Business Planning & Consulting

How to ensure your business really owns its intellectual property

Securing ownership of your business’s IP is critical. Without the right legal agreements in place, employees or contractors could claim rights to these important value drivers.
April 22, 2026
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Whether it’s a trademark, copyright, patent, trade secret or other piece of IP, its ultimate value to your business depends on you owning it. Without airtight agreements with employees and independent contractors, these workers may claim that the IP they research and develop belongs to them. Some companies learn they don’t actually own IP assets only […]
#BusinessPlanning, #IntellectualProperty, #IPProtection
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Tax Planning

Material participation: Why it matters for LLP and LLC owners

LLC and LLP owners: Can you deduct your business losses this year? The answer may depend on whether your activity is considered passive under the IRS’s passive activity loss rules.
April 20, 2026
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The passive activity loss (PAL) rules may limit your ability to deduct losses from a business structured as a limited liability partnership (LLP) or limited liability company (LLC). Depending on how your ownership interest is treated under these rules, you may have more or less flexibility to claim losses in the current year. Here’s a […]
#businesstaxes, #PassiveActivityLoss, #TaxPlanning
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Business Planning & Consulting

Starting a business? 5 things you need to know

Launching a new business requires more than vision alone. Here are five things you need to know before you get started.
April 15, 2026
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So you’ve decided to start your own business — congratulations! Many new owners open a business to be their own boss and chart their own course. However, along with those benefits come some complications compared to being someone else’s employee. Planning and budgeting are critical, and you’ll have plenty of new tax compliance responsibilities. 1. It […]
#BusinessPlanning, #Entrepreneurship, #StartupBusiness
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Employee Benefit Plans

ACA penalties may still apply — and they’re increasing for 2026

Beware, small business owners: As your workforce grows, ACA compliance can become a costly surprise without proper planning.
April 13, 2026
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Many small businesses don’t have enough employees to worry about the play-or-pay provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). However, as your business grows, these rules can apply sooner than expected. This issue also may not be on your radar because there’s a common misconception that the repeal of ACA penalties under the Tax Cuts […]
#AffordableCareAct, #BusinessCompliance, #EmployeeBenefits
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Business Planning & Consulting

Considering layoffs? Try these alternatives first

If your business has become financially distressed, layoffs may seem unavoidable. Not necessarily! This article suggests alternatives, such as trimming perks, benefits and wages, first.
April 8, 2026
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It’s every business owner’s least-favorite task: laying off staff. But sometimes, layoffs are unavoidable. Labor costs are a significant line item on most companies’ income statements, and reducing your workforce can potentially help restore stability if your business hits choppy waters. On the other hand, many costs are associated with staff reductions. These include severance […]
#BusinessStrategy, #CostManagement, #WorkforceManagement
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Tax Planning

What you need to know about filing an extension — and minimizing penalties

Not ready to file your federal income tax return by April 15? There are things you can do to avoid or reduce penalties.
April 7, 2026
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If you don’t have everything ready to complete your 2025 federal individual income tax return by the April 15 deadline, you can request an automatic extension. Filing Form 4868, “Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return,” by April 15 can give you breathing room to file accurately and protect […]
#TaxDeadline, #TaxExtension, #TaxPlanning
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