones to conduct business when they are driving? If the answer is yes, your company should adopt a policy that either prohibits cell phone use while driving or minimizes...

An effective Asset Protection Planning and Strategy Starts At Home. Does the term "Asset Protection" conjure visions of a remote Caribbean Island or the Swiss Alps? This is not the place to begin an asset protection analysis. We suggest that you begin by consulting...

Does your company transact business outside the United States? Form strategic alliances or joint ventures with foreign individuals or companies? If so, it is imperative that you monitor the evolution of international anti-bribery legislation. The United States,...

Protecting Your Trade Secrets in the Digital Age In recent years, as the competition for talented employees has increased, the variety of means by which a company's trade secrets can be stolen by departing employees means that businesses are at greater risk than ever...

The Tradition of Bribery in International Business -  bribery of public officials. The investigation by the International Olympic Committee of Salt Lake City and other venues has shed light on a very dark tradition of international business - bribery of public...

Have You Committed Fraud Lately? - Your omission could turn out to be expensive. Be wary of job applicants, especially for key positions, asking about your company's financial well being or asking you for current financial statements. The Michigan Court of Appeals...

Tired of Training Your Competitors' Employees? - burden and expense of providing technical training. More and more employers are picking up the burden and expense of providing technical training for their employees. While some of this training is done on site, much of...