10.14.21

How Top “Pandemic Performer” Law Firms Thrived

A recent report from the Thomson Reuters Institute examines the factors that have contributed to the high performance of law firms that fared best financially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding these factors can help other firms better position themselves for future disruptions. Related Read: State of the Midsize Market: Resilience Is Key Key characteristics The 2021 […]

10.07.21

Audit Communications to Plan Sponsors More Robust Under SAS 136
Stephanie Zaleski-Braatz

The AICPA’s Statement on Accounting Standards No. 136 (SAS 136), “Forming an Opinion and Reporting on Financial Statements of Employee Benefit Plans Subject to ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974), will meaningfully change the audit process for defined contribution plan sponsors. The AICPA issued SAS 136 with the goal of giving readers of […]

10.06.21

The Tax Impacts of Capitalizing Versus Expensing Costs of Real Estate
Thomas Kosinski

Individuals with real estate businesses often expect to deduct business-related expenses for tax purposes. But those tax deductions might not be a guarantee. Many real estate development costs are required to be capitalized and added to the cost of the building. In this case, there are additional rules to determine if building costs qualify for […]

09.28.21

How To Get Stuff Done
Thomas Pierce

Law firms face disruption on multiple fronts and they are struggling to get things done. Firm leaders must contend with the pandemic’s health threat and the challenges of managing a remote workforce, as well as supply chain disruptions, demand shifts, resource constraints and more, all while devising critical plans for the road ahead. Combined with […]

09.20.21

Tainted Donor, Tainted Money? How To Handle Controversial Contributions
Sarah G. Widlock

In 2019, as waves of lawsuits accused Purdue Pharma of knowingly contributing to the opioid crisis, numerous not-for-profit organizations announced that they would no longer accept gifts from the Sackler family, several members of which owned the company. That same year, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology came under fire for accepting multiple donations from convicted […]

09.15.21

The Future of the Supply Chain Is Digital

As the supply chain for the manufacturing industry becomes increasingly global, it is also becoming increasingly complex. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, many manufacturers and distributors were adopting digital solutions — particularly blockchain — to improve the visibility and traceability of raw materials and goods through the supply chain. These upgrades have helped enhance transparency, […]

09.09.21

2020 Lease Audit Spotlight Gain Clarity on Gross-Up Adjustments

When services were reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic many services, such as cleaning, were reduced by landlords. Is it still fair to gross up the expenses of unoccupied space?  The common area maintenance (CAM) clauses of many commercial office leases allow a landlord to gross up expenses for unoccupied space to amounts that would be […]

09.08.21

Is Your Revocable Trust Fully Funded?
Jeffrey R. Green

If your estate plan documents make use of a revocable trust, also known as a “living trust,” you need to ensure that the trust is fully “funded.” When properly structured, revocable trusts can provide significant benefits, including the ability to avoid probate of the assets they hold and facilitate management of your assets in the […]

09.02.21

IRS Compliance Checklist: Keep Your Plan Running Smoothly and Legally
James Pellino

Some IRS compliance requirements for plan sponsors may be more familiar than others. Because knowledge of even the most basic rules tends to vary, the IRS offers a 401(k) plan checklist of the top compliance tasks. It is a good idea to test your plan against this checklist. Before you start Both you and your […]

08.31.21

State of the Midsize Market: Resilience Is Key
Justin L. Sylvan

Despite daunting challenges, midsize law firms flexed their creativity and agility to prove themselves surprisingly resilient in 2020. The 2021 Report on the State of the Midsize Legal Market from the Thomson Reuters Institute (TRI) looks at how midsize firms weathered the challenges of 2020 and the opportunities that may lie ahead. Related Read: 2021 Legal […]