BW INSIGHTS

Wise Moves: BrownWinick Immigration Intel

By Matt J. Mauntel-Medici | 09.03.2025

Welcome back to Wise Moves, where we translate fast-moving immigration news into employer action. This month brought more big shifts at DOS and USCIS that will affect hiring timelines, global mobility, and case strategy through the fall and beyond. At a Glance: What employers need to know USCIS payment modernization (effective now). USCIS rolled... Read More

Illinois Launches 2025 Tax Amnesty Program: A Rare Opportunity for Businesses to Settle Past Liabilities

By Tim C. Reilly | 09.02.2025

The Illinois Department of Revenue published information about its upcoming tax amnesty program. Taxpayers with outstanding liabilities from periods between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2024 can pay those liabilities without owing penalties or interest. If your business failed to file or made a mistake on a return for any of those periods, now is the... Read More

Navigating State & Local Taxes: How an Iowa Tax Attorney Can Help Your Business

By Tim C. Reilly | 08.22.2025

State and local taxes (SALT) often take a back seat to federal tax considerations, to the extent that tax is even at the table when it comes to deciding what’s best for a business. And while federal income tax is typically the largest tax liability for a business, ignoring SALT in business planning can create unnecessary risk and leave money on... Read More

Iowa Overhauls Business Tax Incentives: What Companies Need to Know

By Tim C. Reilly | 08.11.2025

The 2025 Iowa legislature enacted Senate File 657 to revamp some of the state’s biggest tax incentives to attract and retain businesses. The bill was signed by Governor Kim Reynolds on June 6, and the restructured credits and incentives will go into effect on January 1, 2026. Research and Development (R&D) The Iowa Research Activities Credit (RAC)... Read More

Navigating Form 5500 Compliance: Common Pitfalls & How Legal Counsel Can Help

By Caleb J. Brus & Cynthia Boyle Lande | 08.05.2025

As summer rolls in, so does benefit plan audit season including Form 5500 filings. For many, this means calls from auditors and sometimes those calls come with unexpected news: “We found an issue.” If this happens, you’re not alone and it is more common than you might think. The good news? At BrownWinick, our employee benefits attorneys regularly... Read More

Wise Moves: BrownWinick Immigration Intel

By Matt J. Mauntel-Medici | 07.30.2025

Welcome to Wise Moves: BrownWinick Immigration Intel We bring you sharp, actionable updates on employment-based immigration: what’s changing, what it means for your business, and how to stay ahead. At BrownWinick, we help employers navigate complexity with strategy, clarity, and confidence. Whether you’re sponsoring a single foreign national or... Read More

Visa Interview Waiver Rollback: Most Applicants Must Interview Starting September 2, 2025

By Matt J. Mauntel-Medici | 07.28.2025

The U.S. Department of State has announced a significant change to the way visas are processed. Starting September 2, 2025, most nonimmigrant visa applicants will be required to attend an in-person interview, even if they are renewing a visa in the same category. This is a major change in policy and will result in longer processing times for visas... Read More

Immigration Impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

By Matt J. Mauntel-Medici | 07.16.2025

The recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes immigration provisions with immediate implications for employers. Below is a practical summary tailored for HR teams, in‑house counsel, and international workforce planners. Increased Focus on Enforcement and Compliance Greater Enforcement: $75 billion in supplemental funding for increased... Read More

FTC's "Click-to-Cancel" Rule Vacated Days Before Going Into Effect: What Businesses Need to Know

By Brian McCormac | 07.14.2025

The countdown to July 14, 2025, was nearly over—but now, the FTC’s proposed “click-to-cancel” rule was invalidated less than a week before its “go live” date. This surprising turn of events is a win for companies who do business using subscription models and a loss for consumers who want easier ways to cancel them. On October 16, 2024, the FTC... Read More

Forming a Veterinary Practice in Iowa: Choosing the Right Legal Entity

By Caleb J. Brus | 07.11.2025

If you're a veterinarian thinking about starting your own practice in Iowa, or restructuring an existing one, an important decision you will face is how to legally set up your business. Your choice of legal entity isn't just paperwork; it affects your personal liability, how you're taxed, and whether you're in compliance with Iowa's professional... Read More