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Mockensturm, Ltd. Legal Blog

What is reasonable compensation? Pt. 2

Last week, we looked at the factors the Tax Court uses to determine if compensation paid to employee/owners of a company qualify as “reasonable.” In a case involving a concrete contractor, the court found that the five-factor test supported the company’s assertion...

What is reasonable compensation? Pt. 1

When a company pays employees, it is presumed to some degree, that it pays them only enough to prevent them from leaving and going to work elsewhere. This equation changes when the company is controlled by the individual being paid. The IRS often suspects owners are...

Ohio lawmaker planning to push for flat income tax

There’s now little doubt that federal income taxes will change in one way or another under the new administration. But what about state taxes? One possible proposal to watch out for in Ohio is a move to a flat income tax. Ohio State Senator Bill Coley says he plans to...

Implausible deniability

During the Regan administration, certain incidents raised questions that had overtones of the Watergate Scandal, involving “what did the President know and when did he know it?” Certain members of the administration noted that the president was not informed of some...

3 things you should know about IRS audits

It is no secret that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is a large and complex organization. Even so, it is not as intricate as the tax laws they monitor and enforce. If you have ever had to actively engage in legal action regarding tax laws, you have probably quickly...

New rules from IRS on captive insurance

Captive insurance is a device used by some small businesses in Ohio to provide a form of self-insurance. The “captive” insurance company is a captive of the entity it insures. For instance, a factory or manufacturing plant may create a captive insurer to protect it...

IRS announces $10 billion milestone for FACTA

The IRS has seen its share of problems in the last few years. It has had its budget cut, which has compromised its ability to audit and pursue delinquent tax filings. It has been tied up in the “targeting” scandal, accused of going after 501(c)(3) organizations based...