BW INSIGHTS

Profits Interests - Equity Compensation for Partnerships

Many people are familiar with stock options and how those operate, but for those businesses organized as an LLC and taxed as a partnership, profits interests are another tool in the toolbox to recruit, retain, and motivate your employees. However, I often need to provide more explanation about profits interests and how they work than stock options... Read More

The Corporate Transparency Act is Imminent: What You Need to Know

Much to the dismay of many corporate/transactional law practitioners like me, the burdensome business entity reporting requirements of the recently enacted Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”) are real, and they are coming in hot. Under the CTA, which is effective January 1, 2024, most business owners will face disclosure and reporting... Read More

How Your M&A Escrow Can Go Wrong

In the world of M&A transactions, there is always a large debate between buyer and seller on proper security for certain liabilities that the buyer may experience after the closing. A solution very commonly used is to place a certain percentage of the purchase price into escrow with an escrow agent, such as a bank, to hold the money post-closing... Read More

Does Your Export Business Use an IC-DISC?

Authorized by Congress as an incentive to promote export sales, Interest-Charge Domestic Sales Corporations (“IC-DISCs”) function as a simple, inexpensive, and low-risk tax planning strategy. Basically, IC-DISCs provide significant permanent tax benefits and deferred tax savings opportunities for U.S. based export companies by in essence allowing... Read More

International Investment Considerations: CFIUS

When a foreign party is involved in the potential acquisition of or investment in a U.S. business, they are doing much more than just investing in the U.S. Transactions in which a foreign party is involved, may also bring along CIFUS compliance considerations. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”) is a federal... Read More

Annual Minutes - Are They Worth It? YES.

As we head into the end of the year, you are likely being bombarded with reminders of house-cleaning items you should address before the calendar turns over. Reviewing your insurance coverage, evaluating your healthcare options for next year, reviewing your retirement accounts, and scheduling time with your tax preparer are all important, and... Read More

What Questions Should I Ask Before Dry Leasing an Aircraft?

I am contacted routinely by individuals that are interested in dry leasing an aircraft for either business or personal use (or both). These individuals have made the decision that they are willing to accept the risks of a dry lease of an aircraft (as opposed to a charter), which includes the party leasing the jet (the “dry lessee”) assuming full... Read More

Considerations for Selling to an ESOP

An employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) is an employee benefit plan that allows employees to share in the ownership of the company they work for. The shares are held in a trust, established by the company, for the benefit of participating employees. Generally, a company forms an ESOP which then purchases stock from the existing owner(s) at fair... Read More

Iowa Legislative Session Concludes with a Late Tax Bill

This year’s Iowa legislative session finally concluded late last Tuesday night after going about five weeks longer than scheduled. In addition to the major tax changes passed early in the session, an explanation of which can be found here, one other tax-related bill passed through the House and Senate at the end. The bill resulted in being Senate... Read More