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Separating Strategy Can Greatly Help Your Business

Separating Strategy Can Greatly Help Your Business published on

Many companies can fall into the practice of not having a separate strategy for their business. Strategy is something that must not have the restrictions of budgeting or planning. A plan should be used to execute a strategy. According to Forbes, a strategy is: “the result of making choices that answer certain fundamental business questions:

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Business Strategy
  • What businesses should we be in, and how do we add value to them?
  • Who are our target customers, and what is our value proposition to them?
  • What capabilities make us best at how we add value to our individual businesses and how well they deliver their value propositions?”

Usually a company has many plans with very little strategy. Another step that should be taken is separating strategy from plan formulation and the calendar. A current strategy is a must in business as opportunities and the environment in which your business is operating can always change. Strategy must also be able to be changed to accommodate for the changing business environment.

If you are a member of Spiegel & Utrera, P.A.’s General Counsel Club and have business related questions, call (800) 734-9900 or clubassist@amerilawyer.com for assistance. Remember, as a General Counsel Club member, you receive unlimited legal, business, credit and tax advice all year long.

Spiegel & Utrera, P.A. is a corporate law firm with its main offices located in Miami, Florida with offices throughout the United States. As a law firm, we do more than just help you form your business entity. We stand ready to help with the maintenance of your legal business entity! We will assist you with Incorporation Service, Trademarks, Copyrights, Estate Planning, Legal Counsel, Wills,Trusts, Agreements & Leases, Corporate & Company

Money Given Back To Small Business After Out-Of-Date IRS Policy Reviewed

Money Given Back To Small Business After Out-Of-Date IRS Policy Reviewed published on

An outdated IRS policy caused a small business owner to turn over nearly $150,000 in his business bank account because of an audit. Prior to October 2014, IRS monitored “structuring” activity, in which some businesses break up banking transactions to curtail suspicion. Transaction over $10,000 are flagged and tip off the IRS to target and investigate potential criminal operations and cash-only businesses.

Money
Refund Given Back To Small Business

The small business owner, because he made made several regular withdrawals under the $10,000 limit, triggered a review of his account. The business owner signed documentation turning over his bank account funds to the IRS. The IRS, however, did not make any clear accusation of the business owner’s alleged illicit activities that warranted the seizure.

In October 2014, the IRS changed its policy regarding structuring and restricted asset forfeiture to owners suspected of criminal activity. Finally, in March 2015, the US Department of Justice issued a policy statement to recommend seizures be directly only to the most serious illegal banking transactions.

IRS Approves Non-Retroactive Repayments os Seized Funds

The changes, however, were not retroactive. The Institute for Justice, on behalf of the business owner, filed for a petition to mitigate their case. On February 18th, 2015, the IRS approved the petition for full repayment of the funds seized by the IRS.

If you are a member of Spiegel & Utrera, P.A.’s General Counsel Club and have business related questions, call (800) 734-9900 or clubassist@amerilawyer.com for assistance. Remember, as a General Counsel Club member, you receive unlimited legal, business, credit and tax advice all year long.

Spiegel & Utrera, P.A. is a corporate law firm with its main offices located in Miami, Florida with offices throughout the United States. As a law firm, we do more than just help you form your business entity. We stand ready to help with the maintenance of your legal business entity! We will assist you with Incorporation Service, Trademarks, Copyrights, Estate Planning, Legal Counsel, Wills,Trusts, Agreements & Leases, Corporate & Company

Keep Shareholders Happy & Avoid Lawsuits

Keep Shareholders Happy & Avoid Lawsuits published on

Tesla Motors, Inc. (“Tesla”) is a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ. Tesla develops, designs, manufactures, and offers for sale fully electric performance vehicles and advanced power-train components for electric vehicles. Although Tesla was founded here in the United Sates, it now has more remote locations and delivers its cars to consumers all over the world. Tesla has enjoyed great success recently. Tesla’s stock has made early shareholders of the company very happy.

Tesla

Nevertheless, several U.S. law firms attempted to bring class-action shareholder derivative claims when reports of Tesla vehicles catching fire after accidents emerged, which caused a temporary sell-off of Tesla’s stock. The lawsuits claimed that Tesla violated SEC disclosure rules by failing to disclose to shareholders that the vehicle had safety issues. However, the lawsuits did not move forward because shareholders rejected the formation of the shareholder class. Shareholders claimed that they did not need the protection of a class-action lawsuit because they did not believe that the vehicle has a design defect that makes it prone to fires. This illustrates that although shareholder derivative claims are a valid concern for any publicly traded company, an excellent way to defend your business against such lawsuits is to keep your shareholders happy through outstanding financial performance.

If you are a member of Spiegel & Utrera, P.A.’s General Counsel Club and have business related questions, call (800) 734-9900 or clubassist@amerilawyer.com for assistance. Remember, as a member of the  General Counsel Club, you receive unlimited legal, business, credit and tax advice all year long.

Spiegel & Utrera, P.A. is a corporate law firm with its main offices located in Miami, Florida with offices throughout the United States. As a law firm, we do more than just help you form your business entity. We stand ready to help with the maintenance of your legal business entity! We will assist you with Incorporation Service, Trademarks, Copyrights, Estate Planning, Legal Counsel, Wills,Trusts, Agreements & Leases, Corporate & Company

Two Ways Your Business Can Raise Money

Two Ways Your Business Can Raise Money published on

There are several ways that businesses can raise money. Some are very well known while others are not as familiar to business owners. Below are two ways your business can raise money that may be unfamiliar:

Raise Money

1. ROBS Programs on a 401(k): Rollovers as Business Startups (ROBS) are programs tat allow a business owner to take tax-deferred retirement funds and use them to start or buy a business without early withdrawal penalties. Do be careful as these programs have a very complex rules provided by the IRS and if not handled correctly could result in penalties and other issues.

2. Vendors: If you are a good customer you could ask a vendor if he or she offers any extended repayment terms. Vendors may have their own financing programs or terms. “Pay on scan” could be one option, where the supplier is paid for the inventory only when it is sold to a customer. There are many costs that can be eliminated to allow your business to operate more efficiently and save money.

If you are a member of Spiegel & Utrera, P.A.’s General Counsel Club and have business related questions, call (800) 734-9900 or clubassist@amerilawyer.com for assistance. Remember, as a member of the  General Counsel Club, you receive unlimited legal, business, credit and tax advice all year long.

Spiegel & Utrera, P.A. is a corporate law firm with its main offices located in Miami, Florida with offices throughout the United States. As a law firm, we do more than just help you form your business entity. We stand ready to help with the maintenance of your legal business entity! We will assist you with Incorporation Service,Trademarks,Copyrights,Estate Planning, Legal Counsel, Wills,Trusts, Agreements & Leases, Corporate & Company

State Attorney Scrutinizes Not For Profits Bookkeeping Records

State Attorney Scrutinizes Not For Profits Bookkeeping Records published on

A state attorney general has recently investigated several not-for-profit corporations under suspicion that the organizations’ officers have misappropriated funds, using the companies as fronts to cover for large-scale defrauding and use of donations to fund lavish lifestyles. In one case, the attorney general’s investigation and subsequent trial resulted in a verdict convicting two organization officers of conspiring to steal over $50,000. The not-for-profit ran a lunch program for senior citizens; however, the jury found that the officers routinely submitted false monthly contract and service invoice reports, inflating the costs of the lunches and enabling the officers to skim money. Both officers were charged with several felony accounts and have been sentenced to probation and a combined total of $50,000 in fines. The restaurant owner of the shop from which the organization obtained the lunches previously pleaded guilty to Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree; he was sentenced to conditional discharge and restitution of $25,000.

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In another case, an executive director was arraigned for allegedly defrauding Medicaid for services rendered to the organization’s clients, including a developmentally disabled person directly under the director’s care. The complaint alleges that the director, responsible for coordinating and providing care to developmentally disabled individuals, double-billed her work, both submitting false time sheets for compensation through an independent employer and claiming medicaid for services rendered through the not-for-profit. She also allegedly used the money from clients’ bank accounts to cover personal expenses. If convicted, the director can face up to 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison.

If you are running a not-for-profit organization, it is critical that your bookkeeping and legal records be accurate and up to date, ensuring also that any required registrations and annual filings with your state attorney general’s office are maintained.

 

If you are a member of Spiegel & Utrera, P.A.’s General Counsel Club and have business related questions, call (800) 734-9900 or clubassist@amerilawyer.com for assistance. Remember, as a member of the  General Counsel Club, you receive unlimited legal, business, credit and tax advice all year long.

Spiegel & Utrera, P.A. is a corporate law firm with its main offices located in Miami, Florida with offices throughout the United States. As a law firm, we do more than just help you form your business entity. We stand ready to help with the maintenance of your legal business entity! We will assist you with Incorporation Service, Trademarks,Copyrights,Estate Planning, Legal Counsel, Wills,Trusts, Agreements & Leases, Corporate & Company

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If You Are Looking To Buy Or Sell A Business, Seller Financing Is Key To Success

If You Are Looking To Buy Or Sell A Business, Seller Financing Is Key To Success published on

With the changing state of the economy it is becoming harder and harder for entrepreneurs to acquire loans for buying or selling a business. However, this can be easily solved through Seller Financing. Essentially, the seller will be paid for the business over time instead of one lump sum. In turn the seller can protect himself by assuming ownership if the buyer misses payment.

Seller Financing

Additional seller protection can be achieved by securing a loan against the business’s hard assets, a mortgage on the buyer’s home along with personal guarantee signed by the buyer and the buyer’s spouse. Safety when selling a business can only be accomplished through carefully drafted agreements and proper documentation.

If you are a member of Spiegel & Utrera, P.A.’s General Counsel Club and have questions about SBA 504 Loans, call (800) 734-9900 orclubassist@amerilawyer.comfor assistance. Remember, as a member of the  General Counsel Club, you receive unlimited legal, business, credit and tax advice all year long.

Spiegel & Utrera, P.A. is a corporate law firm with its main offices located in Miami, Florida with offices throughout the United States. As a law firm, we do more than just help you form your business entity. We stand ready to help with the maintenance of your legal business entity! We will assist you with Incorporation Service, Trademarks, Copyrights,Estate Planning, Legal Counsel, Wills, Trusts, Agreements & Leases, Corporate & Company

Small Business Loans, SBA 504 Loans

Small Business Loans, SBA 504 Loans published on

If you have a small business, you could obtain a small business loan with lower interest and with payment terms of up to 10 to 20 years. The Small Business Administration, (SBA) will cover 40 percent of the project costs, the maximum limits are over $5 million.

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These 504 loans have to be for certain types of business; they cannot be speculative businesses by nature such as real estate investment. However, a vast majority of businesses are eligible, such as franchises, recreational facilities and clubs, farms and agriculture businesses, fishing vessels, medical facilities, etc. Proceeds from the loan can be used for financing of fixed assets, purchase of equipment, acquiring new facilities, updating existing locations. It is all about helping small business get to the next level.These 504 loans do not come directly from the SBA, but are rather provided by local Certified Development Companies which are nonprofits. The business is expected to contribute 10% to the project.

It’s a good idea to have a business plan and to have someone assist you to navigate through the government bureaucracy. These loans are meant to help small businesses, and you should allow our law firm to assist you in seeing if it is something you can benefit from.

If you are a member of Spiegel & Utrera, P.A.’s General Counsel Club and have questions about SBA 504 Loans, call (800) 734-9900 orclubassist@amerilawyer.com for assistance. Remember, as a member of the  General Counsel Club, you receive unlimited legal, business, credit and tax advice all year long.

Spiegel & Utrera, P.A. is a corporate law firm with its main offices located in Miami, Florida with offices throughout the United States. As a law firm, we do more than just help you form your business entity. We stand ready to help with the maintenance of your legal business entity! We will assist you with Incorporation Service, Trademarks, Copyrights,Estate Planning, Legal Counsel, Wills, Trusts, Agreements & Leases, Corporate & Company

How Much Of Your PPM Is Mere Opinion

How Much Of Your PPM Is Mere Opinion published on

A recent ruling by the Supreme Court may make businesses think twice about what to add to Private Placement Memorandum when trying to raise new working capital. The Court addressed the use of opinion statements in PPMs as investors rely on the information presented when deciding whether to make an investment. As Congress specifically confronted the issue at the time of passing the pertinent securities law, the Court has further tackled the same by looking at the over-reliance of opinion in the PPM.

The Court did not want the business to get around the requirement of having correct, factual information in the PPM by attempting to simply make all statements a matter of opinion. Also, the Court looked at the omission of fact when including the opinion that would otherwise make the opinion misleading such as leaving out potential risks in the venture to make the worthiness of the investment seem much more lucrative.

If you are a member of Spiegel & Utrera, P.A.’s General Counsel Club and have business related questions, call (800) 734-9900 or clubassist@amerilawyer.com for assistance. Remember, as a member of the  General Counsel Club, you receive unlimited legal, business, credit and tax advice all year long.

Spiegel & Utrera, P.A. is a corporate law firm with its main offices located in Miami, Florida with offices throughout the United States. As a law firm, we do more than just help you form your business entity. We stand ready to help with the maintenance of your legal business entity! We will assist you with Incorporation Service, Trademarks, Copyrights,Estate Planning, Legal Counsel, Wills,Trusts, Agreements & Leases, Corporate & Company

Misclassifying Workers Can Lead To Costly Penalties

Misclassifying Workers Can Lead To Costly Penalties published on

 

Avoiding payroll taxes by intentionally or unintentionally misclassifying employees as independent contractors is a costly mistake.

 

Most often the misclassification will be discovered during an audit or if a former worker files a complaint. Under “the twenty factor test” in Revenue Ruling 87-41, an employee is anyone who performs services for an employer if the employer can control what will be done and how it will be done. However, in an independent contractor relationship the employer has the right to control or direct only the result of the work done, and not the means and methods of a accomplishing the result.

 

How to properly create an independent contractor relationship

Foremost, you must have an independent contractor agreement in place. This will help define the responsibilities of the independent contractor to follow proper standards under the law. Next, the independent contractor should set up his own corporation or LLC. Then the  independent contractor relationship is between two entities. This helps the employer prove he is not controlling methods to accomplish the result.

If you are a member of Spiegel & Utrera, P.A.’s General Counsel Club and have business related questions, call (800) 734-9900 or clubassist@amerilawyer.com for assistance. Remember, as a member of the  General Counsel Club, you receive unlimited legal, business, credit and tax advice all year long.

Spiegel & Utrera, P.A. is a corporate law firm with its main offices located in Miami, Florida with offices throughout the United States. As a law firm, we do more than just help you form your business entity. We stand ready to help with the maintenance of your legal business entity! We will assist you with Incorporation Service, Trademarks, Copyrights, Estate Planning, Legal Counsel, Wills,Trusts, Agreements & Leases, Corporate & Company

 

IdentityTheft.Gov Upgraded To Better Assist Identity Theft Victims

IdentityTheft.Gov Upgraded To Better Assist Identity Theft Victims published on

The Federal Trade Commission’s www.IdentityTheft.gov website has been updated making it easier for consumers to start the process of regaining their identity. The website has many tools that allow identity theft victims to alert law enforcement, the credit bureaus, and the IRS, as well as other necessary parties. The website will also allow victims to file a complaint with the FTC on the same site.

Identity theft2

The website, using the information entered, will create a recovery plan based on the information that the consumer provides. This website, which can also be viewed on mobile devices, should be a great help to many victims of identity theft with the ever increasing use of mobile devices as well as other devices to make purchases as well as store and provide our information for various services and products.

If you are a member of Spiegel & Utrera, P.A.’s General Counsel Club and have business related questions, call (800) 734-9900 or clubassist@amerilawyer.com for assistance. Remember, as a member of the  General Counsel Club, you receive unlimited legal, business, credit and tax advice all year long.

Spiegel & Utrera, P.A. is a corporate law firm with its main offices located in Miami, Florida with offices throughout the United States. As a law firm, we do more than just help you form your business entity. We stand ready to help with the maintenance of your legal business entity! We will assist you with Incorporation Service, Trademarks, Copyrights, Estate Planning, Legal Counsel, Wills,Trusts, Agreements & Leases, Corporate & Company

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