Top 12 Reasons Why New Businesses Fail – Part 2
I realize this is a topic entrepreneurs would rather not talk about. But with a recent statistic showing that approximately one in every three new businesses fail within the first two years, it can no longer be ignored. As harsh as this might sound, businesses don’t fail by themselves. Instead, businesses usually fail on account […]
Top 12 Reasons Why New Businesses Fail – Part 1
I realize this is a topic entrepreneurs would rather not talk about. But with a recent statistic showing that approximately one in every three new businesses fail within the first two years, it can no longer be ignored. As harsh as this might sound, businesses don’t fail by themselves. Instead, businesses usually fail on account […]
District Court of Connecticut Expands Scope of Willfulness Requirement for FBAR Violations
A new U.S. District court case has zeroed in on the definition of “willful” for purposes of applying the more serious penalties for failure to file tan FBAR. In U.S. v. Garrity, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 56888 (D. Conn. 2018), the United States District Court of Connecticut dealt taxpayers with undisclosed foreign accounts a hard blow. […]
How Do I Keep An Airtight Corporate Veil For My Business?
As a general rule, corporations and LLCs are separate and distinct from their shareholders and members. This means that the owners are typically not liable personally for the debts and obligations (including judgments and settlements) of the company. However, sometimes courts see fit to pierce the corporate veil, bypassing the company and finding one or […]
Which Legal Entity Is Best For My Small Business?
One of the key decisions you will have to make at the early stages of starting your new company is whether to operate your business as a sole proprietor or structure it as a limited partnership, limited liability company or corporation. In this podcast, I discuss the different legal entities, costs of formation and maintenance, […]
The Power To Tax In The United States: An Overview
The following article was published in the May 3, 2018 edition of Global Tax Weekly. Click here to read it.
Creative Trademark Enforcement: Thinking Outside the Box
In 2000, Lars Ulrich, drummer, co-founder of and ostensible spokesperson for the metal band Metallica discovered that fans were sharing an unreleased, unfinished recording of a song for the Mission Impossible II soundtrack on the then hot file sharing software platform Napster. Ulrich set about the process of filing suit against Napster, several universities and other entities […]
Has the Final Curtain Fallen on The Jersey Boys Legal Woes?
Jersey Boys is by far my favorite Broadway musical. For those who are unfamiliar with Jersey Boys, you must be living under a rock! Jersey Boys was a 2005 jukebox musical with music by Bob Gaudio, and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. It is presented in a documentary-style format that dramatizes the formation, success […]
Seven Indispensable Intellectual Property Protection Tips for Script Writers
Wherever you go in the world, not just the United States, copyright law is based on the premise that ideas are free. Any two people could- and often do- simultaneously summon the same muse and come up with a similar idea. It’s true with inventions, business models, and storylines. In this case, we’re concerned with […]